Tag Archive for: Miami Heat

The Jimmy Butler trade is now a Juwan-like mess

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There’s this perception that things comes easy for the Miami Heat, because of the historic coup of 2010.

That’s not really true, though.

Alonzo Mourning’s kidney disease, right as Pat Riley had given him an enhanced supporting cast.

Chris Bosh’s blood clots, on the very day Riley traded for Goran Dragic for pick-and-pop perfection.

And, of course, way back when, the time Riley said he had to go to a proctologist to get the 10-foot pole taken out of his rear, when David Stern took Juwan Howard away because of a salary cap technicality. The Heat did rebound well by scooping up Dan Majerle, and making some contending runs.

So here we are once more.

We thought Jimmy Butler was being sign-and-traded to the Heat, and he still might be, but there’s now a major snap. The Dallas Mavericks, the third team in the deal, weren’t on the same page as Miami. And reporters in Dallas say, because of it, the Mavericks’ current critical role in executing the overall deal is over.

At first, it appeared Goran Dragic was going to Dallas, though Dragic’s agent had not been informed.

But then…

And so…

This from the resident cap expert who focuses on the Heat:

 

More from other reporters, including the national guy who is most connected in Dallas:

But this is already so far down the road…

We will continue to update.

But the Heat appear to be stuck. They simply cannot allow the trade to be called off. Too much damage will be done to the fan base, but also to the players.

How do you bring your guys back now?

What do you tell Miami?

We, um, messed up?

Jimmy Butler is in Play for the Heat… Duh.

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When is news not news?

When we’ve been saying it for months.

Jimmy Butler has had the Miami Heat first on his list since roughly September, when we told you that, and others weren’t including them in his final four. It didn’t happen then, but it wasn’t because he didn’t want it to. It was because Thibs was playing the role of George in Seinfeld, wanting to get fired.

Butler is a free agent now, and it’s unclear why anyone is surprised he still may want to be here. (I would take out the “may” but I’ll hedge a little, until he meets with the Heat.)

Well, now that meeting is finally happening, and while the Heat aren’t in ideal position in terms of cap space, they’ve been signaling that if Butler just says he wants to play for them, they can figure something out. They have the best cap guy anywhere in Andy Elisburg, and Pat Riley was clear in his end-of-season presser that he was waiting for a star to get disgruntled and become available. After all, this is how he’s gotten nearly every core piece of his Heat tenure, with the exception of Dwyane Wade. Zo. Timmy. Shaq. Mash. And yes, Bron and CB. All wanted out of where they were, for one reason or another.

Riley is a scavenger more than he’s a nester.

And now he has an important ally.

Dwyane Wade is not only close to Butler, but he is no longer close to tampering trouble, since he is no longer employed by the Miami Heat.

So this came Friday night, with Wade somewhere in the Orient.

Hmm. That seemed out of nowhere.

Or maybe it’s not.

Maybe it’s calculated.

Because this was the response.

Just a little chop-busting between buddies on Twitter?

Nah.

The Heat know what they’re doing here. Wade knows what he’s doing.

Because today, Saturday, came this:

 

Because who the hell wants to play with Chris Paul?

Anyone in NBA history?

And this:

It’s all so remarkably coincidental.

We told you months ago “something’s coming.”

Just a little early, maybe?

 

Five Reasons doesn’t embarrass itself at media game

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We don’t watch well.

The Miami teams lose every time we hold a watch party.

But maybe we play better.

Five Reasons Sports and Miami Heat Beat each entered teams in the 2019 Miami Heat media challenge today at AmericanAirlines Arena. We had enough players — 14 — that we sacrificed David Friedman right after the birth of his boy Wade, giving him to CBS4 because they needed a player and we needed luxury tax savings.

Both teams started 2-0, with Chris Cochran (part-time producer of the Five Reasons flagship) anchoring the Five Reasons defense, and Alphonse Sidney and Giancarlo Navas being phased out of the Miami Heat Beat rotation.

But like the modern day Heat, both teams regressed to the mean right as they were set to clash in the semifinals, each losing its final two games and being eliminated.

Highlights?

You want highlights?!

You really don’t, but here are some:

Me doing my best Jax Show:

While also pulling my Coach Sko act:

And some more:

The Jimmy Butler chatter is back (Thank God!)

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Something to liven up your slow sports time.

Nothing gets Miami Heat fans more excited — other than an Udonis Haslem angry Instagram post — than a good transaction rumor.

Especially one that involves Jimmy Butler.

You remember October and November? It was Butler all the time, and we played into that — after all, I was the one who kept reporting strong mutual interest when the big national guys were writing and re-writing Butler’s lists.

Anyway, it’s back. And it fits the whole narrative of some star needing to force his way here, which Pat Riley alluded to during his press conference right after the season.

