Peninsula is Mightier

With training camp getting closer, questions still remain about the Heat at point guard

2010-09-07T08:00:37Z

With Miami Heat training camp set to kick off just three short weeks away, there is a ‘calm before the storm' feeling in South Florida. Once basketball gets going again and starts getting coverage on all the major networks, the Heat are going to be front and center for a while.

Never before has Miami Heat training camp and preseason been a very big deal, but that is all going to change this month. As much as things have quieted down over the last month, you better believe that the Heat are going to be getting just as much attention as they were getting back in late June/early July.

Just thinking back to that time brings a smile to my face. Sure, a lot of that has to do with the end result...but just take a second and go over it all in your head. All the hype and buildup before July 1^st. The attention that D-Wade was getting and all the speculation and worry when he was meeting with other teams (mainly the Bulls).

Then the awesomeness began when Wade and Bosh went live on ESPN, telling the world they were teaming up in Miami. Even though I stayed true to my belief that Wade was not going to leave the Heat and never waivered from that...I'll admit that I was literally jumping up and down in front of my TV when he and Chris Bosh announced that they were signing with the Heat.

It was exciting to see the both of them proclaiming their allegiance to our Miami Heat, but as we all know that was just the beginning. A few days later, in what I still say was a pretty douchey move, LeBron did his whole ‘decision' dance. A line that has been embedded in many people's brains from Dayton to Dade County could possibly be something that will change the face of the NBA for a long time; "I'm taking my talents to South Beach".

From that point it was just watching all the chips fall in our favor, with Mike Miller, Udonis Haslem, Big Z...the roster filled up with players who would fill the roles needed and compliment our superstars. There are still some places where the Heat can improve, but at that point it's going to look like an impressive fantasy basketball team.

We still have to see if Mario Chalmers is going to blossom into a Rajon Rondo-type point guard or if he'll just continue on the path that we've seen him go down for the past two seasons. At this point, the Heat's point guard situation isn't too impressive because both of our main guys are a little banged up.

Chalmers has spent the summer rehabbing from a high ankle sprain that he suffered during team workouts in early July. He is officially listed as questionable for the start of training camp, which is on Tuesday the 28^th. I'd love to know what Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra's expectations are for Rio this season...but unfortunately that's just one of those truths that will never be told to the public.

Of course the ‘joke' is that you could put anyone in Chalmers' shoes and they would average double digit assists, and I think my favorite idea is having a different fan getting to play the point every game. With that being the case, should Chalmers not have a good year then does he begin to slide into the ‘bust' category?

Judging from what we've seen from Rio and the skill set that he has continued to develop, I think he'll be ok. Recognizing where and when to dish the ball will be key, and one of the most important things for anyone on the team not named Wade, James or Bosh will be to hit open shots. The sooner Chalmers gets healthy the sooner he'll be able to work with these guys and sharpen his skills.

Miami's other point guard is also nursing an injury. Carlos Arroyo suffered a deep bruise in his left quadriceps while participating in the World Championships and had to sit out his team's final four games. Arroyo injury came during Puerto Rico's first game, which was against Russia. He took a knee to his hip area that caused him internal bleeding.

There was a chance that he could still have played later in the tournament had Puerto Rico made it out of the opening round. He should be ok for Training Camp but I'm still waiting for confirmation from the team, which probably wont come out until he shows up at the AAA sometime in the next week or so.

Chris Bosh working out at the AAA

2010-09-03T20:28:39Z

Chris Bosh working out at the AAA

Wade, James, and Bosh free-agent acquisitions were from the bargain bin

2010-09-03T15:46:02Z

Some interesting information was released by New York-based analyst Rich Steinlauf who gave his findings to SI.com. When you first look at the headline for this you might have gone cross-eyed, but after looking at the total impact (not just on the court) of these 3 players he is right. Check it out:

Steinlauf, who has worked with several NBA teams and gained respect for his system that rates each player's dollar value, claims Riley actually found a few blue-light specials, even after spending nearly $330 million on his big three.

