Heat Blowing Up or Melting Down?

[baseline bum]

I heard that LeBron vetoed a deal in his last season in Cleveland (2010) to bring in Amare Stoudemare. LeBron wanted Antawn Jamison instead and got him.

Jamison was a bust and the Cavs folded in the playoffs -- so LeBron left.

Stoudemare averaged 23.1 ppg and shot .557% that year.

Wow, I guess he just didn't want to win in 2010 so he could go and join Wade. Everyone knew Jamison was garbage back when he played in Washington.

[cd021]

If i'm right wouldn't this put them at 51.9mil if they renounced everyone and signed Lebron, Bosh, and Wade to these contracts. That would leave 11.4mil to sign Deng if the cap is 63.2mil. Can you go over the cap with the room level exception? Then they would be 11.35mil over the cap with all the exceptions(74.55mil?) not counting bonuses. The end of the roster would be a bunch of scrubs and no Mario Chalmers. I don't know if that makes them that much better.

I think in order to use the room exception, they would have had to have been under the cap at some point during the season. I am not sure about that though. In theory they could do it that way but reports have it that Riley only offered Deng between $6-8 Million. So they probably aren't based on that range.

Initially it was reported that they were telling players that they had $12-14 million to spend. They, I'd imagine that they have an understanding with Haslem that would pay him for him opting out. They'd have to use the cap in order to do so if they renounce everyone other than the big 3.

They don't have deep enough pockets, in all likely hood, to nab Ariza, Deng, or even Stephenson. They need a big but don't seem to be targeting one, and if Melo stays put the Chicago, L.A.L., PHX, Houston and Dallas will be snatching up players that would have probably considered Miami but won't turn down the money thrown their way. Either way it would be will probably be minimal changes

[therealtruth]

Riley needs to be able to convince an impact player to sign for probably 8-9m. I hope it doesn't happening. If the superstars aren't willing to sacrifice this time I doubt anyone else should.

[exstatic]

If i'm right wouldn't this put them at 51.9mil if they renounced everyone and signed Lebron, Bosh, and Wade to these contracts. That would leave 11.4mil to sign Deng if the cap is 63.2mil. Can you go over the cap with the room level exception? Then they would be 11.35mil over the cap with all the exceptions(74.55mil?) not counting bonuses. The end of the roster would be a bunch of scrubs and no Mario Chalmers. I don't know if that makes them that much better.

I don't think you can just sign a few players, renounce everyone else, and then use cap room. Those minimum exceptions count AGAINST your cap room, and you have to have a roster exception salary place holder or a signed player contract for a minimum of 13 roster spots.

[ulosturedge]

I don't think you can just sign a few players, renounce everyone else, and then use cap room. Those minimum exceptions count AGAINST your cap room, and you have to have a roster exception salary place holder or a signed player contract for a minimum of 13 roster spots.

Actually what I read is the place holders would be 500k for everyone renounced. So with the 20/15/14 for the big 3, Noris for 2mil, and releasing Hamilton; the Heat would have about 8mil to sign Deng or whoever. Then the rest of the roster would be the room exception and vet mins. The place holders would kill about 4mil in cap space. So what cd021 said about Riley's offer to Deng sounds right. The Big 3 would have to shed another 2 to 4mil a year for Deng's services. But again where would that leave them lol. Don't think Deng takes them over the top.

[FireMicoHalili]

Shabazz Napier unimpressive in his summer league debut for Miami (3-15, 2 assists, 8 turnovers).

Looks like LeBron is about as astute a GM for the Heat as he was for the Cavs.

Ooh bad stat line. Let's base LeBron's eye for skill and Shabazz' future with one game, and summer league at that, sure. Even George Hill averaged just eight points and seven boards in the SL a few years back, what a scrub!

[TheyCallMePro]

Everything came together for Miami. They're so lucky. Really, when you think about it, those 3 (Wade, James, Bosh) have taken more than 80% of the salary available to the team during their stay. The fact that GOOD veterans like Mike Miller, Ray Allen, and Shane Battier would take pennies to come there was very fortunate for them. Now Battier and Miller are gone, and Ray Allen is aging quickly. They can't replace those guys and Lebron knows it. He's gone.

