Mateo’s Hoops Diary: The Miami Heat Remain Dangerous

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The Miami Heat are going to run it back, and it’s not such a bad thing in the short term. With the latest news that Kevin Durant is staying put in Brooklyn, the only white whale Miami remains interested in is Donovan Mitchell.  But should they give up on that hunt for now?  

 

The market will be inflated for a long time due to the Rudy Gobert trade that sent five First Round Picks to Utah with four players from Minnesota in exchange for the Frenchman.  Conventional wisdom tells me the Jazz wouldn’t be interested in letting Spida go unless they net a haul like they did trading their big-man. 

 

There’s a shortlist of players that can go nuclear like Mitchell on offense- Utah doesn’t need to buckle on its asking price in negotiations because their guy is signed for the next three seasons. They already pulled off one historic exchange this summer.  There isn’t a rush to manufacture a second so soon.

 

The best chance Miami has of getting Spida in uniform is if they sign him when he’s an unrestricted free agent or devise a way to trade for him in two years when he has one season left on his contract.   

 

The best swap Miami could offer would be Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry and two FRPs.  It’s a steep price but likely not enough unless Lowry’s spot is switched for Bam Adebayo, but that should be a dealbreaker.  

 

Mitchell is a masterful scorer, but he isn’t Dwyane Wade.  The similarities Spida has exhibited attacking the basket are reminiscent of Flash, but committing a trove of assets for a small guard who is only effective on one side of the ball should be a hard pass.  

 

The Heat have a late-game scoring issue that needs to be remedied, but solutions will likely come internally.  In Game 7s loss at home, anyone not named Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo were ineffective on offense.  Boston was keying in Miami’s All-Stars throughout the game, and by the end of the night, their legs were dead.

 

When watching a team go down as the Heat did in the conference finals, it’s natural for fans or even team employees to want to feel the immediate gratification of improving the specific weakness.   

 

 It’s feasible the late-game scoring drags are fixed with a healthy Tyler Herro growing into the role of closer or Kyle Lowry having a bounce-back season as the main ball handler. Or even Victor Oladipo recapturing his former ability to get a bucket at will- fingers crossed.  One of Herro, Lowry, or Oladipo will have to be the third option alongside Adebayo and Butler in the Playoffs.

 

The Heat’s uncertainty at power forward is the team’s primary concern because the Butler era’s window for competing for a title is still open, but there is no telling for how long. He turns 33 on Sept. 14, but he is one of the legitimate difference makers in the NBA.  Miami shouldn’t waste its time on unrealistic options when other improvements are possible to keep Miami as lethal as last season.

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Former Heatle Jae Crowder, currently over in Phoenix, has one year left on his deal.  I doubt the Suns would want to let an effective 3-and-D wing like him walk as a free agent and get nothing back in return.  Perhaps Miami could explore bringing him back for the right price, and if not, next man up.  His tenure as part of the club was brief but integral in their 2020 Finals run. 

 

Sacramento’s Harrison Barnes is another complementary forward who would fit nicely in the Heat’s rotation.  The Kings are going all-in on the play-in tournament, but if the season goes sideways for them, maybe the Heat could make an enticing proposition for Barnes’ expiring contract before the trade deadline.  

 

 For now, Tucker’s absence will alter some of Miami’s defensive schemes. He won’t be around to guard the other team’s best perimeter player, be a weak side help defender on opposing drives or be a guy who can switch onto any opponent and bother them.  

 

When Tucker was a Heatle, Miami was good enough to contend. His efforts boxing out, rebounding, screening, defending, and spacing the floor made him the team’s leatherman multi-tool. Tucker would seldomly get beat defending the ball handler last season.  His instincts and force to stay in front of the rock let other Heat players stick to their matchup without helping.

 

Caleb Martin is a candidate for the Heat’s starting power forward slot.  He is a solid player, but if he can’t hold opponents in front of him, Miami’s defense could eventually suffer by repeatedly having to send help when Martin is caught in a mismatch.  Martin, who stands at 6’5, will likely guard a bigger or stronger player before a switch. To his credit, his defensive field goal percentage last year was 41.8% on 10.7 attempts by the opponent.

 

Yet, offensively, Martin at the four is practicable. His athleticism is a plus, and he is a comparable deep shooter to Tucker.  At the end of a cut, Martin has enough pop to attack from above on a dunk.  His willingness to go for the slam should grant him more trips to the free throw line in 2022/2023.  Playing next to defenders like Adebayo and Butler possibly will increase Martin’s transition opportunities where he can use his speed getting downhill to Miami’s advantage.  

 

Last season, Tucker logged 609 more minutes than Martin.  In that extra time, PJ hit 16 more triples than his former teammate, on a slightly higher rate (.2%) and volume (.1%).

 

Getting the starting nod should see an uptick in 3-point attempts for Martin and, if converted around a similar efficiency, will provide ample room for Miami’s cutters to attack the cup. 

 

If plugged in at the four, Martin’s role as a screener will be more important than ever to get his teammates and himself open.  It would utilize his explosiveness to run actions for him as the roll man looking to score after a screen.  

 

It was first reported on Five on the Floor, Miami was comfortable not signing a free agent four after Tucker’s departure because they view Martin as a better player than any on the market.  It’s possible the Heat are right, and there won’t be much drop-off in two-way potency in 2022/2023.

 

*****

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‘The Heart Part 20’ by Udonis Haslem

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Miami Heat

 

Udonis Haslem’s final year in Miami was announced by the man himself around the community he holds dearly. Fulfilling a promise to his late father.

 

 

20 years ago, before the Heat were known as the leaders in finding diamonds in the rough, they found a priceless gem of a lifetime. A local kid named Udonis Johneal Haslem out of the University of Florida. Haslem had worked on his weight and fought for a roster spot with every grueling workout the team put him through. The organization saw something in him that many teams passed on and decided to give him a deal as an Undrafted Free Agent. Neither party at the time could have predicted the 19 years that followed.

What ensued was the unbreakable bond between one man and a city that will last for eternity. Udonis has always been proud of his roots and will never shy away from speaking glowingly about his home and the people that make it. Haslem is an extension of all the citizens of Miami that the fans get to watch put on the red, black, and white.  When they see ‘UD’ put on that uniform they see themselves being a part of the team. The front office, coaching staff, and players understand what he means to not only the team but the city as a whole.