We covered it on today’s podcast.

You can hear it here:

 

Of course, the issue now is making it happen.

Because there’s three elephants in the room, named Waiters, Whiteside and Johnson that crowd out a lot of options.

But you can bet we’ll be here to cover it and overcover it until Jimmy puts on his Clippers jersey.

And maybe not stop then.

 

Udonis Haslem has had enough of your garbage

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OK, that’s not the word he would use.

 

But this is a family website.

Five Reasons and Miami favorite Udonis Haslem posted on Instagram, to let people know what he thinks of them telling him he shouldn’t play anymore. He might tell you something different in person.

View this post on Instagram

I've never been the one to listen to outside noise. Key word is listen. Doesn't mean I don't hear. See the thing most average minded people don't get is if I let your expectations of me define me then I wouldn't be here today. Problem is majority of this world is average ASF!! Nobody ever expected shit from a young fat kid from liberty city. Hell why would they? But I'm thankful they didn't. I guess I shouldn't own Subways, and Einstein, and Auntie Ann's, and Starbucks, and 800 Degrees Woodfire kitchens either huh? What I've grown to realize in my life is that my obsession with success, my drive to overcome obstacles, and my overall work ethics is way higher than most. And I'm ok with that. It makes sense why most think I should retire at 39. Cause most would. Cause most are average minded. Most don't look like this at 39! Hell they ain't look like this at 19. Lol. So y'all keep worrying about the last spot on the roster while I sit back and stay ready so I don't gotta get ready. I'm not saying I'm playing next year but if u with me then u will support whatever I do!! Not tell me what to do!! And if that ain't good enough for u, in the words of Barbara Wooten f**k ya!! U was never wit me anyway!! Oh and one more thing. You out your 🐰 ass mind if you think I can't still play this game. I'll sleepwalk into a double double cause I'm just built different!! Y'all should know that by now but keep hating. I need y'all!! A chain is only as strong as its weakest link and if I'm the weak link that's a hell of a f**king chain!! ✌🏾️☑️💯 #og

A post shared by Udonis Haslem (@ud40) on

Our view on this:

UD should do whatever the f— he wants.

He takes the 15th roster spot?

So bleeping what.

The Heat have 2 two-way slots now. They can develop young players that way.

If he wants to play, he should play. If he wants to coach, he should coach. If he wants to run his restaurants — I was his Subway in Oakwood Plaza this weekend — you should get a meatball sub and like it. And order another.

And if he wants a podcast on the Five Reasons Sports network, get him a damn sponsor and let’s do it.

Very few athletes in South Florida history have earned this right. He has given himself to the Heat franchise and, more importantly, the community, in every conceivable way. His body. His soul. He is Heat Culture, if that really means anything.

Oh yeah, and he takes a photo with my daughter at every Heat family fest.

She chose that jersey for a reason.

So U do U, UD.

Forever and always.

Highlights of Heat’s draft night & Riley’s presser

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Alphonse Sidney (@Alf954) and I were at American Airlines Arena for the Miami Heat’s 2019 draft, and stuck around until past 1 a.m. to tape a couple of podcasts and hear from first-round pick Tyler Herro (by conference call) and Heat president Pat Riley.

Here are some of the highlights, tweet by tweet:

 

 

More to come….

 

Miami Heat draft Tyler Herro, fans not thrilled

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Sekou.

KPJ.

Bol Bol.

Three high upside players, which the Miami Heat need.

Even Brandon Clarke, the so-called safest pick.

Plenty of players thought to be Heat options were available at No. 13.

Pat Riley, however, went back to his alma matter, for a player — swingman Tyler Herro — who was projected in the 20s until recently.

Miami has done good work in the draft the past four years, so maybe this works out.

Herro was certainly happy.

But the initial reaction was mostly skepticism.

Early polling on @5ReasonsSports had about 75 percent of the fans against it.

Nor was there much excitement in the main bowl of AmericanAirlines Arena, where the Heat were hosting a draft party.

 

More on a podcast posting soon, plus comments from Herro and Pat Riley.

Miami Heat’s draft night gets busier

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Refresh our memories.

When is the last time the Miami Heat were the team giving up cash considerations?

Maybe it’s happened recently, but it doesn’t come to mind. The Heat have been in cost-saving, more than cost-adding, mode since the middle of the Big Three era — but apparently they like some of the prospects in this draft enough to pony up a little.

Here’s the trade they just made:

What’s interesting about this deal is that the Heat have done such an incredible job of developing undrafted players of late that it hasn’t seemed necessary to stockpile second round picks.