According to Steinlauf's calculations, James' $14.5 million salary for 2010-11 is less than half his expected impact value of $31 million with the Heat this season.

By Steinlauf's calculations, Wade is expected to provide a $22.5 million contribution this coming season while earning $14.3 million.

Similarly, Steinlauf projects Bosh with an $18 million contribution this coming season, while earning the same $14.5 million from the Heat as James.

Now i know we all cant wait to see what happens on the court this year, but seeing numbers like this is always great news for the franchise. We have learned time and again that this organization knows how to put a team together and make money doing it. During times when some cities are afraid to lose their sports teams to other cities (ie. Marlins and Panthers among others) its always nice to have a reminder that the Heat is a first class organization who we know will keep basketball in South Florida for a long, long time.

Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem: The core of the Miami Heat

2010-09-01T21:00:36Z

Wilfredo Lee - AP

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As we all know, LeBron James got a lot of negative attention for switching teams after playing in Cleveland for the first 7 years of his career. Some were mad for the way he did it, some were mad for him taking so long to make his decision and some were just mad that he left.

Crazy as it seems though, he wasn't the only guy to leave a team after playing there for a while. Several guys did it, but since LeBron is best around and he did it in such a glorified way....lets just say that I don't think all the negativity is undeserved. Regardless, he is a grown man and knew what he was doing and I have to assume was well aware of how people were going to react.

Forgive me for not getting to my point quicker. LeBron's tenure in Cleveland got me thinking about what players had been with their teams the longest. Believe it or not, there are six guys in the NBA on six different teams who have played for those teams for over 10 years.

At the top of the list is Kobe Bryant who has played with the Lakers for all 14 years of his career. Then its Tim Duncan (13 years in San Antonio), Paul Pierce (12 years in Boston), Dirk Nowitzki (12 years in Dallas), Jeff Foster (11 years in Indiana) and Michael Redd (10 years in Milwaukee). I also have to give credit to the Spurs for keeping their core for so long. Along with Duncan, Tony Parker has been there for 9 years and Manu Ginobili has been there for 8.

To me, its very important for a team that wants to be good year in and year out to have a consistent and talented core. The Heat have that core and their roots run deep. Both Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem have been with the Heat for all 7 years of their careers and both are going to be here for several years to come.

It's no coincidence that those men are the captains of the Heat. They have been with the team through good times, great times and really bad times. From an NBA championship in 2006 to a 15-win season in 2008. They've seen all-stars come and go and been coached by three very different and very good coaches.

That core of those two talented leaders is key for this team because of all the new faces. There is an automatic respect that goes to them because even though the new guys haven't played with them, they know from being in the NBA what D-Wade and Udonis have done for this team on and off the court.

It also helps that Dwyane let Bosh and James know how much he looked up to Udonis before they came down here, and both of them acknowledged that U-D was very much a leader of this team. The other new star on this team is Mike Miller and he has been very close friends with Udonis since their days together at the University of Florida, so he is also well aware of what Haslem means to this team.

Granted, Wade and Haslem are the only two guys with a long Heat history but this is a team that is going to grow together. LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Zydrunas Ilgauskas all come to Miami having played their entire careers with one team. Joel Anthony and Mario Chalmers have only played for the Heat during their short careers. And then there's Eddie House, Juwan Howard and even James Jones who are all just looking to contribute and do whatever they are asked to in order to compete for that elusive NBA title.

Starting in a few weeks, these guys will all play together on the same team for the first time. But thanks to the awesome Pat Riley, there is going to be a strong core that will be playing together for many years to come. Wade, Bosh, LeBron, Udonis, Mike Miller and Joel Anthony are all signed for 5-6 years.

The blueprint is there for not just a championship team, but a dynasty. They laid the foundation with superstars, they surrounded them with complimentary talent and finished it off with veteran savvy. All the main components are signed on for several years, and the other roster spots will be filled with fresh role players whenever necessary.