Many outsiders have wondered why exactly he remains on the roster and isn’t converted into part of the staff. Have we not thought that maybe he doesn’t want that? And perhaps the team is with him on whatever he decides? This argument has gone on for so long among even Heat Twitter, that it’s gotten nauseating. I took part in this discourse until I realized that it’s really not worth arguing about. I’ve seen the players that Miami has developed into starters, bench contributors, and so on. Yes, you could say that Haslem is “taking up a roster spot for a player who could maybe contribute.”

If you said that you’d be wrong but you could say it, it is a free country after all. The Heat have found so many diamonds in the rough that they could open up a Zales. Do we honestly think that if there was a player they collectively saw something in that they wouldn’t find a way to have him on the roster?

That collective would include Haslem himself after all. It’s not outlandish to imagine that he has had more than a hand in picking out some of these players out. He very well could do this as a member of the staff but, again, he doesn’t want to and the Heat respects his wishes. The relationship between players and coaches is something difficult to understand even at a High School level. Haslem wants to remain as close to the players as possible without seeming like he’s their “boss” of sorts.

It’s difficult to walk that line and I imagine Udonis doesn’t want to deal with the balancing act just yet. When he watches some of these guys at the very limited practices the team has, he wants to connect with them on a level they can understand while trying to evaluate them at the same time. He also uses post-practice scrimmages and workouts with players who are willing to join to gain more of a connection. (It’s pretty impressive that a 42-year-old like him can still be in this type of shape.) There are many behind-the-scenes portions Haslem has a hand in that the general public doesn’t see. I can imagine that list is too long to even begin to make.

So many of the players Miami has found talk endlessly about what Udonis mean to them and their connections, due to Haslem’s own journey mirroring their own. They see a player who stuck it out through the toughest times when so many others would have given up. They see someone being held as this folk hero of basketball in South Florida because the organization took a shot on him. Haslem understands that not all of these guys will make it through the grind that is making a Heat roster. But damn it if he won’t make sure they’re all given a chance.

If you want to tell him that he’s blocking someone’s chance to make a roster; I imagine he’d have something to say about that. The team had JaVonta Smart and Omer Yurtseven on the roster last season. Those guys contributed a total of zero meaningful playoff minutes. No one is losing sleep about that 14th or 15th roster spot anymore. I’d say Erik Spoelstra and the organization has more than earned the benefit of the doubt in this case. Everyone should calm down about Miami missing out on a possible next Gabe Vincent, Duncan Robinson, etc. If that player exists in the pipeline, the team will surely be the first to know. I’ll defer to the best Coach in the league plus the renowned scouts and development staff.

Haslem will get to enjoy his farewell season on his terms. The team will continue to accommodate him financially in a way they regret not doing for Dwyane Wade. They’ll make sure that the sacrifice he gave in 2010 to re-sign wasn’t for naught. A promise he made to a father he lost will be fulfilled. A promise he never imagined would ever be this close while playing in the French League in 2002. Twenty years for a single team is an achievement only Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki have accomplished. Now the list will gain a kid from Miami that never left since he was born. He’s earned all the time he wants on the bench wearing that uniform. No one will ever wear that ‘Miami’ on the front, while also on the back.

Here’s to one more season where after we’ll truly say “Udonis…he did it.”

Mateo’s Hoops Diary: A New Era in the NBA

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The NBA is in the middle of a power shift.  The three most noteworthy players of the past generation are LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant.  While the three of them are still outstanding, the new faces of the league snuck in through the back door and will likely remain as the league’s premier ballers for close to a decade.  

 

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokić and Luka Dončić are the NBA’s next titans.  They may not win as many rings as James, Curry and Durant have combined, but that shouldn’t be the only criteria for evaluating their greatness.  Personal records factor in, and so do the moments that took your breath away watching them.

 

For Giannis, what earned my unyielding respect for his game was his 2021 postseason run.  In the Finals, he was the focal point of two highlight plays that will forever shine in championship lore.

 

First, it was the block on Deandre Ayton’s attempted lob.  The Greek Freak was assisting PJ Tucker with icing Devin Booker on a roll.  Booker noticed the attention and hoisted a pass to the 7-footer who stood in the restricted area.  Before Ayton could plunge it down the cylinder, Antetokounmpo was at his chest and rejected the ball towards Tucker.

 

That’s as close as you will get to seeing someone float like a butterfly and sting like a bee on the court.

 

The next play happened in Game 5.  Booker dribbled into a wall in the lane and when looking to pass out, was stripped by Jrue Holiday, who started the fastbreak.  Antetokounmpo was the first Buck to make it to the Phoenix’s paint.  Holiday then flung up a pass, and the Freak snatched it, and while taking a two-handed shove from Chris Paul to the gut, still slammed the rock through the cup.  

 

It was called a shooting foul but it should have got Paul tossed, even with 13.5 seconds left.  Pushing someone in the air is slimy.  When a player has taken flight, they are defenseless and should be avoided by the opposition unless making a play on the ball.  The only reason Giannis powered through Paul’s desperate cheap shot and landed on his feet is that he is a super freak plus close to a foot taller than his aggressor.

 

Antetokounmpo’s Jedi-like maneuver distracted the refs and most observers from calling what happened what it was.  A dirty play by Paul.

 

In the next game, the season finale, Antetokounmpo delivered his magnum opus by dropping 50 points for the title.  By the night’s end, he’d won all the major awards a player can earn in the league.  He was only 26 years old.  

 

Jokić, the reigning back-to-back MVP, is on his way to becoming a historic player if he isn’t already.  If his team gets around eight more wins than this past season’s win total while he produces comparable stats to his last two years, maybe the Joker becomes the fourth player in league history behind Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird to win three consecutive MVPs.  

 

Those are big ifs, but winning a pair in two seasons is a rare accomplishment. It’s only been done by 12 other guys.

 

The Joker’s near 7-foot frame neutralizes the effects of opposing double teams because he can precisely find an open man by passing over the top of defenders.  His post game is as polished as newly minted coins, and he can step away from the paint and torch his rivals from the outside.  

 

Jokić does it all on offense.  His 82 triple-doubles in the regular season and Playoffs will attest to it.  In 2021/2022, he elevated his game and logged a career-high in points and field goal percentage while playing without two starters (Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr).  In the absence of two of Denver’s top marksmen, Jokić operated in mostly clogged paints, and he was still untouchable.  

