If You had to blow up the Heat.

[BballTim]

There is no excuse for Wade & Lebron to not be successful together on the court.  Lebron can get to the hoop and pass exceptionally well, and Wade at the very least can shoot well.  They can run a number of plays and be successful.

  Neither Wade nor LeBron are great outside shots. Both of them like to dominate the ball and both of them are slashers. If one of them has the ball whoever's guarding the other can cheat towards the lane to help stop the drive. If LeBron has the ball and tries to drive, the defense pulls into the lane. If he kicks the ball to Wade, Dwayne can't drive because the defense was pulled into the lane. Same thing happens when Wade has the ball. They are in no way complementary.

[Jon]

They're not going to blow them up anytime soon.  However, I do think that ESPN should "blow up" the careers of all of those idiotic "analysts" who thought the Heat were going to challenge the Bulls' win record this year.  

Now that's not to say they'll never win one.  But it shows an incredible lack of basketball knowledge to think that this team with it's lack of a point guard and center AND lack of cohesive stars (Wade and LeBron both need the ball all the time) would be good right away.  

[More Banners]

I have no serious suggestion here but how long do you guys reckon it will take for Eric Spoelstra to be sacked?

Can't be long now.

I think Riley hangs on to him like Danny did to Doc before Ray and KG came over, using the same reasoning:  the pieces aren't there, and injuries to TWO key players on top of that...

And I don't think they're ready for Riley to come in and make them winners; they're simply not there yet.

If they are still hovering around .500 come February, Spoelstra is a goner (I predict sooner).

He could only fail. If they were 15-0 right now, it would be ALL about LBJ, Wade, and Bosh. Anything short of 82-0 and the finger-pointing starts at Spoelstra. He was a sitting duck from the get-go.


The only question is does Riley take on the task himself or find someone both qualified and dumb enough to assume the role.

This might be true...but I don't think Riley takes the reigns unless the team can get to and win the Finals, and this isn't the year for that.  Miller (and possibly Haslem) will just be getting back in February, and the buyouts will be happening.  Riles will be busy trying to find cheap pieces that will fit.

I don't think there's a top-level coach out there right now?  No reason to fire Spoelstra just to put another journeyman on the firing line.  Fratello isn't that great IMO, and I'm not sure who would have the ho-ho's to coach these players.  Riley would have to work the phones and call in favors.  It'd have to be someone with HOF credentials.

Meet the new head coach of the Miami Heat:  MAGIC JOHNSON!

[Jon]

Here's another theory.  Did Riley let Spolestra keep the job going into the season because he knew there were going to be growing pains and that Spolestra would provide a convenient scapegoat? 

If so, the question becomes when does Riley take over.  Does he think season one is a lost cause and will he fire him after the season?  Or does he think the team can make a turnaround before the season is over (and thus cans Spolestra earlier)? 

[guava_wrench]

Here's another theory.  Did Riley let Spolestra keep the job going into the season because he knew there were going to be growing pains and that Spolestra would provide a convenient scapegoat? 

If so, the question becomes when does Riley take over.  Does he think season one is a lost cause and will he fire him after the season?  Or does he think the team can make a turnaround before the season is over (and thus cans Spolestra earlier)? 

That's essentially the take the guys on ESPN had. Riley won't take over this year because the roster is half baked at this point.

[KobeGotRondoD]

Lebron for CP3, straight up trade with the Hornets.

New Orleans would be getting arguably the best player in the league (if not, top 2) and the Heat would be getting the #1 pg who can distribute and share the ball, which miami has struggled with when considering the lack of ball movement

[tenn_smoothie]

Lebron for CP3, straight up trade with the Hornets.

New Orleans would be getting arguably the best player in the league (if not, top 2) and the Heat would be getting the #1 pg who can distribute and share the ball, which miami has struggled with when considering the lack of ball movement

yep - very good move though you still have 3 young superstars trying to fit together - it works if they are team-first type guys (Bird, McHale, Parish, Max, Tiny, Cowens or Cowens, JoJo, Havlicek or Russell, Sam, Havlicek) not sure today's players are as capable until they are older like the current Celtics.

but Lebron's got to go ............ not only do him and Wade play the same position & role, but Lebron just doesn't have that champions heart. he's wilt chamberlain at the 2-guard.

