Dolphins coach Brian Flores discussed free agency, the draft and Tua Tagovailoa.

Pressure Point: Flores ‘excited’ about Tua as Dolphins prepare for free agency, draft

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All of the speculation so far in this NFL offseason about the Miami Dolphins is focused on the possible pursuit of elite quarterback Deshaun Watson through trade and what they may do with the third overall pick in the NFL Draft.

None of it has altered the view of coach Brian Flores, at least publicly, regarding Tua Tagovailoa.

Asked his reaction to conjecture about the quarterback position, Flores said Thursday, “My reaction is I’m excited to work with Tua.”

Flores was addressing South Florida media ahead to the free agency signing period beginning March 17 and the draft to follow April 29-May 1.

The coach did the usual gingerly dance around how the Dolphins will approach those two crucial offseason roster-building tools. His remarks on the draft indicated that the Dolphins aren’t necessarily locked in on holding onto the third pick.

“Our scouting staff, I think they’ve done a really great job as far as narrowing down who the top players are in this draft,” Flores said. “We’ll have an opportunity to grab one of them, at least in let’s call it the top 10. But having that type of pick, there’s a lot of other avenues we can go. We’ll explore those also.”

Dolphins can’t get everything they want in free agency

Meanwhile, he offered a realistic assessment on what the Dolphins will be able to achieve in pursuit of veteran free agents:

“I think I’m going to be playing the song, ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’ on that Day 1 of free agency, to be honest with you.”

The NFL announced Wednesday that the 2021 salary cap will be $182.5 million, down from the $198.2 million last season.

The salary cap tracker Spotrac.com projects the Dolphins’ available cap space at about $33.1 million, including a $15.2 million rollover from last year and $4.6 million in dead space (that includes dead space from releasing linebacker Kyle Van Noy).

The Dolphins have been linked to interest in Packers running back Aaron Jones and Lions wide receiver Kenny Golladay, among others. But they are not set up for the sort of spending spree as a year ago.

Miami’s available cap space is tied for ninth-highest in the NFL with the Detroit Lions.

“We do have some money from a cap standpoint that we can spend,” Flores said. “We may get priced out on some guys that we’d like to have. [Or] they may just want to go elsewhere. …

“We want talented players but we want a good cohesive unit, guys that fit well together. That’s not always 11 stars.”

Elevating Tua’s development vital to Dolphins

Flores reiterated his commitment to Tagovailoa, who he called “a talented player,’ and made it clear he has been in close contact with the second-year quarterback.

“Tua and I had lunch yesterday,” Flores said. “He’s doing well, he’s confident, I’m confident in him. I’m looking forward to his offseason [work].

“I’m really excited about that Year 1 to Year 2 jump, being more comfortable. … I’m all about the development of players and helping them develop and get better. I think an offseason is going to be really helpful for him and I’m really excited about working with him this offseason.”

None of that rules out the possibility of the team taking a different approach to advancing the quarterback position, depending on what opportunities may be available to them — the Texans still say they’re not trading Watson.

The Dolphins will have to address the back-up quarterback role. Retaining veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick is viewed as unlikely.

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Fitzpatrick unlikely to return as backup QB

“We’d love him back but I think this is a very unique year from a cap standpoint,” Flores said, adding that if Fitzpatrick doesn’t return Miami would be seeking someone with similar characteristics in veteran savvy and competitiveness. “There’s a few guys out there. We’ve taken a look at them all.”

The other notable topic Flores touched on was the decision to elevate assistants Eric Studesville and George Godsey to offensive co-coordinators.

“I think continuity was a big thing in making that decision, Flores said. “I wanted that for Tua and really for a lot of the young players we have offensively.”
However, the game-day process of calling plays is still being worked out.

“George has called plays in the past. Eric, with COVID [contingencies in 2020], was preparing to call the game if something happened to Chan [Gailey] the entire year. We’ll figure out a way that’s collaborative but that at the end of the day puts our team in the best position to have success.”

So Flores is preparing to move forward with Tagovaila as quarterback, as well he should. Tua carries all Dolphins hopes at the onset of the NFL year.
Whether that remains the case or changes radically by the time the season begins in September, the dramatic potential remains to be played out over the coming months.

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

All Jimmy: The Heat’s Extreme Reliance on Butler

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After one-half of this current chaotic whirlwind of an NBA “season,” the Miami Heat find themselves at 18-18. It was more of a matter of survival for Miami in the first lap around the track. They somehow pulled through and endured countless COVID and injury-related absences. Going through portions of the season playing 2-way guys major minutes and having all of their offseason signings contribute little to nothing in the process. But thanks to the East not running away from them amid the chaos, they held on and still have their sights set on homecourt in the first round. All of this thanks in large part to their alpha in Jimmy Butler. It only seemed appropriate that Butler, who survived his own Covid-related absence, would be the rope that led them out of the dark well they were stuck in. The man who came to the Heat because of its ethos and identity continues to be the engine that drives the team through every grueling mile.