 

Few plays are as pleasing as his no-look passes or when he finds a teammate cutting backdoor or targets another man across court in the shooting pocket. The Joker’s strongest asset is his mind.  Ninety-nine times out of 100 that he steps on the floor, he’ll be the smartest dude in uniform.

 

Then there’s Luka.  A forward who can fill up the stat sheet like James, Bird and Rick Barry.  Who could forget how at 21 and 22 years old, Dončić was making the Kawhi Leonard and Paul George-led Clippers sweat bullets because they were unable to stay in front of him?  Or specifically, when he caught a sideline pass near midcourt, dribbled over to the left wing, and pulled up for a game-winning trifecta in Game 4 of Round 1 of the 2020 Playoffs?

 

Dončić is never the fastest man on the court, but it doesn’t stop him from getting anywhere he wants.  His strength and footwork allow him to create separation when he decides to cut inside or post up.  

 

Guarding Dončić is as enticing as picking your poison.  If he is defended in single coverage, he might casually drop a 40-piece.  If help is sent on each of his drives, he’ll cut up the scheme by finding a cutter on the baseline or a shooter outside.

 

Dončić entered the NBA workforce as an All-Star caliber player.  In four years, he ascended near the peak of his profession. 

 

If I had to start a team and the only three names in the hat were Antetokoumpo, Jokić  and Dončić, I could make the pick blindfolded and be elated at my prospects.  The league is theirs for years to come.  Just as Wilt Chamberlain passed the torch to Kareem, as Bird and Magic Johnson gave it up to Michael Jordan, the cycle repeats.  James, Curry and Durant will be replaced by Antetkounmpo, Jokić and Dončić.

Mateo’s Hoops Diary: Kevin Durant Undercut his Bosses

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The Brooklyn Nets are more dysfunctional than the Royal Family and are addicted to double-dipping in misery.

 

Kevin Durant summoned the trump card when he called for his coach and general manager to hit the chopping block.   If owner Joe Tsai turns on his own, KD will have a chance to sit with the other coach killers of the mess hall. Magic Johnson, Dwight Howard, Latrell Sprewell, Stephon Marbury, Carmelo Anthony, etc., please clear out a spot for the new head of the table.  

 

There’s also the option of keeping him.   I don’t think KD has the nerve to miss camp, yet letting him show up could result in an overwhelmingly uncomfortable situation to deal with.  Leaking this info to Shams Charania has emasculated Durant’s superiors, and his insolence could spread like a virus throughout the locker room.

 

But the more likely finale to this sad affair is that Tsai taps out of this deal and trades Durant for pennies on the dollar, crippling the team for years to come. Following the report of their meeting over in London, Tsai tweeted the front office and coaching staff have his full support, and they will do what’s in the best interest of the team.

 

Initially, I wrote the Nets were better off keeping KD.  The news has changed, and so has my opinion.  He is now more trouble than he’s worth.  The bridge wasn’t burned when he asked out, but it is now.  His plan, from an outsider’s perspective, appears to be that he’s going to break balls until he gets his way.   

 

The Celtics offered Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and a first-round draft pick for Durant’s services but were denied.  I find it unlikely that Boston will be as enthusiastic this time around to offer the same deal knowing how desperate the Nets must be.  Maybe Phoenix, Toronto and Miami are still in the mix too.

 

Durant should feel frustrated the team was pantsed in round one.  But before he calls out his bosses, it would be wiser to set Kyrie Irving straight for compromising the team’s season for fear of needles or wounding his pride.  It was Irving’s selfishness and pseudo-intellectualism that cost the team an opportunity for more favorable seeding.  It would have likely led to an easier opponent to start the Playoffs.  

 

KD didn’t even hold James Harden accountable.  Before Harden was shipped out, Durant never told his buddy to slim down.  Perhaps it would have soothed the stress on the Beard’s aching hamstrings.  

 

This underhanded move #7 pulled reeks of entitlement.  Where does he get the stones to orchestrate such a machiavellian tactic when he hasn’t lived up to his end of the deal?  After all, he did get a fat extension worth $198 million a year ago, and all he has to show for it is a sweep and complaints.  

 

The Slim Reaper is still a force of nature, but it doesn’t matter who it is. Giving any player in year-16 carte blanche is a dangerous gamble.  If he’s every bit as awful as LeGM over in Lakerland at building a team, the Nets might be forced to pack up their stuff and head back to New Jersey.

 

If Tsai hands over executive powers to Durant, the appointment of one of his sycophants as coach and general manager is likely his next threat.  Tsai should tell his disgruntled employee, thanks but no thanks, and start packing your bags.  Sean Marks was doing a fine job before Durant and Irving showed up. 

 

Steve Nash should have submitted his two-week notice the moment Irving said he didn’t need a coach, and Durant called it a “collaborative effort.”  For all of Nash’s faults, he never had the trust of his star players.  Neither did Kenny Atkinson before him, and he too got canned.  

 

Call it what you want.  Durant wants two human sacrifices to wash over his shortcomings.  The only thing that will absolve him of that is a self-led deep trip in the postseason or if he parachutes into another loaded squad and they save him.

 

*****

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Mateo’s Hoops Diary: It’s All on Zion Williamson

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The fate of the Pelicans rests on Zion Williamson’s plate. To protect themselves from their star player eating himself out of the league, NOLA will periodically weigh him to ensure he doesn’t exceed 295 pounds. Although, with the threshold being such a high number, they are giving Williamson a large amount of waist room.  

 

Yet, there’s no word on Williamson guaranteed money getting touched if he misses a certain amount of games. When I asked the Pelicans about it, they did not want to provide any other information about his contract, including how the 295-pound threshold was reached by both parties, how much Williamson is weighing now and what they’d prefer his measurements on the scale to be. 

 

However, #1 is committed to getting slimmer after missing an entire season (2021/2022) with a foot injury. He has employed the services of a new personal chef who works with other athletes. But it’s the least he could do after reportedly showing up last year weighing 330 pounds.

 

It’s news to me that a professional athlete couldn’t stay in shape when going through an injury to his extremities as he was surrounded by some of the best trainers and nutritionists in the world. 

