Heat 2012 Off-Season Thread

[UD40]

Just finished watch Game 5 vs OKC on NBA TV.

It will never get old.

[Jace]

Mike Miller's statue should be wrapped in mummy tape.

[Jace]

...

WE SIGNED COUSINS!





First actual offseason and he's getting fitted for a ring.

[Wade2Bosh]

Originally Posted by Jace

First actual offseason and he's getting fitted for a ring.

19th offseason and Juwan is getting fitted for his 1st ring. Crazy.



Also can tell that Juwan hasnt given up hope yet on a return.

[UD40]

Mean while, in Ohio...

[Wade2Bosh]

That's one guy I dont worry about.

Wade on the other hand..

Thankfully his book tour is finally over and can focus solely on getting ready for this season.

[Wade2Bosh]

Update on Mike Miller

"I basically looked at my options and back surgery, with Dr. Green pretty confident that we could get it to where I need to be without it. So we're slowly but surely getting there," he said at a Saturday promotional appearance at Maye Pediatric Dentistry and Shelling Orthodontics along with teammates James Jones and Udonis Haslem, who was there to collect contributions for the Udonis Haslem Children's Foundation. "My body feels good. Like I said, we've just got to be smart about it."

This would be the first season Miller has a chance to start on time for the Heat, a thumb injury sustained late in training camp wiping out the first half of his 2010-11 debut season and then surgery for a sports hernia keeping him out of last season's training camp and the early stages of the regular season.

"It's a long haul," he said. "Like we found out the last two seasons, you've just got to make sure you're smart about it early."

That could have him in slow-go mode at the start of camp.

"If it was up to me, personally, yes, I'd be ready," he said. "I feel good enough. It's going to be interesting once I get contact and stuff like that."

Because for all the strides Miller has made with his back, he's been limiting his strides these past three months. He returned to the court two weeks ago.

"It feels good. It's getting there," he said. "Obviously, I've got to get my legs back. Stationary shooting feels fantastic, really. The break probably helped that. But moving and shooting, movement with your legs, and conditioning has been a little bit tough."

To a degree, the Heat added Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis as Miller insurance. Now the three are working in unison on the practice court, Miller noting a renewed energy in Lewis' approach.

"I'm definitely trying to pick up things from both of those," he said. "It feels good to be in there working with those guys, exciting."

But, no, there haven't been any shooting contests yet.

"We'll start, we'll start," Miller said with a laugh. "I told them they've got to give me some time. It's the longest I've ever been off without shooting the ball."

Link

[Jace]

Man, if MM can just be a little healthier than he's been the past two years, I can only imagine how much it'll help his shooting rhythm. I'm saying this about a guy who shot 45.3% from Kaboomville last year.

Love the last part about Lewis' renewed energy and Miller picking things up from those two. I usually try not to harp on ancillary benefits that'll come with a player (e.g. Juwan Howard and the "locker room guy" theory), but one of the things that has always excited me most about Jesus coming was his work ethic and methods of preparation rubbing off on his new teammates. I also have felt Lewis being back with Ray can help get him back to being a serviceable shooter (Shard went from not having much of a jumper out of HS to being one of history's best shooters after Ray was traded to Seattle).

Originally Posted by Wade2Bosh

That's one guy I dont worry about.

Wade on the other hand..

Thankfully his book tour is finally over and can focus solely on getting ready for this season.

Bron is insane, workout wise. I know there are videos of he and Dwyane working out on a beach together from last summer, but I can't picture Dwyane putting in the behind the scenes commitment that James seems to every year. Just stumbled upon more pictures from that lady's account, one of which is Dwyane sitting on a fashion panel in NYC, which made me think of this. Not to say LeBron has no off the court interests or Dwyane can't do both, but it sure does seem like LeBron is visibly more devoted to the sport than Wade.

More from Ira on Dwyane and the shooters:

Dwyane Wade remembers, you bet he remembers.

James Posey in the corner, as he seemingly always was, this time with 3:43 left in the fourth quarter. Heat up three. Wade with the pass. Posey with the 3-pointer. Game. Moments later, jubilation. Game 6 of the 2006 NBA Finals over, the Miami Heat, for the first time, NBA champions.