How much have the Heat relied on the man they call Jimmy G Buckets? Their record with him so far sits at 14-8, which would put them near 3rd in the East. But without him, they are a measly 4-14, which puts them in the same class as the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves. Although many of those games also featured quite a few of the other important Miami teammates being out.

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Still, it’s pretty apparent just how much Miami has relied upon their All-Star to make their team go. His importance can also be felt when he’s not on the floor in games he plays in, mainly on the offensive end. The team sports a 110.9 offensive rating when he’s out on the court, compared to the 104.2 they have when he sits. The difference is even more noticeable when you watch the film. Jimmy’s ability to get downhill despite defenses knowing his cruel intentions for the rim is masterful. And when that rim pressure isn’t there, the offense gets stuck with constant aimless passing around the perimeter, hoping something eventually cracks. It has definitely helped to have Goran Dragic back to be that downhill threat off the bench, but relying on an aging point guard with a million miles on him to be that guy is a dangerous game.

Miami needs to find that same identity, or at least a facsimile of it when he’s sitting and Dragic isn’t available, which is likely due to where he is in his career. Butler plays every minute with such a constant intensity that would make John Malkovich cry in his sleep. You can’t lean on him to this extent this early in the year when you expect him to take it to another level come playoff time. Not to mention that those Tom Thibodeau minutes can leave a mark on you.

Thankfully for Miami, Erik Spoelstra has monitored his minutes quite well, to the tune of 33.1 minutes a game. But in those 15 minutes and games that he’s not out there, the team can’t seem to keep that same identity. This is where Bam Adebayo comes into play. Bam, as Jimmy calls him, is the heart and soul of the Miami Heat. They need Adebayo to be that facsimile, especially in the inevitable games that Jimmy Butler will miss. Everyone and their mother knows that Bam can and should become the heir apparent to the Heat franchise and can be more than a facsimile. Hell, he’s probably that right now, and he might be the only one who doesn’t know it. Everyone knows it’s frustrating and certainly isn’t helped when Adebayo continues to end Zoom Pressers with “I need to be more aggressive.” Fans forget how painful growing pains can be until you’re experiencing them.

The Heat are a team of equal opportunity offense, but even Jimmy knows when it’s time to go into the do-it-yourself kit and give a jolt to an otherwise dead possession. Bam needs to find that kit himself and keep the team well above the tidal waves that hit them when Butler sits. It shouldn’t be a tsunami-like hit every time he goes to the bench, especially with Adebayo still being at the helm of the levees. That might be the final step the team needs to take to hit another level in the second half of the season.

I would love to see Miami run more reverse pick-and-rolls with Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson, forcing the defense to react to the near 6’10 bull that handles the ball and can make the smart pass whenever the opposition reacts. It’s not that Bam can’t bend a defense without Jimmy; it’s about the opportunities and willingness to do so. Last season Bam’s on/off numbers looked a lot better to the tune of a 5.0 net rating when on the floor. But those numbers have dipped considerably down to -0.4 this year. Both due to teams scouting the Adebayo-Robinson dribble-handoffs and Bam playing plenty of games with less than ideal rosters on the floor. Those handoffs don’t have the same juice, and it’s why I implore the team and Bam to try new avenues that could propel them to greater heights. It’s frustrating for fans because they have seen Adebayo answer these questions in spurts dating back to last season’s playoffs. Hopefully, the young ever-growing jewel of the team’s eye can realize it himself soon enough.

So much of this shouldn’t be on Adebayo’s shoulders but the rest of the team as well. Everyone needs to fill those gaps in their own way. Last season Miami had 8 guys who played major minutes contribute a positive net rating, compared to this year’s 3. Plenty can be attributed to guys playing a few spots too high in the rotation leading to a less than ideal distribution of minutes. In my opinion, a trade or two might help to shore up some of these problems, but it’s also up to the guys on the floor to do their part. It doesn’t matter how they do it, but they need to find that same balance and calm that comes when a guy like Butler steps on the floor. Or at least something close to it.

Miami shouldn’t take these Jimmy minutes for granted. What he’s doing is something special and rare. The only other players to put up at least 20-7.5-7.5-1.9stls on 57% True Shooting are Michael Jordan in 1988-89 and Magic Johnson in 1980-81. Don’t let these ever fleeting seasons fly by without a proper show of appreciation. This is the player who chose to make Miami his home because he identified with so much of what they do. Now he’s the team’s entire identity on a nightly basis. Miami needs to reward him even more by echoing that identity and carrying that torch he keeps lit with his burning fury. The Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler have become synonymous with each other. To survive the second half of the season, they need to make sure the relationship is more symbiotic than codependent. Jimmy won’t let this team down, and it’s up to them to do the same for him.

 

Marco Romo will be found on Twitter again soon. We promise.

 

Isan Diaz and his last shot

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Isan Diaz is battling with Jazz Chisholm to see who will be the starting second baseman for the Miami Marlins in the beginning of the 2021 season.

