2007 Miami Heat NBA Season Preview
Fans must realize that this is not the same Miami Heat squad that won the championship a couple years ago. Sorry Heat fans, Shaquille O'Neal's slipping fast and is no longer the best center in the NBA. Dwayne Wade is having to do too much as several Heat players (including him) can't seem to stay healthy. Also, the team still needs to figure out what it's doing at the point guard spot, they're still a crappy free throw shooting team and they still need perimeter shooting help. The real question is how many more years will they make the playoffs, not whether or not they can vie for a title shot.
Moreover, getting swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Chicago Bulls (who got swept by the Detroit Pistons in the second round) is a telling sign that the Heat are losing a lot of steam. They're desperately trying to make a move to milk their veterans for another championship run, but chances are it's not going to happen. They've been going after Ron Artest and Mike Bibby all summer. Don't expect James Posey to be in the lineup next season, as he's being shopped around to everyone.
Statistics Projections/Depth Chart
- Center: Shaquille O'Neal 16.6 ppg, 7.1 rbpg (back up: Alonzo Mourning)
- Power Forward: Udonis Haslem 11.2 ppg, 8.7 rbpg (back up: Wayne Simien)
- Small Forward: Antoine Walker 10.1 ppg, 5.2 rbpg (back up: Dorell Wright)
- Point Guard: Jason Williams 10.6 ppg, 5.2 apg (back up: Smush Parker)
- Shooting Guard: Dwayne Wade 28.7 ppg, 5.1 rbpg, 6.9 apg (back up: Daequan Cook)
Key Losses
Jason Kapono struck gold after having a great season on an injury plagued Heat roster. He moves to greener pastures in Toronto. Meanwhile, veteran Eddie Jones signed with the Dallas Mavericks. Don't expect James Posey to be returning either, as he's been the primary trade bait offered to numerous teams.
Key Additions
It isn't a huge addition, but the sign of Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway reunites the once star guard with Shaquille O'Neal. Don't expect much from Penny, as injuries have pretty much destroyed his career. Also, in attempts to pad the point guard spot, the Heat signed Smush Parker. The talented, but inconsistent point guard will back up Jason Williams. In addition, drafting Daequan Cook gives them a talented prospect to develop behind Dwayne Wade.
Team Rumors
A slew of rumors surround James Posey. The Heat are apparently shopping him to numerous teams. Most recently, they've tried to lure troubled forward Ron Artest and point guard Mike Bibby from the Sacramento Kings.
Prediction
The Heat will be worse than last season and will face just as many injuries. Don't worry about Dorell Wright and Daequan Cook not getting a shot. There will be plenty of minutes when Wade, Shaq and others go down. Expect the Heat to miss the playoffs with a 38-44 record, which will prompt Mourning, Shaquille O'Neal and Gary Payton (if he doesn't retire this season) to retire after this season.
Fantasy Spin
Make a mental note to pass on Shaquille O'Neal in your fantasy draft. His DNPs and abysmal foul shooting doesn't make him worth even a late-round gamble. As hard as it is for many to fathom, Shaq Diesel is simply not the same player as he once was.
At the same time, be careful about selecting Dwayne Wade too early. His numbers suggest that he should be taken in the top five to ten picks. However, be weary of his injury proneness (he does an awful lot for that team) and his high turnovers can hurt. Still, he does fill a stat sheet and should never (nor would ever) slip past picks 12-15.
Most other players on the Heat's roster are better suited to be picked up off waivers when they hit hot streaks during the season. However, Udonis Haslem might be worthy of a late-round pick if your team is in need of a solid contributor, especially in rebounds. He won't overly impress anyone, but he has steadily improved each season and is fairly consistent.
Also, keep an eye on Alonzo Mourning for blocks if and when Shaq gets hurt during the year.
NBA Eastern Conference Team Previews: Atlanta Hawks; Boston Celtics; Cleveland Cavaliers; Chicago Bulls; Charlotte Bobcats; Detroit Pistons; Indiana Pacers; Miami Heat; Milwaukee Bucks; New Jersey Nets; New York Knicks; Orlando Magic; Philadelphia 76ers; Toronto Raptors; Washington Wizards
NBA Western Conference Team Previews: Dallas Mavericks; Denver Nuggets; Golden State Warriors; Houston Rockets; Los Angeles Clippers; Los Angeles Lakers; Memphis Grizzlies; Minnesota Timberwolves; New Orleans Hornets; Phoenix Suns; Portland Trail Blazers; Sacramento Kings; San Antonio Spurs; Seattle Supersonics; Utah Jazz