There have been plenty of Wade assists for 3-pointers since, with teammates such as Mario Chalmers, James Jones, Mike Miller, Shane Battier, Mike Bibby, Eddie House, Daequan Cook, Ricky Davis and Jason Kapono.

But the chemistry with Posey was special, the quarterback who knew where the receiver would be, the receiver who intuitively would read the passing lane.

There were other choices during the 2005-06 championship season, including Antoine Walker and Jason Williams, but there hasn't been anything like Wade-to-Posey since, well, Wade-to-Posey.

Which bring us, and more significantly, Wade, to this coming season.

Never have the drive-and-kick options been so bountiful, not only are Chalmers, Jones, Miller and Battier back, but arriving for the defense of the Heat's second championship are Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis.

At a time when LeBron James is assuming a greater share of the Heat's offense, Wade now finds himself in position to channel back to what he had in 2006, that instinctive connection with a spot-up sniper.

"I mean, that'd be great," he said during a break in his book tour, as he looked ahead to the Sept. 29 start of training camp at AmericanAirlines Arena. "Posey was huge for us."

During the run to the 2012 championship, Wade said he began to develop a similar bond with Battier, one that developed late, with Battier's unlikely postseason insertion into the starting lineup at power forward.

"I think I did a little bit in the Finals," Wade said. "With the matchup problems, sometimes I drove just to get guys shots. So I knew that once I drove, that bigger guys who were guarding Shane were going to come to the rim and protect the rim. Shane had a lot of open shots."

Wade said he expects to do more of the same this time around.

"My mind frame a lot would be when I get to the paint, when I attack, sometimes I'm going just to draw the defense, knowing I've got the shooters and I need to get my shooters shots," he said. "I can always get my own shot. But when I'm in the game, my mindset is, 'OK, I need to get these guys going,' because they're going to get things open for everyone."

Wade said it is too early to consider specific chemistry, having yet to make it to the court for workouts with Allen and Lewis, a process that could be delayed by Wade's rehabilitation from his July 9 arthroscopic knee surgery. But he said there is nothing wrong with trying to find his next Posey.

"No, it's not dangerous to have a favorite," he said. "As long as the ball goes in, I think we all would be satisfied with it."

When the Heat clinched last season's championship, Miller was everyone's go-to choice from distance, with his seven 3-pointers in the series-clinching Game 5 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals.

Now? Now the options have practically been squared.

"We've got a great bunch of guys to choose from," Wade said. "We've got some of the best 3-point shooters the NBA has ever seen. So it's kind of pick your poison."

IN THE LANE

POSITION-LESS IMPOSITION: With "position-less" basketball practically rising to Heat offseason anthem, it would be curious if the Heat were to take it to the logical next level this coming season, introducing players, at least Heat players, without specific positional designations. Power forward Chris Bosh, for example, is now a center. Erik Spoelstrais telling us LeBron James is a "one through five." And exactly what position does Shane Battier play, anyway? Considering Spoelstra is reluctant to reveal his starting lineups as it is, isn't the next step for Mike Baiamonte to simply handle the introductions with number, school and name? Unorthodox? Sure. But so were the lineups that drove the Heat to the championship.

RUSS ON RAY: A Boston Celtic through and through, Bill Russell this past week offered his thoughts to NBA.com on Ray Allen's free-agency shift from the Celtics to the Heat. "During the playoffs," the Hall of Fame center said, "I kept hearing people say that his legs were going so his jump shot wasn't as effective. Sometimes, management doesn't make their own decisions and takes the word of someone who doesn't really know. So, Ray can be a boost to Miami. But Jason Terry going to the Celtics can also be a boost. Basically, you're trading a shooter for a scrapper. So, you have to see how it blends in with the guys who you kept."