When Diaz came up, he was destroying minor-league pitching hitting homers here and there.

However, the result has not been the same when he had to face Major League Baseball pitching. Besides homering against Jacob DeGrom in his MLB debut in New York, there have not been too many highlights in his career.

Diaz hit .173 in 49 games in 2019, with a .250 OBP and a .307 slugging. 12 of his 31 hits that year were extrabases. He was just struggling to hit the ball.

The lefty hitter struck out 59 times in 201 plate appearances. Not a very beautiful sight.

In 2020, Diaz opted out before the Summer Training began, and later on decided he wanted to play.

That only lasted seven games, in which he only got four hits in 22 at bats. Again, his walk to strikeout ratio, was not good. Zero walks, and seven strikeouts.

In both of those short spans in the majors, Diaz had a combined WAR of -1.0. However you want to look at it, using sabermetrics or not, Diaz has not performed.

So, that’s why I think this should be the last shot for Diaz to be the starting second baseman of the Miami Marlins, a team that just went back to the playoffs for the first time in 17 years.

The injuries, including Diaz’s, have opened the door for Jazz Chisholm, who arrived from the Diamondbacks in the Zac Gallen trade.

Isan Diaz will turn 25 on May, and failing to hit the ball better this season will probably make us think about Lewis Brinson and his constant failures to keep up with the expectations.

Both of them came to the Marlins in the Christian Yelich trade, so there’s in an extra pressure there for both the players and the team to try to get it right.

Jordan Yamamoto is already out of the team, and Monte Harrison (who turns 26 this year), seems to be on a crossroad as well.

Chisholm just made his debut last season, and wasn’t impressive during his first six games with the team in the regular season, and then in the postseason, which could be a reason to send him down to the minors, regardless of what he does in the Spring Training.

Jazz seems to be a better glove in the long run, but the offensive side is kind of even.

And this Marlins team needs offense, desperately. That could be the x factor. If none of them can hit, the position might end up in Jon Berti’s hand.

We’ll see what happens…

 

 

By Alejandro Villegas | @Alejandrovg on Twitter 

Dolphins Cardinals

THE EXTRA YARD: Alf’s Annual QB rankings.

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NOTE: This list is not a ranking of overall talent, but a ranking of near term QB situations (if they can keep them) till the Draft. Players are ranked in 4 categories: “The Elite” , “The Franchise Guys”, “The Best of the Rest” and “The “Replaceables.”

THE ELITE

1. Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

The most exciting QB since Favre, but without the recklessness? (maybe not). It really is saying something, when a guy can put up the numbers that Mahomes puts up, and some will debate he can be much better. He can be.

2. Russell Wilson (Seahawks)

We have reached the point where 40 TD passes, and +100 QB ratings are the norm for the elite, and Russell Wilson continues to carry a playoff team severely lacking in talent outside the skill positions.

3. Aaron Rodgers (Packers)

It really did look like he was on the way out of the top of this list, but an MVP season puts Rodgers right back in the mix among the very best QB’s/Players in the game.

4. Deshaun Watson (Texans)

The #4 QB on this list, wants out. Watson would make any of a dozen teams, instant Super Bowl contenders. His first “elite” level season, in a career that has seen a very steady climb. Arrow is all the way up.

THE FRANCHISE GUYS

5. Ryan Tannehill (Titans)

A 2x MVP candidate since leaving Miami? Yep. Make of that what you will, but a strong run game + Ryan Tannehill has made for uber efficient/gaudy passing stats.

6. Josh Allen (Bills)

Figures to be a dominant figure in the NFL for a long time, after an suspicious start to his career. A Josh Allen “hot hand” is one of the most imposing/terrifying things in the sport. Tannehill has done “it” twice, Allen, once. If not, he would be the Top franchise guy on the list.

7. Lamar Jackson (Ravens)

Lamar has had improvement since his rookie year, but he still needs a break through. Lamar Jackson has issues throwing outside the hashes. Simple as that. Whether it’s arm strength, timing, or route recognition, he has to work on it.

8. Tom Brady (Buccaneers)

A year ago, he looked done. After winning his cold war with Belichick, Brady produced the second best year of his career in Tampa (great skill guys helped). If he was not 43, and soon to be out, he would be much higher on this list.

9. Kyler Murray (Cardinals)

Kyler Murray is the most complete dual threat QB on this list. He is also in need of a further jump in 2021 to remain so high up in these rankings.

10. Dak Prescott (Cowboys)

Dak Prescott was well on his way to a big season as a passer (after he had a big one in 2019) when he suffered a catastrophic ankle injury. No complications in his recovery so far, have him ready for 2021.  Is a new contract on the way?

11. Matthew Stafford (Rams)

Another big Ram trade, where they empty out their magazine of 1st round picks, as they make a final push with this core for a Super Bowl title. Stafford is a major upgrade.