It all comes back to D-Wade and Udonis though. They have been here the longest and earned the respect of not just their current teammates but players throughout the league. I'm sure that over the next few seasons the core of the Heat will get stronger but considering how many new faces are here, it's a perfect situation for the Heat to have a couple of established leaders already in place.

I'll leave you with this final thought. Kobe Bryant has been with the Lakers for 14 years and won 5 NBA Championships. Dwyane Wade's contract has him playing for the Heat for at least 13 years (he's played 7, 6 to go) and he has 1 NBA Championship. When D-Wade gets to that 13^th year, will he have as many titles as Kobe?

Heat add Da'Sean Butler to the mix

2010-08-31T21:35:11Z

More photos » Matt Slocum - AP

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The Heat announced yesterday that they have added yet another player to the payroll. The team now sits at 18 guys under contract with the addition of 2^nd round pick Da'Sean Butler. Terms of the deal were not released. Butler isn't likely to make the team this season but has a very bright future after his very successful collegiate career with West Virginia.

In four seasons Butler averaged 14.4 points on 44% shooting (35% from downtown), 5.5 boards, 1.9 assists and 1.0 steals. He fell in the draft to the 42^nd pick after suffering a torn ACL during the NCAA Final Four last march. He has been rehabbing at the AAA all summer and holds out hope that he'll be able to participate in training camp, but I wouldn't count on that.

Usually it takes athletes close to a year to fully recover from a torn ACL but Butler is pushing to get back in 6 months...which I just can't see happening. When he does come back though, then he can spend a lot of time either working with the team or playing elsewhere for the remainder of the 10-11 season (D-League, overseas, etc.). In doing that, I like his chances of making the 11-12 Heat team.

I think after getting his legs back and then refining his skills against top-notch competition, working out with the Heat all off-season leading into training camp, at that point is when I see him standing out and earning a spot. A lot will depend on his rehab and how much work he puts in, but from what I saw of him in college I really think his game will translate well to the NBA.

Now speaking in the realm of all things unlikely, should Butler somehow be able to participate in training camp then he'll be competing with the other guaranteed contract, non-guaranteed roster spot guys like Pat Beverly, Shavlik Randolph and Kenny Hasbrouck. The Heat can carry up to 20 guys on their roster during training camp and the preseason, but they have to cut it down to 15 by October 25^th (the day before the season begins).

Of those 15 spots, 14 of them are already spoken for. Wade, Bosh, LeBron, Udonis, Mike Miller, Joel Anthony, Big Z, Juwan Howard, Eddie House, James Jones, Carlos Arroyo, Magloire, Dexter Pittman and Mario Chalmers should all have their roster spots locked up. If I had to guess, it will be Pittman, Jones and whoever gets the 15^th spot as the non-dressed guys but that is something that could alternate depending on who we play and the potential matchups.

It's a comforting thought that the Heat's roster will be stockpiled with very good players for the next several years. That's what happens when everybody knows that your team has a chance of making it to the NBA Finals every year. We saw it this summer when guys were coming right out and saying that they would love to play for the Heat if the team would take them.

Signing Butler shows that despite him not being able to play yet, the Heat think he's worth having under contract for when he returns to the court. I have to agree, and now am curious and even anxious to see what he can do once he is cleared to play. Still though, I don't see that happening for a few months yet....but would love to be proven wrong.

For those of you on Twitter, you can follow Butler: @TheDaSeanButler

Kobe Bryant interview yields nothing Heat fans should be upset with

2010-08-29T22:25:52Z

More photos » Ronald Martinez - Getty Images

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Something that we should all be expecting and even accepting as a certainty is that there is going to be a ton of Heat-bashing as we get closer to training camp. This is something that is going to be coming from all angles, regardless of the source. As basketball becomes relevant again there are going to be more and more stories finding things wrong with the Heat, their roster and the way they went about making that roster.