 

Williamson and his camp should be elated that the only thing affecting his guaranteed money is something he can control. Given the explosive nature of his game, it’s reasonable to believe that lowering his density would alleviate some of the pressure on his joints, ligaments, bones and muscles when coming down. 

 

Williamson is legit. But he hasn’t done anything to deserve such a commitment from his team when he’s only played in 85 regular season games in three seasons. For the Pelicans to take the next step into contention after making their first Playoffs since 2018, Williamson will have to rewrite the narrative on his availability.

 

New Orleans valiantly challenged Phoenix through six games in round one before defeat. Despite a short trip to the postseason, the prospects of NOLA having a bright future were as clear as the Weddell Sea because of how much they pushed the Suns without Williamson on deck. 

 

Hypothetically, the series against the West’s top-seeded team would have transpired differently with #1 suited up. Perhaps New Orleans still gets taken out, but what is certain is the defensive strategy the Suns used would have been altered with Williamson on the floor because of the mismatches he creates. 

 

 Replacing Jackson Hayes for a healthy Williamson in the starting lineup would have given the Pelicans four players with the ability to create their own shot to open a game. If that many players can get a bucket on their own, it limits an opponent’s capacity to send help effectively. 

 

About 70% of Williamson’s field goal attempts come from within three feet of the hoop, and it’s usually a surprise when he fails to convert from close range. He is a danger to the rim and commands a double or trap near the paint with the ball in his hands in the halfcourt. That type of attention from the defense will make sure another Pelican will get open on the opposing baseline or perimeter. 

 

An effective tactic to deploy when Williamson returns this upcoming season is using him more as the roll man after a screen. In 2021, his PNR frequency was only 5.2%, scoring 1.4 points per game on those possessions. The screener always gets open if the man he roadblocked is trying to ice the ball handler. Williamson would have a short window to receive the ball and dash toward the cup. If his man is low defending the lane, he can attack the protection by taking a shot from up to 16 feet away or attempt to go through him to force the foul. 

 

Williamson not getting enough action in PNR is a coaching crime that falls on the shoulders of Stan Van Gundy and Alvin Gentry, aside from their inability to keep him in shape. 

 

Fortunately for the Pelicans, coach Willie Green managed to direct his squad into the postseason when the chances of it happening were slimmer than a straight razor to start the campaign. Such an accomplishment adds credibility to Green because snatching the eighth seed indicated the Pelicans were farther along in their development than expected. 

 

Adding Williamson to this group could make New Orleans one of the dark horse teams in the West. They already have two three-level scorers in Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, plus a shutdown perimeter defender in Herb Jones. Inserting a skywalker like Williamson around those guys is a luxury not many teams can say they have. 

 

But none of it will mean anything If NOLA’s first overall pick can’t get on the floor. The investment to build a compatible team around him is too large for the Pelicans to fail. 

The Life and Times of Sebastian Vettel | Hitting the Apex

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For older McLaren fans, in particular those who are veterans of the battles of the early 2010s which saw Red Bull transform from plucky energy drink company to Formula 1 dominance coinciding with a McLaren backslide into the midfield, it’s hard to identify the epiphanic moment.

That chill that runs down the spine, causing the whole body to shiver.

The realization that you like and admire Sebastian Vettel.

The 4-time World Champion announced his retirement this week. And his career spanning more than a decade illustrates the power of sports and the platform it provides to reach a higher calling outside of the race track.

Vettel’s journey from Wunderkind to Elder Statesman saw the German achieve much more when he was no longer winning races than he ever did by lifting trophies.

Born to Race

Sebastian Vettel was born to be a race car driver. He started karting at the age of 3 and quickly ascended up the racing totem pole, finally becoming a full-time Formula 1 driver with the Toro Rosso racing team.

And he took the sport by storm, fast from the beginning. He also earned the reputation as impetuous, foolish, too young to win a championship. And despite being the youngest driver in F1 history to win a race, there was still healthy skepticism about his ability to be a world champion.

For much of the 2010 season, that skepticism seemed valid as Vettel adjusted to the Red Bull team he had joined. Vettel was the fastest driver, but several retirements and mistakes, most notably crashing into his teammate Mark Webber in Turkey, seemed to have gifted the championship to Fernando Alonso. With 2 races to go, Vettel needed to win both to have any shot at the title. He accomplished the first half of that in Brazil. In the season ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Vettel not only needed to win, he needed a minor miracle.

You ask for a miracle? I give you Ferrari.

All Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso needed to do was finish 2nd to win the championship, and Top 4 would be enough to prevent Vettel from winning his first title.

Enter Ferrari strategy. They pitted Alonso early to cover off Mark Webber, who had only pitted early because of damage. By doing so, Ferrari undercut themselves out of the race, spending the race stuck behind a Renault and finishing 7th. Vettel won the race and the championship, becoming the youngest champion in Formula 1 history.

The Wunderkind had delivered on his promise.

Over the next 3 years as part of winning 4 consecutive titles, Vettel transformed from young gun to veteran, from exciting prospect to part of the scenery. We started to take his brilliance for granted. The age old detraction of “anyone can win in that car” was bandied about.

But anyone didn’t win in that car. Vettel did.

For fans of teams that weren’t Red Bull, this period was vexing. An energy drink company is not supposed to put a kid in a car and beat teams with the tradition of McLaren, Ferrari, and Williams.

Which was why what happened next was so shocking. Vettel had been with the Red Bull program since he was a junior driver. But after one bad 2014 season, he left. It’s hard to know what precipitated the divorce, but Red Bull had their next young leader in Daniel Ricciardo, and Vettel wanted the challenge of Ferrari.

The End of an Era

What had actually happened in 2014 was not Vettel’s fault. Red Bull had become so accustomed to winning, they, and really all of Formula 1, was not prepared for the era of dominance Mercedes was about to unleash. Mercedes would win the next 7 Drivers Championships until last year’s controversial Max Verstappen win.

And when history retells this tale of Mercedes’ dominance, it’ll talk about the one Nico Rosberg title, and Lewis Hamilton’s ascension into the greatest driver in Formula 1 history. It will be glossed over as a time when no one challenged Mercedes.

But that isn’t true. Because Vettel did. 

The 2018 season will look in the history books like one that is non-competitive. Hamilton won the championship by 88 points. But he was not in the lead at the halfway mark. This was a season where Vettel pushed Hamilton to his limit. The reason Hamilton is the greatest driver in Formula 1 history is that when pushed to his limit, he found another gear, reaching a crescendo in one of the best qualifying laps in Formula 1 history which saw him take pole and win the race at a “Ferrari” track in Singapore.