12. Justin Herbert (Chargers)

The reigning Rookie of the Year, had the strongest rookie season in the NFL since RG3’s 2012. Herbert blew away expectations in 2020, and a big jump is expected in 2021.

13. Baker Mayfield (Browns)

It’s been an up and down career, but as 2020 was mostly “up”, Baker holds onto his status as a Franchise guy.

14. Matt Ryan (Falcons)

Matt Ryan continues to produce productive seasons, although wins aren’t piling up. The Falcons could move to replace him soon, but if they do, somebody will get a very good short term fix at QB.

15. Joe Burrow (Bengals)

You can make a case for Tua to be in this spot seeing as their numbers are similar.  While Tua won more, Burrow holds on as he made good on his #1 overall draft pick status by following it with a solid rookie campaign. Full recovery is expected from his knee surgery. Now, get him some protection.

16. Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins)

I don’t get what all the fuss was about. By every measure, Tua Tagovailoa had a solid rookie campaign. Ryan Fitzpatrick as relief pitcher vs. Denver/Las Vegas, hurt the optics, and created a narrative. Vast improvement is expected in 2021. Looking forward to it.

17. Jared Goff (Lions)

Is Goff where Ryan Tannehill was in 2018? Needing a change of scenery/system is the “Bull case” for Goff. The “Bear case” is that Goff has had plenty of opportunities with good skill guys, and his career has stagnated.

18. Drew Lock (Broncos)

I debated putting Lock in here, seeing as they sought to replace him in trade this offseason.  Lock might hold on for a year and give it one last try to lock up this starting role. Drew Lock has moments of brilliance, with stretches of mediocre play. Ultimately, he is inconsistent, and on the way out?

THE BEST OF THE REST

19. Derek Carr (Raiders)
His numbers remain consistent, but Raiders interest in replacing him also remains consistent. Will be interesting to see where Carr eventually ends up, as he remains a top quality NFL starter.

20. Kirk Cousins (Vikings)
The Kirk Cousins experiment is nearing it’s end, but Cousins is a capable stop gap for many teams and is still capable of big passing numbers.

21. Jimmy Garoppolo (49ers)
He came and went, and is now in a prove it or lose it stage in his career. No QB has more at stake in 2021 than Jimmy G.

22. Carson Wentz (Colts)
From MVP, and near elite status, to traded, and a future in doubt. In Indy, he gets with Frank Reich, a great offensive line, and good skill talent. Sound familiar?

23. Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
A first ballot Hall of Famer on the way out. This is one QB that is not defying his age. Big Ben likely has one good run at it left.

24. Daniel Jones (Giants)
Hard to know where he stands, as team success as of late, came by other means. We are in a holding pattern on Jones going into year 3.

THE REPLACEABLES

25. Jalen Hurts (Eagles)
An early splash, followed by a steady decline till his week 17 thud, leaves his future as installed starter in doubt. Wentz traded, but the Eagles are in the market for a new signal caller.

26. Sam Darnold (Jets)
Is Sam a bust? He hasn’t busted yet, but he sure hasn’t showed the promise to be a franchise guy. A rebirth in Pittsburgh makes a lot of sense for Darnold in the near future.

27. Cam Newton (Patriots)
It’s almost the end for the former MVP. His accuracy as a passer has gone to nill, and the injuries have mounted to rob him of some arm strength. He still remains one of the best ball carriers from the QB position and could become a valuable backup in the sunset of his career.

28. Teddy Bridgewater (Panthers)
Teddy could be the best backup in the game, and make a lucrative living at it, but his insistence on being a starter paid big dividends in 2020, and he could get looks as a starter going forward.

29. Mitch Trubisky (Bears)
Late season resurgence aside, the Bears have already looked to replace him (Nick Foles), and will look again. Change of scenery is coming.

30. Gardner Minshew (Jaguars)
It is not Minshew’s fault that he is dead last of the starters here. He had some untimely injuries, and some in season/in-game implosions that have shown what he likely is. An NFL QB, but not much else. The Jags come April will have a Franchise Guy and immediately improve their QB situation into the top 15.

31. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (Empty)
The word continues to be that Drew Brees will retire, which leaves this situation empty, or with Taysom Hill, which is either, not a good situation or a complete unknown one.

32. WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM (Empty)
Gone is 1st round pick Dwayne Haskins, and now Alex Smith is not likely to return. WFT is in the market for anybody. Ryan Fitzpatrick makes a ton of sense here, as a place holder for a 2021 draft pick.

Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

The Heat Bringing the Jazz Down: Time to Get Back on Board

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The Miami Heat is finally back, right?

Beating the best team in the NBA, the Utah Jazz, should be enough for those who have been doubting this team since the beginning of the season.

A team that didn’t have a great preseason (no team did, but still), that brought several pieces that couldn’t fit, and that had to face several games without starters or key subs because of COVID-19 related issues.

All of that, plus an apparent lack of enthusiasm or coordination at some points of the season, led to a frenzy on #HeatTwitter or all social media outlets in which fans discuss the Heat.