Friday afternoon on ESPN's ‘Jim Rome is Burning', a pair of Los Angeles Lakers got the chance to take over the show. Derek Fisher sat down and interviewed his teammate Kobe Bryant on a bevy of topics, and I bet you can guess what came up pretty quickly.

Kobe was asked about LeBrons process of leaving Cleveland and ‘taking his talent to South Beach', and if that would be something he could ever do. He started by saying how he and James are friends and that he didn't want to ‘take any part of that', regarding the way LeBron left Cleveland.

Bryant did a good job of dodging the ‘would you have done what LeBron did' question, which in itself is totally bogus because its asking Kobe to put himself in a situation he has never been in, and to go back in time a couple of years to when he was a free agent.

I'll be honest, when I first heard about this interview I expected there to be a bit more ‘juiciness' to what Bryant had to say. He said all the right things about LeBron and the Heat. At the end, he did make the claim that he would never play for another team, that there was a "99.9999% sure" that he'd finish his career playing for the Lakers.

Simply because of the events that transpired this past summer (regarding the Heat), people will take that statement and turn it around as a dig on LeBron. I didn't get that. I think that after watching Kobe Bryant for years and years in countless interviews and things like that, if he wanted to say something about LeBron James and the Miami Heat then he would have done made it clear, even if he was trying to be vague.

This was not him being vague; it was him just speaking about himself. That's it. But hey...that's just my opinion. There are plenty of people out there who are going to want to make it into a bigger deal and turn it into Lakers vs. Heat while its still August.

If you'd like to see the interview before making up your mind on the subject, click here.

LeBron James working out at the AAA. Video courtesy of Heat.com

2010-08-27T19:27:22Z

LeBron James working out at the AAA. Video courtesy of Heat.com

Follow Friday: The Miami Heat on Twitter

2010-08-27T04:15:13Z

More photos » Doug Benc - Getty Images

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Considering how little Heat news there has been lately, I took a suggestion from TheWhiteHotHeat (and a page out of the CelticsBlog playbook and decided to put together a Miami Heat Twitter list. Keeping with the whole ‘Follow Friday' theme it seems more then appropriate to post it today.

While everything NBA related has cooled off a bit, I'm sure in the next couple weeks things should kick up a notch. Just a little over a month from now the Heat will begin training camp, which should be one of the most closely watched in the teams history.

Players
Carlos Arroyo- @carlosarroyopr
Eddie House - @real_eddie50
Mike Miller- @m33m
LeBron James- @KingJames
Chris Bosh- @chrisbosh
Mario Chalmers- @mchalmers15
Dwyane Wade- @dwadeofficial
Patrick Beverly- @patbev21
Dexter Pittman- @DEX_PITT45
Kenny Hasbrouck- @KennyHaz

Coverage
Mike Wallace- @WallaceNBAHeat
Jason Jackson- @TheJaxShow
Ira Winderman- @IraHeatBeat

Other
@FakePatRiley
@TheBoshPit
@WhiteHotTweet

Eddie House thinks the Heat will be better then 08 Champion Celtics

2010-08-23T07:10:48Z

More photos » Tony Dejak - AP

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Hey guys...I'm sorry for the lack of postings the last few days but I've been pretty under the weather. Unfortunately I'm still on the road to recovery so this will be short and sweet.

Eddie House made some interesting comments yesterday to his hometown newspaper, the Arizona Republic. House was asked to compare his current situation of joining the star-studded Miami Heat roster to when he joined up with the Boston Celtics back in 2007-08.

That was the year the Celtics won the NBA title with their original ‘big 3'. House thinks that the Heat is going to be even better, but the term he used was one that will raise more then a few eyebrows.

"This is going to be even bigger. This is going to be Boston on steroids."

In sports now a days you never want to use the ‘s' word, although in this case it's pretty harmless. As high as expectations are outside of the Heat organization, this indicates what we all have been thinking/hoping; that the expectations inside that locker room are only going to be met with an NBA title.

