RugbyBull

In Jamal Crawford as your starting point next year. In all likelihood, he will command a salary a little larger than the cap space you will have at the end of the year. How does this deal sound:

Erob
Scottie Pippen's Contract
sign and trade JC
Cash for Buyout
future conditional 1st?

to Miami for

Eddie Jones
Caron Butler
Malik Allen

Now stay with me before you jump on the sign and trading JC part of the deal. I think in this case, it could actually work.

Miami will be under the cap next season, I think somewhere around 4-5 million, which is actually not so great because its basically the MLE range and they won't have an MLE if they stay under the cap. They also have some free agents, Raefer Alston and Rasual Butler, which they'd probably like to resign. And they also have a need at pg, as Wade seems to play much more as a 2.

Caron's stock has dropped because of his injury (which I don't now the status of) and Odom and Wade are the young guns of the future. To a degree, R. Butler makes C. Butler tradable. And a big part of this deal is they save money on Jones's contract and add to the youthful talent base. Resigning Butler, Alston, and making this trade (they take on more salary than they send out), they can reach the cap and offer the MLE to a guy like Mark Blount or some other 4 or 5 Assumming they draft a Euro Big, their team now looks like this:

PG JC/ Alston
SG Wade/JC/R. Butler
SF Odom/R. Butler/E-Rob
PF Brian Grant/ Odom
C Blount/ Pavel?

If they don't make the playoffs this year, it seems realistic that they might do it, and that JC, if assured an adequate contract, could be conviced to join them. Riley took a chance on Odom last year, he knows talent, JC has a lot of it and at PG sharing the backcourt with Wade he could probably get more out of it than as the SG he is now. So how does this sound to Miami fans? Something you'd be interested in?

Joker

basically ur offering us:

crawford and garbage for jones and butler and minimizing alston's role.

we're definately better of the way we are now!

unless chicago doesnt offer chandler or curry, there is absolutely no way a HEAT fan in their right state of mind would agree to that deal.

__________________
"Life is not measure by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take your breath away. That's what Dwyanes all about." - Pat Riley

"I thought that Nocioni's foul was ridiculous," Miami coach Stan Van Gundy said. "It was an absolutely punk play. If you're going to be a tough guy then, you know what, flagrant foul Alonzo Mourning and let's see how tough you are.

RugbyBull

Is Alston good enough to be a starting pg full time in the league? I'm not trying to bait or anything, I just haven't been able to see the Heat play this year. JC's % are down this year being the go to guy and taking more forced shots than he should, but as the third option behind Wade and Odom he could really flourish. He's a great spot up shooter, good ballhandler, and is working on his defense as well.

The attraction of E-rob and Pippen for Jones is strictly fiscal. Pippen's deal expires next year (and could be bought out with Chicago money), and the Robber has one less year than jones at about half his price. With rumors floating out there that the heat are looking to be sold, alot of teams make moves to cut salary and look more attractive to potential buyers. Would adding an antionio davis for brian grant make the deal any better in your eyes. They're very similar players, but Grant has one more year on his contract. These moves would set you up with a big cap purge after '06 instead of '07, and their is also the possibility that Davis could be bought out for some fraction of his remaining contract. Guys you could go after in '06 include Al Harrington, Ben Wallace, and any unextended 2001 draft guys (Kwame, Gasol, Curry) and as RFA's the 2002 draft of Stoudamire, Nene, etc, or swing a trade to get a longer term guy you like for expiring contracts.

Joker

jamal crawford is a freeagent after this year, meaning we would lose caron to virtually nothing.

alston has been playing unbeliievably in miami, and is currently leading the league in consecutive games with at least one 3 ptr made (33 games).

alston plays excellent defense and holds down his man very very well. he has excellent handles and passes well. he is also a very good 3pt shooter and steos it up big time in the crunch.

this is the first year he has really been given playing time and i think he can flourish as our point guard.

odom / haslem
caron / rasual
wade
alston

should be part of the future of miami.

__________________
"Life is not measure by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take your breath away. That's what Dwyanes all about." - Pat Riley

"I thought that Nocioni's foul was ridiculous," Miami coach Stan Van Gundy said. "It was an absolutely punk play. If you're going to be a tough guy then, you know what, flagrant foul Alonzo Mourning and let's see how tough you are.