Miami Heat Road To The Lottery Thread

When I log on to RealGM's boards, this is what I get:

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But it's the best place on the net for NBA related info - no doubt about that. The General board is what got me banned. It's terrible and you can only take so much of it. However, their mock draft analysis is usually at least decent.

 

Chad Ford spoke with 6 NBA executives today, and 4 of them think Chicago will select Beasley.

 

Honestly, aside from defensive inconsistency, I don't see a single flaw in Michael Beasley's game. Offensively, I think he's by far the most talented prospect I've seen since LeBron James. I also don't put much into high school immaturity. He matured a ton since then, although he's still a bit immature right now, but come on.......the guy just turned 19-years old. Many people question his leadership skills, but he was the leader of that overachieving K-State basketball team, and his vocal leadership skills are pretty similar to Kevin Garnett's. I think he's one of the most misjudged kids in quite some time.

As for that turnaround jumper, Beasley has a ton of counter post moves. He's shown that he's dominant in that phase, but he can also do pretty much anything else. His athletic ability and touch from a few feet out is unreal. The fact that he has a dominant perimeter game is scary.

 

I agree, but I am REALLY warming up to Michael Beasley.

 

Rose is an average defender to me - above average at best.

With Beasley, it's a matter of effort. When he actually tries to play defense, you can see the potential he has. He's extra long and athletic, and I think this would be the perfect system for him to improve as a defender and put in that extra effort.

Obviously Rose is a better fit, but when you're a 15 win team, IMO, you go for the better player. I'm all for drafting Beasley and moving Marion for two starters. I think that's the best way for us to improve next year.

 

I am honestly equal on both, so I'm fine with Chicago making our decision for us.

My only fear is Pat Riley not getting the guy he "prefers" and making a stupid trade.

Beasley/Rose, Stoudemire, Bosh, or bust.

 

(EDIT: my bad, I misunderstood you earlier)

But maybe that's exactly what we're going to see,

LINK

It's going to be a long month with rumors like this, but Ira is usually reliable.

 

Carlos Boozer is 6'9. Elton Brand is 6'8. Antwan Jamison is 6'9.

Guys like Horford and Jefferson are a few pennies under 6'10.

Another interesting bit to throw out there: Michael Beasley in his senior year of high school had an identical wingspan to Chris Bosh's pre-draft measurements.

If Beasley measures in at 6'9 & change at 235-240 pounds (which I think he will, seeing how he was 6'9 in high school), then that's a positive. He has the frame to easily put on 10-15 pounds without losing any of his athletic ability and/or quickness. Maybe even a bit more. Remember that Amare Stoudemire is only listed at 6'10/245. As of right now, Beasley is probably a half of an inch shorter, and a measly 5 pounds "thinner"

 

Chad Ford is hyping the hell out of Miami/O.J. Mayo. He says that he's working out with Wade right now, and how some people in the front office feel as though Mayo would be a better fit in the back court next to Wade than Rose would (which I've been saying for about a year now). Ford even stated that Miami will "consider" Mayo. Wtf? That means one of three things, and two are bad:

a) Selecting Mayo with the 2nd pick, but ummm, yeah right
b) Choosing Beasley for a team, then having that team choose Mayo and add more compensation
c) Moving Marion and/or Haslem in a package for another lottery pick

a & b would piss me off to the maximum. I truly think I'd end my NBA interest.

 

I can't agree with that comment. I pretty much watched both Memphis and K-State whenever they were on TV throughout the course of last season, and I just can't agree with that comment about Beasley. What I saw was a guy who put it all out on the floor and led his team with a passionate presence on the floor similar to Kevin Garnett. K-State overachieved like crazy last year, and it was because of Michael Beasley, which I don't understand why so many analysts question his leadership.