House's experience in Boston also prepared him for what its like to go into every game with a target on your back.

"I'm extremely excited about this opportunity. In Boston, everybody was after us every single night. We were playing hard-fought games every night. This is going to be even crazier. We're anointed champs from the beginning, and we're not the champions."

De'Sean Butler looking to earn spot on Heat roster

Butler, who the Heat took with the 42^nd overall pick in last summers draft, is in negotiations with the Heat to sign a contract that will allow him to participate in training camp and compete for a coveted roster spot.

He is still recovering from a torn ACL sustained during the NCAA Final Four last March and likely wont be ready to return to action by the time training camp starts on September 28^th. Still, Butler is planning on working his way onto the roster.

It's highly unlikely that he makes the cut, at least for the beginning of the season, but he showed the talent in college that makes me think eventually Butler can crack the Heat roster.

Dwyane Wade talks to SB Nation

2010-08-19T03:28:02Z

Dwyane Wade talks to SB Nation

In advance of Dwyane Wade's fourth annual Wade's World Weekend taking place in Chicago over the next few days, SB Nation's Andrew Sharp got the chance to talk to the Miami Heat superstar about Chicago, his visit with President Obama and more.

Giving the Miami Heat franchise some due credit, LeBron's GQ article and more...

2010-08-18T06:18:50Z

More photos » Jeffrey Boan - AP

LeBron is the latest Miami 'player' to grace the cover of GQ Magazine (D-Wade did it back in 06)

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I was going to start this off by saying ‘the biggest star to play for the Miami Heat..." when talking about LeBron James and his interview in GQ Magazine. Before even getting to that, the statement I was going to make sprung up a debate in my head. Who is the biggest star to ever play for the Heat?

Thinking of the candidates on that list, its pretty cool that our franchise has had so many great players. Obviously there is Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron. In our teams past, the next guy would be Shaquille O'Neal and then the lesser guys like Zo and Timmy. And a step below that you can add Glen Rice, Dan Majerle and even Penny Hardaway, who played for the Heat but had all his best years elsewhere.

It makes me think about how our franchise cant be considered a young one anymore. The Heat are over 20 years old now, they have won an NBA title and 7 division titles. In 14 of their 22 seasons the Heat have made the playoffs, and without looking up every other team in the NBA's first 22 seasons I can it's a safe bet that only a few teams could make that same claim.

Also, over the last 15 years the Heat have only missed the playoffs 3 times. When you think about how much the face of the team has changed in that time, it's a real testament to Pat Riley and Micky Arison and their dedication to winning. While the roster has changed, the franchise has been a consistent winner.

So yeah, back to my original point...it's amazing how we have been able to watch the Heat grow from an expansion team to a playoff threat to an NBA champion and now to being on the verge of possibly becoming one of the best teams to ever play this game. But who would you say is the biggest star to play for Miami? Was Shaq a bigger NBA name when he played for the Heat then LeBron or D-Wade is now?

Getting back to LeBron's GQ comments, he opened up a little and gave some insight into things that many of us had been wondering since ‘The Decision'. The thing that I found most interesting was that the ultimate reason he joined Miami was to join his good friends and feel the team camaraderie that he hasn't felt since playing in high school.

I'll let you read the article for yourselves, but here are some highlights.

On his family: "They're happy to see me happy. That's what they can see in my face. They say: ‘It's been a while since we've seen you look like that.'"

On Cavs owner Dan Gilbert: "I don't think he ever cared about LeBron. My mother always told me: ‘You will see the light of people when they hit adversity. You'll get a good sense of their character.' Me and my family have seen the character of that man."

On possibly returning to play for the Cavs someday: "If there was an opportunity for me to return and those fans welcome me back, that'd be a great story.... Maybe the ones burning my jersey were never LeBron fans anyway."

