Does this team win an NBA championship?
It's all smiles for these three for now.
Ira Winderman, reporter for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, reports that the Heat’s roster is a lot closer to being finalized than we think. Here is Winderman’s list of the 15 players he expects to play for the Miami Heat next season:
- Lebron James – Signed.
- Dwyane Wade – Signed.
- Chris Bosh – Signed.
- Udonis Haslem – Signed.
- Mario Chalmers – Signed.
- Mike Miller – Agreed to terms.
- Juwan Howard – Reportedly close to signing.
- Joel Anthony – Signed to an offer sheet.
- Jamaal Magloire – According to Winderman, Wade likes Magloire. So in the world of pampered superstars, Winderman believes Magloire will probably stay.
- Carlos Arroyo – Same agent as Lebron, played for the Heat last season. Could be enough to keep him around.
- James Jones – Winderman believes he’ll probably stick around, mostly because he helped the Heat open up cap space.
- Zydrunas Ilgauskas – Has been recruited by Lebron, his former teammate in Cleveland. At this stage of his career, probably wants a title.
- Dexter Pittman – Second-round pick out of Texas.
- Da’Sean Butler – Second-round pick out of West Virginia.
- Veteran point guard X – In case the Arroyo-Chalmers tandem isn’t good enough. Winderman throws out Jason Williams, Keyon Dooling and Earl Watson as possibilities. The Heat are rumored to have interest in Williams.
Please note: Shaquille O’Neal is nowhere to be found. According to Winderman, the Heat don’t have any interest. Why not, if their centers would be Ilgauskas, Magloire, and Howard? Beats me. Dwight Howard would eat Zydrunas for breakfast, Bosh for lunch, Juwan Howard for dinner and Magloire for dessert. Pau Gasol/Andrew Bynum would do the same thing. Sadly, I’m not so sure the same goes for KG/Perk/O’Neal.
My question: Would the team Winderman expects to see in Miami win an NBA championship? I’m leaning towards yes. Damn it.
Related posts:
Around the NBA, Celtics Blog, Featured | Jay King | July 13, 2010
Andrew Bynum, Carlos Arroyo, Chris Bosh, Da'Sean Butler, Dexter Pittman, Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade, Jamaal Magloire, James Jones, Joel Anthony, Juwan Howard, Kendrick Perkins, Kevin Garnett, Lebron James, Mario Chalmers, Mike Miller, Pau Gasol, Shaquille O'Neal, Udonis Haslem, Zydrunas Ilgauskas
“Sadly, I’m not so sure the same goes for KG/Perk/O’Neal.”
Really? Cause I am. KG, barring further unforeseen injury, will be stronger, faster, and better than last year. That knee injury takes over a year to get back 100%, you haven’t seen the last of 20/10 KG, I’m sure of it.
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It gets stronger in normal cases… but KG is old as hell, has a billion miles on his legs, and has been in the league forever. I bet we see the same KG we saw in the playoffs last year. Good, but not great.
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noooooooo, chemistry, and not enough on the front line to compete in playoffs with celtics or lakers
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But that Lebron-Wade combo is beyond devastating.
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f*** it… sign Shaq and Iverson and let’s start the NBA 2K10 battle between the 90′s stars and the 00′s stars!!!! LET’S DO IT!!!! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
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Gotta sign T-Mac too then.
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get him
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No…team chemistry and defensive teamwork win titles.
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You sure they won’t have that?
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From my perspective they have quality pieces in their stars but are going to be weak at center, point guard and bench while ‘team’ defense needs to be developed and that will take time. They have three offensive stars but only one ball. Who is going to sacrifice?
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When the playoffs come who is going to defend inside and rebound? Bosh? OK right, Haslem? Bosh will be in foul trouble every playoff game (unless Stern is directing). Not sold yet. Sorry. They are going to get killed inside. Make Wade and LeBron shoot 25 footers.
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What happened to Jarvis Varnado? He was another of their second round picks and one of my favorite college players last year. He’s the NCAA all time blocks leader so he could at least protect the paint. He’s a little skinny to guard people in the post one on one but he has good defensive instincts. If they don’t sign him, hopefully the Celts snatch him.
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Varnado reminds me a lot of Stephene Lasme out of UMass. A hell of a college defender, but too frail to guard NBA big guys.
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Very possible. Though it’s easier to gain the bulk necessary to defend than it is to gain the instincts. He’s got the instincts. He’s not relying on pure athleticism for his defense.
Also, he played some great defense on Cousins for a half this year then foul trouble kept him out of the second. In the SEC he was tasked with guarding some big bodies and performed well.
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He was very good defensively in college. He’s just bad offensively and I’m not sure his defense translates. He’s got potential though.
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