[Bahku]

I'd probably go this way: 91% cyclotrimethylene trinitramine, 5.3% dioctyl sebacate, (as a plasticizer), 2.1% polyisobutylene, (as a binder), 1.6% SAE 10 non-detergent motor oil, and a simple wireless remote detonator.

But seriously, I think they may tweak the team in a few places, but to blow it up completely would be admitting this move was a total disaster, and I don't see it happening. What they need is Riley to take over, and the sooner the better, for their sake.

[Surferdad]

They're not going to blow them up anytime soon.  However, I do think that ESPN should "blow up" the careers of all of those idiotic "analysts" who thought the Heat were going to challenge the Bulls' win record this year.  

Now that's not to say they'll never win one.  But it shows an incredible lack of basketball knowledge to think that this team with it's lack of a point guard and center AND lack of cohesive stars (Wade and LeBron both need the ball all the time) would be good right away.  

Not just ESPN but even our own Michael Holley was picking the Heat.

As far as their roster, there is no way they move any of their Big Three.  Spolestra is gone but they are not "blowing it up"

[jarufu]

I'd probably go this way: 91% cyclotrimethylene trinitramine, 5.3% dioctyl sebacate, (as a plasticizer), 2.1% polyisobutylene, (as a binder), 1.6% SAE 10 non-detergent motor oil, and a simple wireless remote detonator.

Hmmm .. shaped charges, possibly embedded in the seating on the team bus .. I think we should stop this line of thought lest a Cavs fan reads this!! 

[Celtics4ever]

I would not blow them up, I want them to fail catastrophically.

Their whole chemistry be [dang]ed and aura of we are great missing the mark is quite humorous.   

1) Coach should go - His players don't respect him
2) Wade or LeBron should go  - too similiar skillets
3) Get some roleplayers that don't need the ball
4) Commit to team defense

[nba is the worst]

I would see if I could somehow trade Bosh +pick for a) Noah, or b) Varejo.  I'd then fire Spoelstra and get a real coach in there.

There is no excuse for Wade & Lebron to not be successful together on the court.  Lebron can get to the hoop and pass exceptionally well, and Wade at the very least can shoot well.  They can run a number of plays and be successful.

They don't need a new coach just yet; someone just needs to tell Spoelstra to put Lebron in the low post, Bosh in the high post, Arroyo or House making entry passes, and Wade roaming...

...that's the set.  But Lebron still takes the ball on the perimeter and there is no inside game and no ball movement.

The problem with that is that LeBron has ZERO post game...

[LooseCannon]

Obviously, they should trade Bosh for Carmelo Anthony.

[More Banners]

I would see if I could somehow trade Bosh +pick for a) Noah, or b) Varejo.  I'd then fire Spoelstra and get a real coach in there.

There is no excuse for Wade & Lebron to not be successful together on the court.  Lebron can get to the hoop and pass exceptionally well, and Wade at the very least can shoot well.  They can run a number of plays and be successful.

They don't need a new coach just yet; someone just needs to tell Spoelstra to put Lebron in the low post, Bosh in the high post, Arroyo or House making entry passes, and Wade roaming...

...that's the set.  But Lebron still takes the ball on the perimeter and there is no inside game and no ball movement.

The problem with that is that LeBron has ZERO post game...

A bit of a bummer for them, since he is (or would/could be) their best post player.

He has the skills and size to post up pretty much anyone at his position.  I've always thought it was a shame that Mike Brown never got him in position to get the ball closer to the basket...of course, that would require Lebron to play without the ball for a little bit.  Imagine him as a scorer and distributor from the post, though.  It's where I think e would be the most dangerous.

[Phil125]

The biggest problem with the Heat is that Lebron and Wade are essentially the same player.  Every offense in the league is built around only having one of that type player. The Alpha Guard/Forward.  Where everything rotates around them.

The celtics big three is just a masterpiece made possible by Ray Allen.  He is the perfect compliment to the wade/kobe/pierce/lebron type.  That is why the celtics hit the ground running.

I have never ever seen a team that made 2 of the alphaguards types work on the same floor.  Either Wade changes the way he played basketball his whole life and swallow his ego (highly unlikely)  or Sploresta and Riley invent a new offense that can utilize them both (which has never been done).

The team doesn't need to be blown up.  Wade needs to choose to become Ray Allen or Lebron needs to choose to become Pippen.  Right now if you watch them they both chose to do it.  They get lost when they both play on offense together.

Next to the Celtics/Lakers III hurtling at each other.  The heat growing pains will be the most interesting thing to watch this season.