On how his upbringing helps him now: "That's what keeps me humble, because I know my background, know what my mother went through. I never get too high on my stardom or what I can do. My mom always says, and my friends say, ‘You're just a very low-maintenance guy.'"

I'm very happy that LeBron chose to play with the Heat because it makes our team that much better, but I'm really looking forward to getting to know what kind of guy he is. I never really had much of an opinion of him other then knowing he was an amazing basketball player.

Any time there was a reason to poke fun or to hate on him, it was an easy thing to do. When you are on top there are always a ton of people looking to knock you down. Now that he is part of our ‘family' down here in Miami, I really want to know more about him and learn all the positive things that he brings to the table.

Outside of Miami not many people are going to know or even care about any of that stuff, which is why I feel like its important to find out all the positive things he can do other then his on-court abilities. But hey...that's just me. You all can do and think whatever you want about James, but regardless I know we'll all be cheering for him when he steps on the court as a Miami Heat.

Heat 2^nd round pick Jarvis Varnado to play in Italy

Jarvis Varnado, who the Heat took with the 41^st overall pick in last summer's draft, has signed with Carmatic Pistoia of the Italian League for the 2010-11 season. This move means that the Heat will keep the rights to re-sign Varnado after the season if they so choose.

The shot-blocking specialist did a decent job with the Heat in their summer league, and giving him a year to hone his craft in Europe will only help his chances of someday joining Miami's star-studded roster.

Update on Udonis Haslem

2010-08-16T22:22:00Z

More photos » Wilfredo Lee - AP

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Things are looking better for Udonis Haslem. The passenger in his car that was also arrested told police that the nylon bag with over 20 grams of marijuana belonged to him, not Haslem. We wont know anything for sure until the State Attorney's Office reviews the paperwork from the arrest and that should about a week.

This is very good news for Udonis and the Heat. Obviously he was still in a situation that he should not have been. It's going to be one hell of a learning experience for the 30-year old Haslem. We'll see how things pan out over the next few days. Here is part of a statement from Haslem's lawyer:

"We are confident Udonis Haslem will be vindicated. We have a situation where the passenger admits the marijuana was his and Mr. Haslem tells police nothing was in the vehicle. I think the police report speaks for itself. I am hopeful that Udonis will not be charged."

After his arrest, Udonis Haslem needs to pick himself up and move forward

2010-08-16T05:52:27Z

More photos » Marc Serota - Getty Images

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Earlier today reports started trickling out that Udonis Haslem had been arrested, then suddenly it was everywhere...at least from a South Florida perspective. Personally, I feel like my brain doesn't want to buy into it. It was one of those times where you say ‘Of all the people to hear this about...'

Once it was confirmed that Udonis was arrested for marijuana, I wanted to know the circumstances and details of what went down. It was like a progression of denial because of who this was. It's not like it was Michael Beasley who it became very believable that he looked and acted the part. Udonis has always been an emotional leader, the captain that his teammates look up to.

I don't mean that I'm so surprised and appalled that Haslem smokes pot. I'm surprised that he was dumb enough to get caught. Here is the quick version of what happened. He was pulled over for speeding on the Gratigny Expressway and the officer smelled pot in the car. Haslem and one of his passengers were taken into custody.

Haslem was said to be in possession of over 20 grams of marijuana which is a third-degree felony that comes with up to a $5,000 fine and 5-years in prison. His friend that was also arrested was charged with possessing less then 20 grams, which is a max of 1-year and a $1,000 fine. Since it was Haslem's car, anything not on the person of his passengers is considered to belong to Udonis, but why the hell would be be speeding in a car with illegal tints and all that weed in the car? That is not the Udonis Haslem we've all gotten to know over the past 7 years.

Smoking marijuana is something that has been linked to NBA players for a long long time. The penalties aren't very severe...hell, Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley were caught in a room that reeked of weed at their rookie symposium. Did either of them even miss a game? No. If there is any time to set an example for something not being tolerated, that's it.