The Heat was in a dark place. We can’t deny that. They were seven games under .500 at some point (7-14), and it looked like the only way to relive it was to trade somebody, or something.

Jimmy Butler took over and since he’s been back, the team looks different.

However, not even Butler himself would say this version of the Miami Heat is similar to the one that was two wins away from a championship months ago.

 

Kendrick Nunn has also gone back to what we saw during the regular season last year, and that has made that we barely notice the absences of Dragic and Herro.

Some people may forget, but the Heat is still missing pieces. I don’t even remember the last time Spoelstra had the entire roster available, or if that has ever happened in this 2020-2021 season at all.

That’s why I was suprised when the team was getting bombarded by their own fans, and even some of our own guys here in the Five Reasons Sports Network lost a little bit of their guts (you know who they are).

Here’s a good podcast you should listen, on assessing the adversity narrative.

The beautiful thing about sports is that everything can change rapidly. I personally have never asked for a trade, but I did think the team needed to adjust several aspects of their game.

No team is perfect, and it is just not that easy to get rid of Kelly Olynyk, Chris Silva and Max Struss to get James Harden or a similar star in return.

Some people pulled the trigger too early on this team, or as Bam Adebayo said right after beating the team with the best record in the league, too many counted the Heat out, when there was a lot to play left.

It’s ok, though. The reality is that the team is still playing under .500 (16-17), and it’s not where it should be, so you’re on time to jump back on board.

The second part of the schedule is out, and the Heat should do better (it’s not that hard if the team is healthy and playing the way they’ve been playing, anyway).

They’re in fifth right now, because the East is better this season, but it’s really not, and even the third place doesn’t look that far away for a team that was in the middle a “crisis” just weeks ago.

Enjoy the rest of the season, and thank you for the support that you’ve been showing us in all of our platforms. We’re growing thanks to all of you, and we’ll keep grinding and getting better, for you.

In case you missed it, you should check out the Miami Heat – Utah Jazz postgame show…

 

By Alejandro Villegas | @Alejandrovg32 on Twitter

Canes announce Aristide as new LB coach following T-Will Departure

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Travis Williams’ tenure as linebackers coach at Miami was short-lived and as a result, head coach Manny Diaz found himself yet again searching for a candidate that would assist with coaching up Miami’s poorest unit in 2020. The Canes officially announced on Monday that Ishmael Aristide would take over the reigns as the new outside linebackers coach.

 

Aristide spent the last two seasons as a defensive analyst for Texas A&M, where the Aggies defense allowed 317.3 yards/game, 9th-best in the country and tops in the SEC.

 

Before College Station, Aristide had stops at Ole Miss (player personnel analyst in 2017-18) and Auburn (GA in 2016). He played collegiately at Purdue from 2009-12.

 

Per a UM press release: “We’re excited to welcome Ishmael to the Hurricanes program,” Diaz said. “He is a sharp defensive mind and relentless recruiter who will be a great addition to our coaching staff.”

 

ANALYSIS

 

Now I know Aristide’s name might not ring a bell at first. This is because it is Aristide’s first gig as an on-field coach so he’s definitely not proven in terms of player development and relationships with current roster players.

 

This leads me to my next point on why Aristide is a big get for the Canes. Aristide made 247Sports’ most recent “30Under30” list, which notes the top 30  up-and-coming coaches under the age of 30. Here’s what 247’s Chris Hummer had to say on Aristide:

 

“Take a look at any member of Texas A&M’s 2020 recruiting class, and there’s a pretty good bet Aristide had a role in helping to land that player. Considered an elite recruiter, Aristide aided the Aggies’ pursuit of players like Donell Harris and one of the deepest defensive back classes in the country. He’s also been a big asset for Texas A&M’s defensive back room, working alongside defensive coordinator Mike Elko. Aristide came to College Station from Ole Miss, where he served as a senior defensive analyst from 2017 to 2019. Before arriving in Oxford, he was a GA at Auburn. The former Purdue Boilermaker is someone we expect to have an on-field role sooner rather than later. Those around the Aggie program are very high on him.”

 

It’s clear that Diaz jumped on the chance to get Aristide on his staff knowing that he is held in high regard, a great recruiter, and a Miami native.

 

Let’s start off with his recruiting prowess. Texas A&M has compiled top-7 classes in the past two recruiting cycles  and a big catalyst for both classes was Aristide.Fisher counted on Aristide to land a lot of the big fish that would eventually make their way to College Station, including former longtime Miami commit and four-star DE Donell Harris. If you don’t (or don’t want to) remember, Harris was a highly-rated defensive end that was initially in the 2021 class but switched to 2020.

 

He did graduate from an Orlando-area high school but his Miami roots do run deep outside of changing one recruit’s mind. If the Canes didn’t already build a fence around Miami Northwestern High after the 2021 recruiting class, it’s interesting to note that Aristide’s father Wallace is the principal.