But apparently, the Heat scouts are intrigued by the depth in this year’s draft. And they also may see a need. The team’s depth, particularly in the backcourt, has already been thinned by the cost-related subtractions of Rodney McGruder, Tyler Johnson and Wayne Ellington — plus the retirement of Dwyane Wade.

Look for coverage from American Airlines Arena — on this website and on podcasts — from myself (Ethan Skolnick) and Alphonse Sidney. That will include a recap of Pat Riley’s remarks, which now figure to occur early Friday morning, when everything is over.

Five Reasons

LeBron James again dumps young players, gets his guy

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Somewhere Andrew Wiggins is chucking a bad shot, and smiling.

Just as he did in Cleveland, LeBron James has traded in the future for the present. Patience, as he’s admitted, is not his thing. This time, he did give his new young teammates a season, and it was a brutal one. This time his role in the departure of said young players was more direct, since his agent Rich Paul engineered Anthony Davis’ exit from New Orleans. But just as was the case when the Cavaliers dumped Wiggins for veteran Kevin Love upon James’ arrival, the Chosen One has chosen to go for the now rather than the later.

And who can blame him.

He’s bionic, but he’s now 34, and we saw him start to break down just a bit last season, even if his numbers were exceptionally strong.

Here are the details of this deal, and the devil is in those, since  two of the three first round picks shouldn’t be very high.

It’s not forever, however, even if you’d assume Davis would want to stay.

Why didn’t Boston get him?

Well, you knew this was coming.

Danny Ainge is the king of close calls, and somewhat questionable refusals.

Now James must deliver. The Warriors are reeling, the Rockets have holes (and may move Chris Paul) and there doesn’t seem to be another clear power in the West.

James went to Los Angeles for reasons beyond basketball.

Now maybe, with arguably the best sidekick he’s ever had (different than Dwyane Wade, with less duplication) he can get back to it.

And it means that Miami is still the only place where he wasn’t engineering personnel moves. At least not so many of them.

Another thought on Miami Heat’s draft options

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From our new contributor Jaccare Givens, as we continue to engage the Five Reasons Sports community. We will be compiling these and posting them leading up to the NBA Draft on June 20:

 

With the NBA draft seven days away let’s look at 3 prospects for the Miami Heat to draft at number 13 in the 2019 NBA draft. The Miami Heat’s main objectives should be to draft the right player, but also to avoid drafting guys who are redundant to what they already have on the current roster. For example, the Heat should stay away from a player like P.J. Washington because he has a lot of characteristics of a Bam Adebayo or Derrick Jones Jr. and that was one of the Heat’s major problems last year with the roster too many alike players at the same position.

I do understand that this draft class isn’t deep but players such Kawhi Leonard and Giannis have been drafted in the back end of the lottery and turn into great players. In my opinion, the Heat need to take a high potential player who can be an All- Star or a player who can be instant offense an average 20-25 points per game. In general, they just need a player who can develop into the next D-Wade as a franchise player and can be the best player on a championship team.

 My top 3 prospects for the Heat in the 2019 NBA draft are:

 

1. Cam Reddish: 6’8 Guard with a 7-1 wingspan, who can flat out shoot the basketball he has an effortless shooting stroke and at times can be a great defender. He was very overlooked at Duke but I think he has the most potential out of all of the Duke prospects in the draft to be a immediate contributor, he can be a better version of Paul George because he’s already a better offensive talent then Paul George was as a rookie. My biggest concern with Reddish is that he’s very aloof at times on the court but I think being in a system like the Miami Heat he can develop into a superstar level player because they have the foundation and coaches to get the best out of their players.

 

2. Kevin Porter Jr.: Can be an elite scorer at the NBA level he’s a 6’6 SG crafty scorer and draws comparisons to James Harden.  He will be a lottery pick strictly based off potential because before he entered college many in NBA Draft circles had him going in the TOP 5. I will say this he can be one the big steals in the draft because he’s falling due to character concerns but I don’t have that issue with Porter JR. because he’s a young kid so yes he won’t make the best decisions at the present moment so we can give him a pass because he will mature as he gets older.

 

3. Bol-Bol: Based off purely measurables and game he should be a top 3 pick a 7’2 center who can stretch the floor and handle the ball with a 7’8 wingspan. He’s the definition of a boom or bust prospect because you can hit big with him or lose it all with the pick. If you can develop him, you have an unstoppable force at the 5 because his skill set would be unmatched and hard to defend for anyone. His length and height can make him an excellent defender and rim protector. He does have to develop his game more and also put on weight and he did have a foot injury that derail his college career and guys his size are know to have foot issues i.e. Yao Ming which foot injuries end his career and Joel Embiid did as well that stopped him from playing his first two years in the NBA. We do hope the kid has a healthy NBA career no matter where he lands. In all if Bol Bol lands in the right system that team gets a player with All-Star potential.