And I didn't see this "lock down defender" in Derrick Rose. He definitely stepped up to the plate during the tourny, but he's still a decent at best defender at this point. I can't compare what Rose did defensively last year to what Arron Afflalo did in his tenure at UCLA. And I'd call Afflalo a "shut down" college defender. I think Rose is a similar defender (in transition to pro comparison) to Dwyane Wade, actually. He plays the lanes well and what not, but he's no Kobe Bryant. I don't know if I'd trust Derrick Rose defending the opposing team's best player down the stretch.

But really, most of these kids have great upside at best as defenders. Some will learn in the NBA, some won't. I think Rose and Beasley have the ability to be solid pro defenders, but we'll have to wait and see on that one.

 

I'm still high on moving Beasley for Hinrich & Nocioni.

We can use some of the mid-level on Diop, Jeff Foster, or another defensive big.

G - Kirk Hinrich, Marcus Banks/Chris Quinn
G - Dwyane Wade, Daequan Cook
F - Dorell Wright, Andres Nocioni (preferred coming off the bench)
F - Michael Beasley, Udonis Haslem
C - Jeff Foster, Mark Blount/Alonzo Mourning

That team contends no later than 2009-2010, maybe even next year. Probably a top 5 seed.

But it seems like Riley is content with letting Marion expire for a "big free agent signing" - which is absolutely fine with me, as long as we don't trade the rights to the #2 pick. I can picture a 2010 core of Wade, Bosh, and Rose or Beasley. *dreams*

 

........

Do you see who started over Manu Ginobili during regular season? Nocioni is obviously a better player than Wright, but I'd prefer him coming off the bench to provide a scoring punch. NBA isn't about who starts, it's about who finishes. The starting line-up is all about chemistry, and you have to keep the bench strong.

EDIT: On the flip side, people should check up on Dorell Wright's numbers as a starter over the last two seasons. You'd be pleasantly surprised. Dorell Wright feeds off of confidence more than any player I've ever seen. He can start for a good team in this league, especially if that team has Dwyane Wade and a potential superstar in Michael Beasley. Picture those three on the run early on in games.

 

Dwyane Wade, Beasley/Rose, and Chris Bosh in 2010. I'm already convinced.

Chris Bosh is one of the only players I'd move #2 for, btw. Yes I am a huge Chris Bosh fan.

 

Oh, I'm not dreaming, MP. Believe me. It is going to happen. I will guarantee Dwyane Wade & Chris Bosh in 2010 as long as Miami doesn't commit big time via trade or 2009 free agency. That's right. I am guaranteeing it. There are a lot of "winky-winks" going on in the NBA. That's all I've got to say on the matter.

Miami will have the cap space - that's already a lock.

 

Doesn't make him deserving of a top-2 pick in this draft. I've always been in question of the Rose/Wade fit, but if Rose is the best player in the draft, then we're not in the position to pass on the opportunity. I feel the same way about Michael Beasley although we have Marion and Haslem under contract at the forward spots. To me, if you have the opportunity to select Rose or Beasley, you do not take a pass to trade down for minor compensation to select a lower tier player due to a better fit.

O.J. Mayo and Dwyane Wade would compliment each other to perfection, honestly. If Miami had the 3rd pick, then Mayo would be the guy I'd push for, although Riley's interest surprises me. I thought he'd be for Rose, Beasley, Lopez, Bayless, Mayo - in that order.

 

Exactly. In that sense, he reminds me a bit of James Posey.

Heat fans are supposed to hate Nocioni. Remember what he did to Wade?

 

I don't think he's a "poor" fit, just not that great of a fit next to Wade. Do I think it could work out? Absolutely, and it probably would. The point is that Mayo and even Bayless for that matter, ideally, is a better back court mate for Dwyane Wade in terms of a "perfect" fit. Your ideal PG next to a player like Wade is a guy who can hit the open shot, and hopefully play solid defense as well. With Wade and Rose, there would be a struggle against a team who effectively runs the zone. There better be a deadly three point shooter on the floor at the three spot.

Wade drives to the basket, draws the double, pitches out to an open Rose.
Rose drives to the basket, draws the double, pitches out to an open Wade.
^repeat until 24 seconds expire.
..................... (semi-kidding).