 

All in all, it’s definitely far from a given that he will provide exponential growth to the linebacker room. But Manny Diaz recognizes that the next two recruiting classes are flooded with South Florida prospects and adding a fourth coach with major South Florida ties (TRob, DVD, Stephen Field, Aristide) should pay major dividends.

What are some Miami Heat trade options?

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March 25th marks the deadline for NBA general managers to secure trade deals with other teams.

 

Trading players gives each squad leader a chance to bolster their roster and potentially upgrade their teams’ position in the NBA.

 

Miami Heat’s performance this season has dwindled. Considering last season, they slayed the courts during the Covid bubble NBAs and even made it to the finals. It’s reasonable to infer that this season the squad isn’t living up to its full potential. 

 

From players like Dragic and Butler sitting out because of injuries. Not to mention, Covid-19s impact on the NBA has caused a real struggle for the team. Can Miami Heat turn this season around and make it to the playoffs?

 

Well, if the trade rumors are true, there are a few candidates that could reignite the team’s execution on the court: Zach LaVine, Rudy Gay, and Bradley Beal. 

 

Many will be patiently and eagerly waiting to see the trades Miami Heat follow through with this season. From devoted fans of Miami Heat, to punters who fancy their chance on the team to succeed this season, potential trades are more than likely music to their ears.

 

So, here is a profile of the three potentials that could enable Miami to maintain its reputation as an elite NBA team and reach the final this season.

 

Potential Trade Deals

 

Player: Zach LaVine

Team: Chicago Bulls

Trade: Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Kendrick Nunn, and Andre Iguodala

 

Zach LaVine is 25, in his prime, and heavily considered one of the best offensive players out there right now. 

 

It’s thought he could do wonders for Miami Heat, but a significant trade deal would need to go down to get this star on the side. 

So, what’s in it for the Chicago Bulls, you ask? To make a trade, it’s likely Miami Heat will need to let go of four players: Herro, Robinson, Nunn, and Iguodala.

 

Should the trade go ahead, Zach would bring incredible offensive firepower that would boost the existing roster. And, while he may not be the best defender, Miami has more than enough defensive-orientated players to support Zach’s stance on the court. 

 

Alongside Miami Heat’s top players Bam Adebayo and Jim Butler, Zach would help form an unstoppable trio. Giving the team a greater chance of making it to the finals.

 

After all, the star player has a current average of 28.1 PPG while taking a shot of 43.0% from a 3PT range. Even when he’s under pressure on the court, his confidence, athleticism, and capability win time after time, enabling LaVine to shoot hoops regardless of the conditions.

 

For a player that’s likely to lift the team’s performance this season and secure Miami heat as a top team in the seasons to come, acquiring Zach LaVine is a must for the squad.

 

Player: Rudy Gay 

Team: San Antonio Spurs 

Trade: KZ Okpala, Olynyk, plus a 2022 second-round pick

 

Other trade rumors circulating suggest 34-year-old forward Rudy Gay from San Antonio Spurs could be snapped up by Miami Heat.

 

At a mighty 6 feet and 8 inches, Rudy could become a staple defensive player on Miami’s squad. 

 

From the 22 minutes Gay has played on the court each game this season, he has earned a 98.7 defensive rating, which topples Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler’s current rating.

 

Rudy has tremendous defensive skills, which would undoubtedly elevate the team’s current position. Plus, despite his experience and skills, he is, for Miami Heat at least, considered inexpensive to buy.

 

But whether Gay joining the team would be enough to fix the squad in time for the playoffs is questionable. Instead, it may be wise for Miami Heat to on-board a few additional players alongside him.

 

Player: Bradley Beal

Team: Washington Wizards 

Trade: G Tyler Herro, G Goran Dragic, F/C Kelly Olynyk, 2022 first-round pick, 2024 first-round pick, 2026 first-round pick

 

Anyone familiar with the Miami Heat understands Pat Riley is keen on creating a “Big 3”. Just as he once did with Bosh, LeBron, and Wade.

 

While there are talks about putting Zach LaVine alongside Jimmy and Bam, another alternative is Bradley Beal.

 

As an excellent all-round offensive team player, Beal could become the go-to scorer the Heat relies on. Beal will also have the advantage of a range of advanced players who can defend and enable Bradley to shoot.

 

The trade would come at a high cost, causing the MIA to lose Robinson and Herro. But Bradley Beal is arguably a better player than both and could be the last piece of the “Big 3” to help the team excel and make it to the finals. 

 

Rumors reveal Bradley is open to the idea, too, because he’s experiencing frustrations in his current team. 

 

Miami Heat: Trade Deadline Nearing

 

Miami Heat are usually top-tier NBA contenders worthy of championship status. But, this year, it’s unlikely they’ll make the cut unless the president of the club takes serious advantage of the opportunity to recruit before the end of March and shuffle the team around with some fresh talent such as the players profiled above. 

 

While Zach LaVine seems like a no-brainer, Rudy Gay could be a strong accomplice too.  

