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| To David Stern and the league owners. Want to avoid future lock outs? Stop overpaying players like Eddy Curry. |
The way the Heat has played lately, they’d have been better off not signing Bosh. A down-and-dirty player like Luis Scola or Shane Battier would have been a better fit and Miami would still have cap space. Bosh still seems unadjusted to his new team and Wade and James are still trying to learn how to play off each other, despite their season sweep of the Lakers.
It’s hard to trust this Heat team.
Mike Bibby is washed up, Bosh is a small forward in a power forwards body, they don’t rebound and can’t close out games. They’re 15-19 against teams who are .500 or better. But the Heat could be in the Finals.
Mike Bibby is washed up, Bosh is a small forward in a power forwards body, they don’t rebound and can’t close out games. They’re 15-19 against teams who are .500 or better. But the Heat could be in the Finals.
And if not, they’re stuck with Bosh and James.
Owners have to know how to make their money work for them.
Here are five teams that are stuck in the hole.
#5 The Atlanta Hawks are good, but with Joe Johnson locked in till 2015-2016, they’ll have a hard time being great. Johnson will make over $100 million in guaranteed money. The Hawks need a point guard and depth on the bench. When will they learn? Never pay shooters superstar money. Ever!
With Johnson, the Hawks will be competitive but never contenders.
With Johnson, the Hawks will be competitive but never contenders.
#4 Another over paid guard on a good but not great team. Rudy Gay will make over $80 million with a player option in 2014-2015, his final year in the contract. Gay isn’t good defensively. He’s a mediocre shooter from the three point line and a decent rebounder. He’s 23, but with averages of 19 points and 6 rebounds this is as good as it gets.
He’s Shareef Abdur-Rahim at best.
He’s Shareef Abdur-Rahim at best.
#3 I feel bad for John Wall. His rookie season has been out shined nightly with Blake Griffin highlights. The Wizards are 1-29 on the road. The Cavaliers have a better road record than the Wizards. But when Wall has teammates like Josh Howard and Rashard Lewis, who is a shell of his former self, it’s going to get worse before it gets bad for Wall. The Wizards are stuck with Lewis till 2012-2013, who is due to make over $60 million by then. Lewis doesn't play defense, he’s not going to make Wall or anyone else better on that team and ailing injuries have hindered his scoring. No team is going to want to take on Lewis’ contract.
#2 Dwight Howard has two years left before his contract expires in 2013. Those two years are crucial for the Magic. Earlier in the season, the Magic made a mega trade, sending Vince Carter and Marcin Gortat to Phoenix, Lewis to D.C., in return getting Gilbert Arenas, Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu.On one end, Orlando got rid of Lewis and his bad contract.
Good for them.
On the other end, Orlando lost a key big man and will have to play small ball come playoff time. Now Orlando has Arenas’ bad contract, his encyclopedia of knee injuries and the guns-in-the-locker room incident that’s going to be attached to his name for the rest of his career. Arenas is due to make $78 million by 2014. We’re never going to see Agent 0 Arenas. Instead we’ll get Gran Torino Arenas. A grumpy player who’s too old and worn down to provide a spark. Orlando better figure what do soon before Howard does like James and makes his decision.
Good for them.
On the other end, Orlando lost a key big man and will have to play small ball come playoff time. Now Orlando has Arenas’ bad contract, his encyclopedia of knee injuries and the guns-in-the-locker room incident that’s going to be attached to his name for the rest of his career. Arenas is due to make $78 million by 2014. We’re never going to see Agent 0 Arenas. Instead we’ll get Gran Torino Arenas. A grumpy player who’s too old and worn down to provide a spark. Orlando better figure what do soon before Howard does like James and makes his decision.
#1 Bosh and James are due to make over $60 million by 2014. They both have an early termination option by 2015 and a player option by 2016. Too much money for a power forward who’s getting less than eight rebounds a game. And while it’s hard to adjust playing with James and Wade, two guys who need the ball to create, Bosh isn’t doing the little things for the Heat to be consider contenders in June this season. Bosh is like Memphis Pau Gasol, an excellent player but not a leader. Looking for Bosh? He can be seen on the perimeter. For the majority of the season, Bosh has been playing like a small forward.
Bosh had moments when he’s played like a forward. He was abundant against the Lakers. This Heat team still has a lot of issues but can fix one of them if Bosh takes less 17-footers and plays on the block more. It’s early to tell if Bosh is right for this team but for a third option guy who signed for the max, Miami could have made their money stretch. Battier, who’s contract expires after this season, would have been a nice pick up for the Heat. This team needs more rebounding, they need a point guard and their bench needs to be more accountable.
Bosh had moments when he’s played like a forward. He was abundant against the Lakers. This Heat team still has a lot of issues but can fix one of them if Bosh takes less 17-footers and plays on the block more. It’s early to tell if Bosh is right for this team but for a third option guy who signed for the max, Miami could have made their money stretch. Battier, who’s contract expires after this season, would have been a nice pick up for the Heat. This team needs more rebounding, they need a point guard and their bench needs to be more accountable.
It’s the middle of March, but the Heat is turning up.