TEAM BUILDING: Russell also touched on the Heat continually adding veterans around the core of James, Dwyane Wade and Bosh. "What Miami is doing is similar to a theory that Red [Auerbach, the legendary Celtics coach] used to have," Russell said. "You have a core group and you bring in some veterans so you don't have rookies coming off the bench. Most of the time it worked but sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes, we would bring a veteran in hoping to get one more year out of them but they were psychologically destructive, so we can only use them one year. They were not about winning. They were about their career."

STILL WAITING: Selected in the second round in 2010 NBA Draft by the Heat, swingman Da'Sean Butler never was able to make it to the court from his horrific Final Four knee injury against Duke. A similar comeback bid also failed with the San Antonio Spurs. So, for now, Butler has decided to return to his roots, serving as a graduate assistant at West Virginia. Butler is coming off a third surgery on his left knee, the one that had the shattered ACL. He spent part of last season in the NBA Development League. The Mountaineers open practice Oct. 12.

STILL GOING: Even as the Heat deal with their own limitations at center, their legacy in the middle continues in free agency, with Jamaal Magloire re-upping with the Toronto Raptors for a partially-guaranteed deal and Earl Barron (who actually has a Heat 2006 championship ring) and Shavlik Randolph signing make-good camp contracts with the Washington Wizards.

NUMBER

0. Black varsity players at LSU before Collis Temple, father of Heat camp hopeful Garrett Temple, played for the school's basketball team in 1971-72.

I remember when Posey hit 5 threes in a quarter against the Suns. I'm sure Wade threw him a few of those (assuming he was healthy at the time, since I believe it was '07). If I had to choose which shooter Dwyane had his best chemistry with, I'm not sure Posey would be the first name that'd come to mind. Dwyane/Kapono, though short-lived, had quite possibly the best passer-shooter synergy in all of the league at that time. Both were in the midst of extremely hot shooting/passing streaks that season. The Jones boys also had a nice thing going with Wade, though it looks like Ira means post-Posey, which should include Kapono, however.

Doesn't hit you what an embarrassment of riches we now have of shooters (on paper) until you look at the pic that came with the article:

WHAT ABOUT ME????

Totally forgot about those fastbreak, trailer 3's Spo had Bosh taking early in the season. I wonder if we'll start seeing that again.

[Jace]

More from Windbags (sorry, you know...doldrums)

Q: By using Chris Bosh at center and signing veterans who are known for outside shooting rather than defense, are the Heat sacrificing too much on defense to have this "position-less" team where everybody contributes on offense? -- Jeffrey.

A: I don't think a team coached by Erik Spoelstra and guided by Pat Riley ever will sacrifice on defense. To the Heat, the system is the defense, and everyone who enters that system has to defend. Yes, Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis have their defensive limitations, but with the quickness of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the floor, this team can compensate for plenty. The real issue is whether the continued lack of deterrence at the rim will have the opposition attacking more often.

Q: Why is Garrett Temple invited to camp? -- Art, Tamarac.

A: Because he has one skill that the current Heat point guards lack, the ability to play one-on-one lockdown defense against an opposing point guard. But his lack of extended shooting range and limited playmaking abilities still make him a longshot. He nonetheless at least provides a basis of comparison against Terrell Harris.

Q: Hey Ira, do you think that Jarvis Varnado has a legitimate chance to make the Heat roster? -- B.D., Las Vegas.

A: It's hard to see another defensive-minded big man being added as long as Joel Anthony is collecting his contract and as long as Dexter Pittman still is around occupying a roster spot. If anything, Mickell Gladness would appear the early front-runner for the last spot in the power rotation.

I thought we were all very pleased with Cole's man D. I thought it was great all season, and the one thing that kept Spo going to him even after his jumpshot up and took off. I was under the impression Temple could shoot. If that's not the case, I don't see how he'd have an edge over Terrel for that last guard spot.

[Wade2Bosh]

I'm ok with Bosh still being a trailer as long as his ass doesnt run to Ray's favorite spots

Nothing on Harrellson or Whiteside yet? Hope we bring at least one of them to camp.

[Wade2Bosh]

Speaking of Wade getting in Shape..

DAD ‏@DwyaneWade
20 mile bike ride earlier today with @aefrikan and black.