 

Should the Heat be content with the West Coast trip?

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The Miami Heat finished their west coast trip with four wins in seven games and will be coming back to south Florida in a similar situation to the one they were when they left.

Still three games under .500, and still very close to the top four spots in the Eastern Conference.

After Monday night’s win against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Heat is only two games from the fourth-place Pacers (tied with the Raptors), and four games behind the Milwaukee Bucks, in third.

Looking back to it, I think we all though a 4-3 overall result would be great, given the circumstances the team was facing at the moment.

The Heat had lost to the Hornets and the Wizards, and barely beat Ethan Skolnick and Ricky J. Mark beloved Knicks in a couple of close games before leaving to face Houston.

As you can see, since James Harden left, that team has just sunk, and that was the perfect opponent for the Heat to start this adventure.

After that Houston team, it was time for the Heat to face the best team of the moment, the Utah Jazz, and it was clear that once they got going, this version of the Heat had no shot at them, so we probably went to bed that night knowing that it was just not meant to be against that opponent (If they were to meet in the playoffs in some sort of crazy scenario, I would take the Heat anyway).

What happened after was just the perfect example of what this season has been for this Heat team. Miami lost to a really depleted Los Angeles Clippers (not the barely depleted Lakers that ESPN likes to portray), and then blew a very solid lead against the Golden State Warriors, who didn’t have Draymond Green available, in one of the worst nights I’ve seen from a superstar like Steph Curry.

Just like that, the Heat was in another losing streak, but this time, with almost everybody back. At this point, and with hundreds of people asking for trades desperately on Heat Twitter, as they do all the time, anyway, regardless of what happens.

Being 1-3 in the trip, after those bad losses against the Clippers and Warriors, and knowing LeBron was waiting for them on Saturday, it seemed impossible that this trip would end up on a positive note.

With the Lakers on the horizon, the Heat defeated the Kings in another “must-win” even game against a lower quality opponent (the Heat struggled even more at home against them), and headed to Los Angeles again for a rematch of the 2020 NBA Finals.

Jimmy Butler has a positive record against LeBron James. We all know what happens when the real games come around, but somehow, and thanks in part to a great defensive game by Bam Adebayo, the Heat held up to upset the Lakers, who are now in the middle of a minicrisis, in case you haven’t watched ESPN lately, after losing to the Brooklyn Nets, the Miami Heat and the Washington Wizards in a row.

It also happens to the best teams in the league…

Closing out the trip with a solid (ish) win

Facing Oklahoma City with the opportunity to finish the west coast trip meant the Heat had to ended up on a positive vibe.

We know the Heat plays down to opponents, even though Oklahoma had a better record than the Heat. The team struggled in the first half, missed shots that should not miss, and were hanging around up to the fourth quarter, when they finally got away.

First solid win in a couple of weeks (or months!?), and a 4-3 record, that we would have taken before it all started, but that seeing what went on, looks like it was not enough.

This trip could have ended up with five or six wins for the Heat, and the team would be a little closer to the actual spot they should be in.

I would say they might be satisfied with a winning record on the road (just talking about this particular trip. The Heat is actually 7-10 on the road this season), but I feel like they should not be content.

This trip meant a lot to the team in a matter of getting closer to each other, as Erik Spoelstra pointed out in one of his press conferences, but it could have been better.

Like everything in this season so far for the Heat (maybe exaggerating a little bit). It could all be better…

 

By Alejandro Villegas | @Alejandrovg32 on Twitter 

A streak to start believing again

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A winning streak. Finally…

The Miami Heat has really struggled this season. On Tuesday night, against the Knicks, it wasn’t different.

Jimmy Butler is back, is his best version, aggressive, leading the team, and on Tuesday, it was him all over again. A +25 that almost ended up in a loss, believe it or not.

That’s how bad the second unit was at some point.

The Heat has finally found a way to win consecutive games, something they’ve really struggled with this season, and ended up tied for the ninth place in the East, just one game behind the Raptors, eight place, one and a half from the sixth-place Hornets and two games away from the Pacers, in fifth.

Not that bad, considering they lost games against the Wizards, those same Hornets, and the Pistons, that should’ve been wins.

At this point, Miami should already be in the top four of the Eastern Conference.

However, after 24 games in, the team is playing way below .500, with only 10 wins.

Trade everybody, get a whale

How many times have we read this in the past month?

And I get it. Heat fans are desperate from watching a team that seems to be lost, and very far away from that one that made them feel so happy just few of months ago.

Trading for another player is not necessarily what this team needs. I get it if they do it, but looking at the circumstances they’ve been facing, with a tough schedule, injuries and COVID-related absences, I wouldn’t get to crazy with a team that is just three games away from the third place in the East.

I know fans were tired of some moral victories, like those games they almost won against the Sixers, Nets and Celtics. But taking a look at it, that’s how close the Heat has been to change the narrative.