This was Hamilton at the height of his powers, and there was Vettel, pushing him all the way.

Which is why once again it was so shocking that merely one season later, Ferrari unceremoniously announced that Vettel would not continue after the upcoming 2020 season. Once again, Vettel, with so much left to offer his team, was on the move.

This time there was no race winning car in his future, but Aston Martin beckoned.

Retirement

Why would a 4-time World Champion decide to finish career at lowly Aston Martin? Sure, there was the opportunity to potentially build a race winning team given the influx of money being pumped into the team. But Vettel has won 53 races. He didn’t need to win another. He had won 4 titles. He didn’t need to win another

No, it was not the on track aspect. You see, while Sebastian Vettel was born to be a race car driver, his actual calling in life is humanitarian. And Formula 1 provided him the platform to become the champion of the downtrodden, the discriminated against, the marginalized people who have no voice.

While our current era of athletes are almost preprogrammed to give rote answers about any social or marginally controversial issue, Vettel seeks out the limelight precisely to highlight those issues, and to take a side. The side he chooses to take is the one of righteousness, of humanity, of putting others in front of his personal brand.

It’s with a sense of irony that Vettel announced his retirement the week of the Hungarian Grand Prix as he returns to the scene of where he famously wore rainbow colored shoes in protest of anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination laws in Hungary. For a marginalized community in Hungary legitimately living in fear of discrimination and much worse, Vettel provided a beacon of hope.

He has been at the forefront of supporting Lewis Hamilton in the fight against racism, to the point that the once furious rivals are now close friends.

Vettel is not afraid to be out in front. He’s used to leading the pack. And it is fitting that as former 3-time World Champion Nelson Piquet gave everyone a window into his racism, Vettel continues to show the world what a real champion is. In a cover piece for a LGBTQ+ magazine attitude that was released almost simultaneous to Piquet being banned from the Formula 1 paddock for repeated racial and homophobic slurs, Vettel said:

It doesn’t matter your skin colour, it doesn’t matter your background, it doesn’t matter where you come from, it doesn’t matter who you fall in love with. In the end, you just want equal treatment for everybody. Everyone has the same right to love.

That is the essence of Sebastian Vettel, the man. Formula 1 is losing so much more than a fast race car driver when Vettel exits the sport. I’m under no illusion that this Aston Martin car can win a race, that we’ll see Vettel ascend to that top step of the podium one more time, that we’ll see him showered in champagne.

However, what we’ve witnessed is far greater than that. We’ve seen Vettel ascend to the top step of the podium of life. From Wunderkind to humanitarian, from petulant to role model, from driver to legend.

It will be impossible to write the history of Formula 1 without Sebastian Vettel. His quality as a race car driver saw to that.

But his impact off the track, his shifting of our expectations of how we expect a driver to conduct himself, his willingness to step out front and lead on issues that were not spoken about previously, providing support to those who need it most, will echo through eternity. 

Formula 1 will lose Sebastian Vettel as a driver in 10 more races.

The world is a better place because of Sebastian Vettel the person, and fortunately for all of us, that Sebastian Vettel isn’t going anywhere.

Vishnu Parasuraman is a contributor for @FiveReasonsSports. He covers the Miami Hurricanes  for Sixth Ring Canes and Formula 1 for Hitting the Apex. You can follow him on twitter @vrp2003

What Matthew Tkachuk brings to the Florida Panthers

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The hockey world was taken aback Friday night as the Florida Panthers and Calgary Flames swapped 100-point superstars in a blockbuster trade.

Florida sent all-time franchise points leader Jonathan Huberdeau to Calgary alongside MacKenzie Weegar, prospect Cole Schwindt, and a 2025 conditional first-round pick, in exchange for 24-year-old Matthew Tkachuk, and a 2025 conditional fourth-round pick.

Earlier in the week, reports said that Tkachuk told Calgary he wasn’t going to re-sign as an RFA; Florida was one of the few desired teams on his trade list, he told ESPN’s Linda Cohn. 

Tkachuk’s contract extension in Florida is eight-years, $76-million, with a base salary of $1-million per-season, $68-million in signing bonuses.

Obviously this trade has the fan base at odds. Many are disappointed that Huberdeau, one of the most beloved players in Panthers’ history is on his way out after 10 seasons in Florida, along with MacKenzie Weegar. The other side of the fan base is excited to see what a young star in Tkachuk can bring to a team that has had limited playoff success over the last 25 years.

In this article I am going to focus on the type of player Tkachuk is and how he can help the Panthers this season and beyond. 

Who is Matthew Tkachuk?

 

Tkachuk plays a unique brand of hockey that isn’t seen often in today’s NHL. He’s a 6-foot-2, 200-pound, power forward that can go toe-to-toe physically with anyone in the league, while still scoring at above a point-per-game rate. If I could describe him in non-hockey terms, I’d say he’s like a Swiss Army Knife. He can score, hit, fight, pass, dangle – he can do whatever you need him to do and that’s why the Panthers gave up so much for him.

In 431 career games, he has 152 goals, and 230 assists for 382 points. He is coming off the best year of his career which saw him score 42 goals, tallying 104 points in 82 games with the Flames.

When you watch Tkachuk play, immediately you’ll notice his presence in the offensive zone. 

Without the puck, he continuously works his way into areas where his teammates can feed him.

He aggressively fights for loose pucks in the corners and will use his big frame to his advantage in 50-50 puck battles. In front of the net, he finds ways to get the puck on goal, even if it is from the most absurd angles. Tkachuk is extremely composed and may flash his silky hands with a behind the legs goal or a mid-air deflection, as he did multiple times in Calgary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTnt4Hi87HY

As you watch more of his game, you’ll see how frequently he carries the puck in transition. With his long stride, quick release and playmaking ability, he can score off the rush or find an open teammate in a prime scoring area. 

Obviously one of the biggest parts of Tkachuk’s game as a power forward is his physical play. There’s not a ton of players in the league who can lay the body as well as he does; getting under the skin of the opposition while still being top-10 in points (he ranked eighth in 2021-2022). A comparable player would be Brad Marchand. While Marchand isn’t as big as Tkachuk, listing at just 5-foot-9, both players can hit, score and irritate opponents. 

