CNNSI.com: Is Miami the team to beat in 05-06?

[CubanMustGo]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ead2head.heat/

Yes - Mike McAllister

Thanks to his new contract extension, Shaquille O'Neal will be getting $100 million from the Miami Heat in the next five years. I'm assuming he also gets some say in which players join his supporting cast. I doubt Pat Riley would be involved in a blockbuster deal like Tuesday's 13-player, five-team trade without at least speed-dialing Shaq.

So if Shaq is indeed signing off on adding Antoine Walker and Jason Williams -- the two key acquisitions in the deal -- to the mix, then why should anyone else be concerned about the chemistry of a team that was seven points shy of the NBA Finals?

Shaq knows how bad chemistry can ruin a championship-caliber team (uh, no need to raise your hand, Kobe). He also knows the baggage that Walker and Williams will bring to Miami. A litany of "character" and "chemistry" issues creates skepticism about their true value.

But neither has played with such a larger-than-life figure as Shaq. He will demand they respect the team's goals more than their own. Don't underestimate Shaq's ability to push the right buttons of his teammates.

Sure, it's risky to revamp a lineup that produced the East's best regular season record. But Walker and Williams will flesh out a rotation that was, frankly, too thin.

You can expect Walker and Williams to be on their best behavior in Miami. Walker knows his reputation is becoming something of a talented journeyman (he's now on his fourth team in three years). Williams, meanwhile, lives in the same Orlando neighborhood as Shaq. Think he'll risk feeling Shaq's wrath at the next block party if things become ugly in the locker room?

The 2005-06 season is setting up to be the year of the Heat. Walker and Williams make the roster deeper. Shaq will be intent on fulfilling the championship promise that he failed to deliver last season. Larry Brown is gone in Detroit, thus creating at least a speed bump -- if not a sharp turn -- for the two-time Eastern Conference champs.

Next June, expect Shaq to be wearing his fourth NBA le rin


No - Marty Burns

Don't book that parade just yet, Heat fans.

Judging from the smiles on Biscayne Blvd. this morning, one might think the Heat had already locked up a trip to the 2006 NBA Finals.

Let's not get carried away.

Antoine Walker, Jason Williams and James Posey are quality NBA players, but it takes more than talent to win a championship.

Defense and shot selection are crucial to getting the Bling Bling, and Miami is now worse off in both areas. Neither Williams nor Walker are stoppers, and Shaquille O'Neal is notoriously slow to defend on the pick-and-roll. Posey is a terrific one-on-one defender, but he and Dwyane Wade won't be able to cover for all their teammates' lapses.

And how long before Shaq is grumbling about not getting the ball down low enough after White Chocolate or 'Toine decide to jack up threes at the end of a close game?

Heat coach Stan Van Gundy might be able to work out these issues, but it's no sure thing.

For one, the compe ion in the East looks tougher than ever. The Pistons are motivated to show they can win without Larry Brown. The Pacers will have Ron Artest back. The Nets have added Shareef Abdur-Rahim.

Also, it usually takes time for a championship team to develop chemistry and cohesion. Even if the Heat go out and add another piece, such as veteran Michael Finley (should he be released via the new labor deal "amnesty clause"), they will still have to learn to play together.

The Heat were one game away from reaching the Finals a year ago. Now they've torn it all up and started over. It might have been the right thing to do, but Heat fans need to be realistic.

Just ask Shaq. He surely remembers a couple summers ago, when his then-Lakers added future Hall of Famers Karl Malone and Gary Payton. The folks in L.A. are still waiting for that victory parade.




Advantage, Burns ...

[190 Octane]

Miami the team to beat? No. Miami's not even the team to beat in the East. That's two-time conference champion Detroit.

How so many are ready to proclaim them champions when they shipped out a veteran leader in Eddie Jones, who averaged 13 ppg, 5 rpg, and 3 apg, and Rasual Butler, a nice shooter off the bench, I don't know. Jason Williams is a turnover machine, and only averaged 5 assists per last season, and 10 points. His three-point percentage was aenemic at 31%. Walker, meanwhile, isn't going to toe the line after nearly ten years of being a malcontent. He's whined everywhere he's been, why is that going to change now? If the Heat lose Damon Jones on top of everything, they can kiss an Eastern Conference championship goodbye.

[Banks91]

This was a nice read, Burns's post wouldve been even better if he added
"Next june, expect Duncan to be wearing his fourth NBA le ring" at the end.

even though players dont actually get their rings in the summer.

[sa_butta]

No way, I think the Spurs and Detroit are still the teams to beat. I dont think Miami is going to be as awsome as everyone thinks. You are adding two guys who love to jack up alot of shots and need to learn to share with the stars Shaq and Wade.

[duncan_21]

Let me see you've got det who went 7 games into the finals, you've got the defending champion spurs, yeah with that logic the heat are the favs.

Especially since they added TO prone "white chocolate" and mister 40% fg antoine soft walker. Not to mention that snaq isn't getting any younger and ind, chi, and cle should be improved.

[1Parker1]

I love how adding Antoine Walker and Jason Williams has made the Heat an automatic to come out of the East .

It's not like they are proven veterns or AS caliber players, why the love?

[Spurminator]

We hope so - National Sports Media

[midgetonadonkey]

I wonder how long it will be before they trade Antoine? I say he doesn't make it to the trade deadline.

[Timmy21]

Yes they are the team to beat. Look at all they done. They are deeper now.