There are five or six games that could’ve gone the Heat’s way, and nobody would be talking about trades. That’s the reality of it.

It’s not only about the winning streak, or the losing streak they had. It’s about those games they only won or the ones they should’ve won.

That’s the difference in the narrative.

Olynyk, Nunn & Herro stepping up

Duncan Robinson struggled once again, going 0 for 5 from the three-point line. And guess who came to save the day?

Kelly Olynyk. That same guy that frustrates a lot of fans, I would say, more often than not. 6 for 8 from threes, and second only behind Jimmy Butler in points, with 20.

At some point, it was him and Kendrick Nunn leading the way to come back from a double-digit deficit in the second quarter.

Later, Tyler Herro redeemed himself with a couple of baskets and a clutch three in the last minutes of the game. All of these, signs of a team that seems to be finding their way.

A path to a winning streak that could lead to fans believing in this team once again.

We’re still waiting to see Bam Adebayo back in a more aggressive mentality, but he keeps finding the way to almost score 20 every game.

There are a lot of things this team can do better. Hopefully this is just the beginning of them figuring everything out, and the beginning of many winning streaks…

Check the latest episode of Five on the Floor:

 

By Alejandro Villegas | @Alejandrovg32 on Twitter 

The new look Panthers start season strong

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The Panthers have been South Florida’s hottest team over the month of January with a 5-0-1 record in a six game span. The Cats are off to their best start in franchise history early on in this shortened NHL season. 

A large part of the team’s early success can be attributed to all of the new players the Panthers have in the lineup this season. In six games this year, Florida has used 13 different players who did not play a game with the team last season.

After a mediocre 2019-2020 campaign which saw the team get bounced in the Stanley Cup qualifying round by the New York Islanders, Florida clearly needed to make a lot of changes. 

Which started with the front office.

Shortly after being eliminated, the Panthers and general manager Dale Tallon mutually agreed to part ways, bringing his tenure in Florida to an end. Not satisfied with three playoff appearances and no playoff series wins during Tallon’s decade-long tenure, Florida hired  former Columbus Blue Jackets assistant general manager Bill Zito as the new gm.

Zito immediately went to work, completely changing the roster over the offseason. With the departures of top players like Vincent Trocheck, Mike Hoffman and Evgenii Dadonov over the past year, Florida needed to add more depth to the forward core. And that’s exactly what they did.

Two of the biggest moves was the signing of NHL All Star Anthony Duclair and Stanley Cup Champion Carter Verhaeghe. Both players were put on the top line with captain Aleksander Barkov to start the season and they haven’t looked back. The trio has combined for 20 points in six games this year and have dominated oppositions nearly every time they are on the ice. The speed and puck skills of Verhaeghe and Duclair have helped open up Barkov’s game this year. The Finn has never looked more dominant.

Another huge offseason move made by Zito was the acquisition of two-time Stanley Cup champion Patric Hornqvist for Mike Matheson. It was evident that Matheson had become a liability on the back end, especially when the Panthers entered the NHL postseason bubble as he was scratched twice in four games. The veteran Hornqvist came into Florida and hasn’t shown any signs of aging as he already has five goals to start the season.

Hornqvist joined last year’s leading scorer Jonathan Huberdeau and former Blue Jacket Alexander Wennberg on the second line. The Barkov, Verhaeghe, Duclair line has received all the attention so far, but this second unit is just as dangerous. They have combined for 16 points in six games. As of now, the losses of Hoffman and Dadonov don’t seem to be an issue for Florida.

As the Panthers progress through the 56 game season, a huge key to their success will be the goalie tandem of Sergei Bobrovsky and Chris Dreidger. After signing a 7-year, $70M contract, he only posted a 23-19-6 record with a 3.23 GAA, ranking in the bottom third of the league. The two-time Vezina winner didn’t have a good season in 2019-2020, but he is talented enough to bounce back.

So far this season, Bob and Dreidger have split the games evenly. Even though it hasn’t all been pretty, if they can both stay on their game, this 1A-1B tandem will win Florida some much needed games down the stretch.

With the condensed schedule consisting of many back to backs and short turn arounds, teams around the league are going to rely on two goalies more than ever. Whether it’s Carey Price and Jake Allen in Montreal or Marc-Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner in Vegas, top teams this year have been using multiple goalies. When they are on their A-game, Bobrovsky and Dreidger are one of the best duos in the league.

Top to bottom, this year’s Panthers team has something for fans to be excited about. The top 6 looks great, young players like Aleksi Heponiemi and Owen Tippett have been getting opportunities, Aaron Ekblad has continued to shape into a solidified top defenseman and the Reverse Retro jerseys look unbelievable.

We have barely started this NHL season but you could already sense a different vibe to this Florida team. They have more energy and excitement than any Panthers team I could remember watching. They haven’t played some of the top teams in Discover Central division yet, but with what we’ve seen on the ice so far, there’s no reason why Florida can’t be one of the four teams to make the playoffs out of the division.