We know what Tkachuk is capable of on the ice, but how will this help a Panthers team that is one of the top contenders in the league?

First off, he is only 24. When we look at the age of the Panthers’ core, every player except for goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is 26-years-old or younger, and the Panthers’ have a stud 21-year-old backup goalie in Spencer Knight. Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar both would have been 29 by the time the playoffs started this upcoming season, and would have been 30-years-old the first-year after their current contracts expire. Florida got younger with this move and it extends their cup contention window.

Why make this trade?

 

Getting Tkachuk who is in the prime of his career extends the competitive window the Panthers will have with their core for multiple years. As the second highest paid skater on the roster, just behind captain Aleksander Barkov, Tkachuk will be playing at his highest level alongside most of the current Panthers’ players for multiple seasons. 

Obviously Jonathan Huberdeau is coming off the best single-season by a left-winger in NHL history with his 115 point 2021-2022 campaign, but how long can Huberdeau continuously play at this elite-level? That was definitely one of the questions the Panthers pondered as they made the decision to not offer him an extension and package the star to Calgary for a much younger player.

With one-year remaining on his current contract with an average annual value of $5.9 million, the 29-year-old is due for a massive payday, most likely getting a similar dollar amount to that of which Tkachuk signed for on his extension. Florida decided that a long-term extension with Huberdeau wasn’t part of their future plans, and it makes sense as a hypothetical eight-year extension upwards of $9-million per season would have made Huberdeau one of the three highest paid players on the team throughout his 30’s (barring any higher contracts in the future). 

So let’s say Huberdeau signed the eight-year, $76-million extension in Florida instead of Tkachuk, that’s still the same term and cap hit no matter the ages of the two players. What about the other pending unrestricted free agent that was involved in the trade, MacKenzie Weegar?

Weegar, who is just a few months younger than Huberdeau was also due for a new contract and his next deal would have demanded way more than his current $3.25 million AAV. If we look at active defenseman contracts in today’s NHL, the 25 highest-paid defenseman all have a AAV of at least $7 million. It is safe to say after Weegar’s 2020-2021 season which saw him finish top-8 in Norris Trophy voting, he could see potential offers of around $6 million plus on his next contract. With these scenarios, Florida would have tied up around (at least) $16 million on those two while still having three more years on Sergei Bobrovksy’s $10 million AAV deal. That would have seen three players in their 30’s making upwards of $26 million for multiple years, not including another $10 million for Barkov’s contract. 

With this trade, Florida will have some flexibility for next offseason’s free agency, a luxury they didn’t have this year for a variety of reasons, mostly due to the $6.575 million of dead cap from buyout penalties. In 2023-2024, Florida would only have $1.24 million of dead cap and have $7.8 million come off the books from Patric Horqnvist and Radko Gudas’ contracts. The Panther’s will have a substantial amount of money to spend next offseason compared to the budget they had this year.

So Florida gets a young player who slots in the timeline of their current core and they’ll have more space to bring in players over the next few seasons.

What about this year?

Thinking of the future is always smart, no matter how good your team is, but the Panther’s just won the President’s Trophy the previous season before getting swept in the second-round of the playoffs by the Tampa Bay Lightning. The team can contend now, the question is does Tkachuk take them to the next level?

Offense wise, Tkachuk’s even strength points per 60 last season was 3.7, while Huberdeau was at 3.9. Tkachuk had a better overall on-ice goals for and corsi for per 60 than Huberdeau last season while also having a better on-ice goals against per 60 metric. Tkachuk’s 5-on-5 and even strength advanced stats in most major categories are also statistically better than Huberdeau’s during the 2021-2022 season. These advanced stats show Florida is getting a statistically better all-around player in Tkachuk. 

If you watched Panthers games last year, most of the season saw Barkov and Huberdeau playing on separate lines to balance out the top-six, creating two top lines. With Tkachuk replacing Huberdeau on the wing, does he play with his former Flames teammate Sam Bennett? Maybe he gets paired alongside last year’s rookie phenom Anton Lundell, or you put him with the captain Aleksander Barkov. 

Florida’s newest head coach Paul Maurice will have to see which line combinations work best for the team. It would make a lot of sense to see how Tkachuk and Barkov fare together on the top line. With Tkachuk’s tenacity in front of the net and his aggressive style of play, he’s going to open up the ice for the playmaking machine that Barkov is. Tkachuk and Barkov would be a matchup nightmare as the duo are both talented goal scorers and playmakers. Pair that with Barkov’s defensive abilities and Tkachuk’s hard-hitting play, this could be a scary top line.

Last postseason for the Panthers was an extremely disappointing one to say the least. GM Bill Zito went all in at the trade deadline, depleting major assets to acquire Claude Giroux and Ben Chiarot. After winning their first playoff series since 1996, Florida was dominated by Tampa in their four game series which saw the Panthers get swept. Over the 10 playoff games, Florida’s two star forwards Barkov and Huberdeau combined for 3 goals and 12 points.

On the other end of the continent, Tkachuk and the Flames also found themselves on the wrong end of a second-round matchup with their in-province rivals, losing in five games to the Edmonton Oilers. In 12 playoff games last season, Tkachuk had 4 goals and 10 points. In 27 career playoff games, he has 15 points. 

With only one playoff-series win to show for over the last 25 years in Florida, the front office wanted a new look, hoping Tkachuk will produce in the playoffs, taking Florida to the next level.

MacKenzie Weegar, left, and Jonathan Huberdeau were two of the Florida Panthers' most popular players. (Florida Panthers)

Pressure Point: Panthers’ blockbuster deal makes sense, but Huberdeau will be missed

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It always hurts when a favorite player on a team you’re emotionally invested in is traded away.

So it was a gut punch for Florida Panthers fans when news broke late Friday night that Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar had been traded to the Calgary Flames.

Especially Huberdeau, the franchise scoring leader and a complete class act since Florida drafted him with the third overall pick in 2011.
But the outrage evident in knee-jerk social media is misplaced in light of the return — a 24-year-old coming off a 42-goal season (104 points) and newly signed to a long-term deal.

And, who is built for playoff hockey, and has shown it.