[Ice009]

I honestly don't give a what players do in summer league. I mean, sure, I watch it to try and get an idea of their potential, but I don't base my whole opinion on whether they are going to make it or not just based off of summer league. The only thing I care about is how the perform in the NBA when the lights go on and the pressure is on.

George Hill, even though he shot very poorly in the summer league, I didn't care too much about his shooting there. I wanted to see how he went in the NBA. In his first NBA game or two, he showed he was a gamer and much better player than people thought he was.

[therealtruth]

Everything came together for Miami. They're so lucky. Really, when you think about it, those 3 (Wade, James, Bosh) have taken more than 80% of the salary available to the team during their stay. The fact that GOOD veterans like Mike Miller, Ray Allen, and Shane Battier would take pennies to come there was very fortunate for them. Now Battier and Miller are gone, and Ray Allen is aging quickly. They can't replace those guys and Lebron knows it. He's gone.

Pretty much. If the Heat resign the big 3 they're going to have maybe have 8-9m for one impact player. They are stuck either getting young, unproven players or vets that are willing to sign for the minimum to fill out the roster.

[TheyCallMePro]

Dont you remember Lebron in Cleveland?

Had to get him some Larry Hughes
Then Wally and Ben Wallace
Then Delonte (sorry that may have been Gloria Asking for that)
Then Mo Williams
Then Shaq
...

Not a Free Agent or Draft came in to Cleveland that Lebron didnt get the say on... Not that I blame Cleveland, but Lebron is just a loser

So much this. Lebron ruled the Cavs and had a lot of influence on who was on their roster. That's the main reason Dan Gilbert was so upset when Lebron left--he had done everything to appease him during his tenure there, and he still left. And now the mantra is that Lebron never received any help. Wow. Maybe they shouldn't have let him be GM then?

And I'm sick of everyone giving Lebron a pass for his "Cleveland years". They were by far the best team in the East for like 5 years, and even had the best record in the NBA a few times. The truth is Lebron choked many times in the playoffs. Take the 2007 Finals vs the Spurs for example. He only averaged 22 points and shot 35.6% overall and 20.0% on 3's. And he took every other shot. Yet his team was blamed completely for that sweep.

And I agree with Skip. Lebron was good in these Finals but not anywhere close to great. He would have a great quarter, and then disappear for the next 3. I thought he would put up 50 in game 5 when he said he needed to "play the game of his life", but no, he only played good in the 1st quarter, and then quit soon after. And he sat on the bench and sulked in the 4th, and no, I don't care that the Heat were down 20, you play anyways. You don't quit. Lebron quits. He deserves some criticism, and this new mindset that "everyone who criticizes him is being ridiculous" is BS. He deserves it. Not more than most, but more than some.

[Old School 44]

LeBron and Riley already know that lebron's signing with the Heat. I don't know all the strategies behind it but i think they are just trying to jack up free agency and other top teams signings by giving other top contenders the false hope LeBron can be had. Strange to me how signings seem to be on hold... Everyone seems to be waiting on LeBron before they can really execute their major contract offers/signings.

[therealtruth]

And I agree with Skip. Lebron was good in these Finals but not anywhere close to great. He would have a great quarter, and then disappear for the next 3. I thought he would put up 50 in game 5 when he said he needed to "play the game of his life", but no, he only played good in the 1st quarter, and then quit soon after. And he sat on the bench and sulked in the 4th, and no, I don't care that the Heat were down 20, you play anyways. You don't quit. Lebron quits. He deserves some criticism, and this new mindset that "everyone who criticizes him is being ridiculous" is BS. He deserves it. Not more than most, but more than some.

I think part of the reason for that was he didn't have enough in the tank. He had to do everything for his team. Then we defended him tough and also made him work on defense. That's what you have to do with great players. Don't allow them to have any energy to beat you. That means they have to rely more on their team.