[Jace]

Still reppin' Jordan I see. Thought they'd make the Li-Ning switch offical by now, considering its been leaked everywhere.

Pretty awesome. Good to see he finally got his ass back to the Magic City. Guess we should be careful about how much we question his desire to be in peak shape. Have been noticing his face looks as trim as it has during these past two seasons in recent interviews. His cheeks have always been a great indicator of his physical status.

Nothing new on the Whiteside front, from what I've garnered. His last tweet was on Wednesday:

@youngwhiteside

Walkin south beach

That was the night before what was supposed to be his last audition day for the Heat. Can't find anything on twitter or anywhere about whether he's left Miami, how the audition went, or if any other teams are barking. Of course his agent had said Minny is still interested and there's another team he'll be working out for next; likely him trying to create the illusion of competing bidders.

Harrellson is a little more perplexing. In that picture Cousins recently tweeted, obviously Jorts is wearing a Heat practice shirt, but based on their twitter feeds I'm under the impression that was in Kentucky. Josh's feed further mystifies me:

@BigJorts55

Done with it ready to move on! Can't wait to find my new home

then...

@BigJorts55

I will let everyone know Sunday where I am heading!

And that was also Wednesday, the day before the photo with DMC. I also now see on his twitter he's definitely presently in Ketucky for some sort of charity game, I guess. I suppose we will find out what's going on tomorrow if he's true to his word. The saga continues...

Non-guaranteed guys currently signed:

14. Harris
15. Varnado
16. Gladness
17. Dozier
18. Temple

Jerome Dyson left town over a week ago, according to his twitter. It's likely he'd still be here if they planned on bringing him to camp. The only two other names I've heard connected to us have been Whiteside and Harrellson. Doesn't mean a thing since they're no doubt working guys out every day. Unlike the two I mentioned, we didn't hear anything about Temple before the report he would be signed. I might be crazy looking at Hassan and Jorts as potentially serviceable players, but I'd imagine whoever would beat them out for spots 19/20 would be better, so they might actually be guys who could make the final 15.

Quick aside: Watching G2 of the Finals right now, totally forgot Battier started off on Perkins. I know he's only Kendrick Perkins, but its still crazy we essentially started Shane at C even with Bosh back. Love this team. Although, Ibaka's athleticism to go with his length makes Bosh the wiser cover for him.

[Wade2Bosh]

Chamberlain Oguchi, a 6-6 swingman from the Nigerian national team has been invited back to work with the Heat.
Oguchi had a 35-point game for Nigeria against France in the Olympics. He played collegiately at Oregon and Illinois State, which he left in 2009. American-born, he has played in several international leagues and the NBA Development League since.

Article from Woj about Oguchi from a month ago

LONDON – After leaving college basketball in 2009, Nigerian national team player Chamberlain Oguchi has been the ultimate basketball journeyman, bouncing from professional leagues in Lebanon, Venezuela, Mexico, and the Philippines. It seemed he would come and go out of these Olympic Games without much notice.

That was before Oguchi scored 35 points in Nigeria's final preliminary round game, a 79-73 loss to France. Suddenly, several NBA teams are inviting him to training camp on nonguaranteed deals, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. Several teams had front-office executives in London for the performance, where Oguchi made eight of his fourteen 3-point attempts. Most see value in the versatile 6-foot-6 swingman, who could be had on a rookie-scale contract.

Oguchi, 26, played high school basketball in Houston before enrolling at Oregon and Illinois State. He played 31 games for the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Developmental League in 2010-11, averaging 10 points per game.

Link

[Jace]

Meh, not sure why we're going so wing crazy. I'd be content to let Harris and Temple battle it out for a spot.

Sunday, and still nothing from Jorts except a retweet of a fan who spotted him in the ATL airport. Pretty sure we passed.

[Wade County]

Love seeing NoCo's flat top. Epic. Imagine if he rediscovers that mojo from his 1st two months in the league. He had his moments in the playoffs though - hopefully a full training camp helps him out.

Wade looks in good shape too - so i wouldnt worry too much. If he's doing 20km bike rides, it won't be long til he's pounding the court. Can't wait to defend this title.