If unfamiliar with Matthew Tkachuk’s work, check out any number of highlight videos on YouTube. He’s a dynamic forward who will energize FLA Live Arena playing alongside Aleksander Barkov and another skilled wing such as Carter Verhaeghe or Sam Reinhart.

He’ll do so for the next eight years after agreeing to a $76 million contract. Notably, Barkov is also embarking on an eight-year deal this season.

Blockbuster deal shakes up NHL

A trade involving two players coming off 100-point seasons is a stunner. All the experts and many fans are quick to call this a win for Calgary. Yes, Panthers GM Bill Zito gave up a hell of a lot: Huberdeau and Weegar and a prospect with some potential (Cole Schwindt) and a future first-round pick.

But Huberdeau and Weegar will be playing on expiring contracts and can walk away after the upcoming season.

What strikes me is this was a Pat Riley sort of trade. Zito has shown since he got to South Florida in 2020 that he is not at all hesitant to make a bold move. He didn’t let being tight against the salary cap prevent him from swinging one of the biggest NHL trades in years.

Zito stuck his neck out on this one and it will be fascinating to see how it plays out.

Peel away the emotion and local sentiment about star players who have meant a lot to Panthers fans and this deal makes sense.

Notably, Tkachuk is just entering his prime while Huberdeau is 29 and will be playing though his next contract well into his 30s.

Various factors involved in trade

Trying to work out a long-term deal for Huberdeau, who can be an unrestricted free agent next summer, was supposed to be priority one for this Panthers offseason. Safe to assume that finding out what that would take to accomplish factored into the decision to trade him.

Weegar, a talented two-way defenseman, can also be a UFA after the upcoming season. It would have been unlikely to keep both players long term.

Zito has made it clear he is chasing the Stanley Cup in the short term. Getting to the second round for the first time since 1996 wasn’t enough to justify the status quo.

Being swept in the second round by the Tampa Bay Lightning likely was a consideration in making this trade. The Panthers’ high-scoring offense managed only three goals in four games, and also sputtered in the series win against the Washington Capitals.

Coming off a 115-point regular season, Huberdeau was mostly ineffective throughout the playoffs, registering one goal and four assists in 10 games.

Weegar’s untimely giveaway cost the Panthers Game 2 against the Lightning, and he also had a game-changing turnover in the Game 1 loss in the series against the Capitals.

Tkachuk better suited for playoffs

Huberdeau is one of the top playmakers in the NHL, his anticipation uncanny, his passing often dazzling. He’s been a joy to watch for 10 seasons in Sunrise.

In Tkachuk, the Panthers gain a creative scorer whose more physical style is better suited to playoff hockey. In 12 playoff games with Calgary this past season he had 10 points (four goals).

Can’t wait to see how his offensive skills mesh with Barkov.

Also looking forward to what else Zito has up his sleeve this offseason. Now he has a big hole to fill on the blue line, which already needed improvement.

Zito spent a lot of draft capital on making a run in the recent playoffs and couldn’t prevent Claude Giroux, Mason Marchment and Ben Chiarot from departing in free agency.

Now he has made his riskiest gamble in dealing away one of the biggest stars in Panthers history. Emotionally it’s a blow to the fan base.

But when a franchise has been flailing in mediocrity for decades, it’s tough to make a case for staying the same course.

Ten years of hope under previous GM Dale Tallon didn’t produce a single playoff series win. They never advanced past the first round with Huberdeau in the lineup until this year.

That is not to detract from Huberdeau’s contributions and accomplishments. I covered him for a number of years and always admired him as a player and a person. I recall how he and Barkov immediately thrived when Jaromir Jagr arrived and joined them on the top line, and how entertaining it was to watch the trio circulate the puck around the offensive zone — Huberdeau had 12 points in his first 13 games with Jagr.

Make no mistake, we’ll miss ya, Hubie.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Panthers,  for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

Mateo’s Hoops Diary: Deandre Ayton is Worth Betting On

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Before it was too late, the Suns sobered up and matched Indiana’s offer sheet for Deandre Ayton.  Waiting an entire season after he was eligible for his rookie extension was a waste of time.  It only pissed him off, and now they can’t use him as trade bait to get Kevin Durant out of Brooklyn until Jan. 15, but Phoenix’s center can veto proposals this year. 

 

Ayton has improved every season of his career.  Considering his abilities as a finisher up to 16 feet away from the rim + his effectiveness guarding the interior, it’s still bewildering that Phoenix never appreciated his value until they were left with no choice.  Without him giving up touches, willingly sacrificing his body to get teammates open, and crashing the glass for extra possessions, the Suns would have never made the Finals in 2021.  

 

On offense, Ayton has turned into one of the league’s most efficient players, finishing each season in the top 20 in field goal percentage and the last two years in the top 20 in offensive rating.  

 

His 7-foot stature overwhelms defenders near the rim, making help necessary after the catch.  In the dunker spot, he can jump higher than his matchup and go back up for a close-range shot.

 

Attacking through pick ‘n’ roll is one of Phoenix’s choice strategies, using it on ¼ of their possessions. With Ayton as the roll man, he scores 5.4 points a night on 64% from the field.  Nonetheless, Ayton is underutilized as the scoring option in screen ‘n’ roll.  Unless the defense sends a weak side shot blocker or clogs the paint, #22’s size and soft touch present an advantage in a league that heavily relies on small-ball.

 

It’s important to note that Ayton’s activity as a screener buys teammates precious seconds being open while also giving him a small window to get the ball back.  In the regular season, he was fifth in screen assists averaged (5.4), with 11.6 points scored for the team with his help.   

 

It’s critical for big men to receive a steady diet of touches so all the work that goes towards defending the paint and getting teammates open doesn’t waver.  Twelve attempts a game for Ayton is not enough when he shoots 63.4% from the field, and the right way to play is inside out.  Not the opposite.  

 

For the Suns’ 2022 playoff run, they finished 10/13 games with more shots coming outside of the paint than in it.  That style of play can hinder big men, and it’s peculiar Phoenix didn’t counter with more of an inside game when Chris Paul couldn’t get to his mid-range shot in Round 2.  Ayton is a mismatch against most players who will defend him. If he bricks from close range, he can snag an offensive rebound unless stuck in poor positioning.  