[Supergirl]

If Shaq is healthy come playoffs, I think the Heat are still the team to beat in the East. Of course, Duncan WASN'T healthy this year, and yet the Spurs still outlasted the Pistons. Imagine what the Spurs could do with a healthy Duncan and virtually the same roster they had this year - which they should, unless something goes askew.

But Shaq is not the ? in Miami. His health is unpredictable. He may or may not have another le run in him. But JWill and Antoine may not pay off in crunch time. They haven't yet, why should we predict they will now? Was Shaq's influence enough to affect Kobe, who by all accounts is MORE coachable than Antoine, anyway...who has never responded positively to discipline. JWill responded well under Hubie Brown, so maybe there's hope there...and James Posey is good, but not as good as Eddie Jones. So I'm not sold on this yet.

I think the Rockets picking up Stromile Swift is the best signing (worst for the Spurs) so far...it makes Houston scary...

[190 Octane]

NBA pundits - and the NBA itself - are always looking for someone new. Last season, it was Phoenix. This year, it's apparently Miami. They hope a new team will win the championship, but the thing about is, champions aren't a dime a dozen. Not anyone can be a champion, you have to have the at ude to go with the game. Williams and Walker don't have championship at ude.

[beirmeistr]

The media is salivating at the thought of Shaq leading an East coast version of the lakers to the le. But if he does, he will do it defying the odds, which are that defense wins championships, and Walker and Williams are weak on defense.

[Joesteds]

Almost everyone on here is downtalking this trade, but if you are Pat Riley and you see this trade on the table, you have to take it. Eddie Jones was a good solid NBA player that was and is way overpaid, that is now losing a step, which with a player that relies on defense and slashing more then that can kill his career. Rasual Butler was a good three point shooter, but aside from 1 or 2 games in the Eastern finals, he was a non-factor in the playoffs. J-Will has always been on teams that are really deep and have 5 or 6 guys on the team that think they are the man, (SAC and MEM) but he has to know now that his duty will be to get the ball to the 2 bonafide superstars that he now plays with. I have never been a big Antoine Walker fan myself but he does put up numbers and has never played with a true low post presence. I think it will be interesting to see how he plays with someone planted down in the post the whole time. Posey, I think is the biggest addition. He is a productive slasher with a good looking 3 ball that can D you up. Guy was coming into his own the year before and was injured last year. They are improved and I believe any G.M. would make that move if you are in charge of the Heat.

[samikeyp]

I agree that if I am Pat Riley you do it but I think the sentiment here is, and I agree, that the trade does not neccessarily make Miami the favorites for the le next season.

[CaptainLate]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ead2head.heat/


No - Marty Burns

Don't book that parade just yet, Heat fans.

Defense and shot selection are crucial to getting the Bling Bling, and Miami is now worse off in both areas. Neither Williams nor Walker are stoppers, and Shaquille O'Neal is notoriously slow to defend on the pick-and-roll.

Also, it usually takes time for a championship team to develop chemistry and cohesion. Even if the Heat go out and add another piece, such as veteran Michael Finley (should he be released via the new labor deal "amnesty clause"), they will still have to learn to play together.

Finley is also considered a "Matador". Can you say "Ole' !!"

[mavsfan1000]

I hate Miami but I think this trade makes them better than last years team. If they lose Damon Jones than I would still give the edge to San Antonio. I think the new players realize that it is Shaq and Wade's team. People are underestimating the value of Posey. In his first year in Memphis when he was healthy he was big there and helped the turnaround for that team. He can do whatever Eddie Jones.

[CaptainLate]

If Shaq is healthy come playoffs, I think the Heat are still the team to beat in the East. Of course, Duncan WASN'T healthy this year, and yet the Spurs still outlasted the Pistons. Imagine what the Spurs could do with a healthy Duncan and virtually the same roster they had this year - which they should, unless something goes askew.

Had Duncan been healthy in the playoffs, they would have swept the Nuggets and Sonics, wouldn't have lost Game 5 to Phoenix and would have finished off the Pistons in 5.

[mavsfan1000]

I think Miami is the favorite in the east now. San Antonio has the best chance to beat them because Miami has no answer for Duncan.

[spursfor]

Miami now has depth and guys that can be more than role players, but SVG is still on the hot seat if they can't perform up to expectations and Shaq is declining he's still 20/10 but he's not as dominate as a couple years back. Miami is the Dallas of the East because they have a lot of talent but still too many questionmarks and they haven't won that big game although without LB Detroit IMO isn't as good as they were and I think Flip is overrated therefore Miami can win the east if they put it together. But untill SA does something dramatic to their team, They're still the favorite.

[clubalien]

hmm does this trade mean we might want to keep rasho to have another body to throw at shaq or are we thinking shaq scks now just worry abotu wade and no need for centers now

[Jimcs50]

I will say that they have a better chance than Detroit this year, but Indy is going to win the East.

[mavsfan1000]

I feel the best way to play Shaq is make him get in foul trouble and work hard on defense. Maybe Duncan could play center to wear Shaq out when mohammad is out.

[Vashner]

CNN = jerks...

Remember after we won this year they didn't even put the Spurs victory under there cnn.com Sports..

It said "Detroit leads at Halftime" FoR 7 BEEPING days.... they are z

[AI-square]

The San Antonio Spurs is the team to beat.

[Horry For 3!]

Yes they are the team to beat. Look at all they done. They are deeper now.

Kevin, your an idiot!