 

 There are only five players in the NBA with a higher post-up frequency than Ayton (Robin Lopez, Joel Embiid, Jonas Valanciunas, Jusuf Nurkic, Kristaps Porzingis).  Phoenix’s center is second in that group in percentage of shots 0-3 feet from the basket (33.3) but first in made field goal efficiency in that zone (79.3).  When a player scores that well around the cup, it’s surprising if he misses next to the restricted area.  It might open up extra space on the perimeter if Ayton gets more looks with his back to the basket because of traps or doubles sent his way.  

 

The danger in focusing the attack from the outside is that it limits second chance opportunities. If a pivot is standing close to the rim while his team is heaving up an excessive amount of  3-pointers, most misses will be long rebounds and out of reach of big men.  

 

As the Suns’ second line of protection, Ayton was one of the most involved defenders in the league.  Despite missing 24 games in 2021/2022, he still put a hand in front of more attempts than 95% of the NBA with 659 contests. Opponents scored 44.3% of shots with Ayton in front of them.

 

His averages in blocks don’t jump off the stat sheet but his impact taking away lanes is a premium the Suns couldn’t afford to lose.  

 

At 24 years old, Ayton is not a finished product.  Big men take longer to develop than guards and forwards, which makes his future promising.  Keeping him around a Hall of Fame playmaker like CP3 and a proven gunslinger in Devin Booker should help expedite the process as long as Ayton isn’t forgotten about on offense.

 

*****

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Where does Lynn Bowden Jr. fit on the Dolphins roster?

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With a new coaching regime in Miami, Lynn Bowden has a shot to make the roster, The question is, what is Lynn Bowden’s fit on the Dolphins roster?

Last year I wrote about how Lynn Bowden Jr, would be an X factor in Miami. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, Bowden was placed on season ending IR.

Fit as a wide receiver

Currently listed as a wide receiver in Miami, Lynn Bowden Jr. played only 10 games his rookie season. Of those 10 games, Bowden started in four games for Miami.

Bowden played a big role for the Dolphins offense down the stretch in the 2020 season, catching 27 passes for 212 yards (7.9 avg.) in the final five games.

In the Dolphins offense, Lynn Bowden Jr. is a rare talent. He can line up out wide, in the slot, as a running back, or a wildcat quarterback.

Within this new Dolphins offense; however, Lynn Bowden Jr. is not the rarity. Receivers like Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Erik Ezukanma can do everything Bowden does.

Frankly, the Miami Dolphins wide receiver roster is loaded with versatile talent:

  • Tyreek Hill
  • Jaylen Waddle
  • Cedrick Wilson
  • Erik Ezukanma
  • Preston Williams
  • Lynn Bowden Jr.
  • Cody Core
  • River Cracraft
  • DeVonte Dedmon
  • Braylon Sanders

While Bowden Jr. will see some snaps at receiver if he is kept on the roster, will it be enough to make a sizable impact?

In 2020, Bowden logged 9.6% target percentage when he was on the field. Player profile loggs it as the 99th best in 2020.

Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Cedrick Wilson are locked as the Dolphins first three receivers. Battling for the fourth receiver spot will come down to rookie Erik Ezukanma, Bowden, and Preston Williams.

Both Williams and Ezukanma are bigger than Bowden and can line up more on the outside. Williams has taken snaps at running back before. Ezukanma at Texas Tech did the same things Bowden did.

Financially, letting go of Bowden earns almost $1.04 million back to sign free agents in the middle of the season due to any injuries.

Player Cap Charge Dead Cap Cap Savings
Erik Ezukanma $886,248 $724,992 $161,256
Lynn Bowden Jr. $1,038,128 $0 $1,038,128
Preston Williams $1,290,000 $275,000 $1,015,000

However, depth on the roster is like money, you can never have too much. Carrying more than six receivers on the roster is a necessity, especially in a pass-heavy league.

But…

Lynn Bowden Jr. as a running back?

We all know in 2020, the Las Vegas Raiders botched their plan for Bowden Jr. by slotting him as a running back. It never worked out.

But what if the Miami Dolphins tried it?

When the time comes Lynn Bowden Jr. will be a great case study in the value of versatility.

We’ve seen what Julian Edelman, Taysom Hill, Brian Mitchell, Antwan Randle-El, Hines Ward, and others back to Frank Gifford and Paul Hornung have accomplished, but staff matters.

This is where Lynn Bowden could thrive in an offensive staff and scheme assembled by Mike McDaniel.

Yes, we all have heard Mike McDaniel and his evolution of turning Deebo Samuel into an all-pro wideback.

Just the combination of running the ball and Bowden’s toughness minimizes the offense’s risk in the passing game.

A personnel of Waddle and Hill on opposite sides of the field with Bowden Jr. in the backfield will make defenses scratch their heads. There’s an advantage of lining him up in the backfield and as a running back.

Running Back Financials

Player Cap Charge Dead Cap Cap Savings
Chase Edmonds $5,500,000 $5,500,000 $0
Raheem Mostert $1,936,765 $1,000,000 $936,765
Myles Gaskin $2,561,777 $21,777 $2,540,000
Sony Michel $1,750,000 $850,000 $900,000

Those are the four top guys at running back right now, and Gaskin has the least dead money and offers the most cap savings by far.

The Dolphins are also carrying Alec Ingold whose 2022 salary is fully guaranteed for a cap charge of $2,750,000 at fullback. Chase Edmonds and Alec Ingold are both locks for the roster.

Again, depth is money- but you become smart with money. Unless there’s an injury in camp at the position or Gaskin has a strong training camp, it will be hard justifying his cap charge as a running back.

The Miami Dolphins currently have the fourth-highest positional spending at the running back position. This is where Lynn Bowden Jr. comes into play.

The Dolphins can carry Bowden as the fifth running back on the roster while also stacking the deck at wide receiver on the roster.

Positions are given based on a core scheme. In contrast, the league is moving towards position-less football on offense and defense with players becoming more versatile.

NFL teams make roster and personnel changes each game based on the opponent and matchups dictated. There may be more receivers on a game day roster one week, more running backs another week, and potentially two fullbacks the week after.

This may be the most logical option of getting a talented and versatile player like Lynn Bowden Jr. on the field.

***This article was originally published on the ATB Network by Hussam Patel***

Hussam Patel is a Miami Dolphins contributor and Lead NFL Draft analyst at Five Reasons Sports Network, Director of Scouting at PhinManiacs and Editor at Dolphins ATB. Follow him on Twitter at @HussamPatel

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