So how does Pat Riley and the Heat handle this situation? I imagine they will meet with Udonis and get his side of the story and go from there. There will be some kind of penalty, that's for sure. Right now I'm more concerned with him being found with over 20 grams of pot then I am with Riley's punishment. Hopefully it comes out that either it wasn't his or that they work out some plea deal that keeps him out of jail and in the NBA.

What I am most curious about is how his teammates will receive him. Remember, Udonis and D-Wade are the co-captains of this team. It's crossed my mind that losing his captaincy is something that may happen to Haslem but the more I thought about it the more I realized that it wont happen.

You don't take a guy who is endorsed and believed in by his entire team and cast this amazingly dark cloud over him by taking away his leadership role, especially when he really is that leader. I'm not sure exactly how his teammates will respond to this but I'm not worried. Yes, it's illegal but it's also not uncommon.

It's wrong that he was doing it, but the dumbest thing he did was bring it outside of his house and put himself in a position to get caught. I'm not condoning it because its illegal...but the realistic part of me says that it's not an uncommon thing for people to do. But again, the main problem and what I want to know most is why he was carrying so freaking much.

In a position like Haslem is in, I'd think that he would take every precaution to keep this a secret. I don't want to go on about why he shouldn't have gotten caught because that's a terrible way to look at it...but realistically if he was going to do it then it should have been done in a room with no windows. What people do in their private time should be kept just that, private.

What I am hoping is that Udonis and the Heat move forward by turning this into a positive thing. A much smaller scale of what former Miami Dolphins running back Mercury Morris did after being convicted for cocaine trafficking. He spent over three years in prison before being released.

It was such a moving experience for him that he became a motivational speaker for anti-drug use, taking his poor decisions and turning them into a way to help people stay away from drugs all over the country. While obviously Udonis wont be spending more then a few hours in jail, he has the opportunity to spin it in a positive way (in the long run).

It's been a very tough time for Haslem after losing his mother to a battle with cancer less then a month ago. She had drug abuse problems for most of Udonis' life but had been clean since 2001. That is why this whole situation will really test the resolve of Udonis. Looking at the big picture, I just hope that he is strong enough to move forward after all this.

Losing his mother and then being arrested within a few weeks of each other is something that could have a real negative effect on a person. You hear all the time about those ‘downward spiral's' people go through, but I'm hoping that Udonis is surrounded by love and support from his family and the Heat and that he is able to get back on the right path.

Udonis Haslem arrested for posession of marijuana

2010-08-15T21:30:23Z

More photos » J PAT CARTER - AP

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WSVN is reporting that Udonis Haslem has been arrested for posession of marajuana. The Florida Highway Patrol has confirmed the arrest. It apprently took place during a traffic stop on the gratigny expressway.

I'll have more on this as it comes in....but at this point we need to hope that it was a small amount and any pending suspension will be short.

Heat ticket prices already through the roof

2010-08-15T18:01:35Z

More photos » Doug Benc - Getty Images

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As fun as its going to be for us Heat fans over the next decade, it will be equally hard to see the team in person. All available season tickets disappeared in a matter of hours and now all that is left are single game tickets up in the 400 level balconies. There will always be the option of splurging for tickets on StubHub or other broker sites, but when the demand is this high that raises the prices significantly.

The reason I bring this is up because I came across an article on FanSnap.com which showed the average ticket prices for the opening week and holiday games. The top three are all Heat game, with the home opener, season opener and the Christmas game in L.A.

10/29 Magic @ Heat- $805

12/25 Heat @ Lakers- $717

10/26 Heat @ Celtics- $545

10/26 Rockets @ Lakers- $321

1/17- Thunder @ Lakers- $279

That's pretty insane...that the average ticket price for opening night at the AAA is over $800. Last year's home opener against the Knicks averaged at $116. As ridiculous as that seems, it's likely a sign of things to come.

While I don't think the prices will stay this high, at least for the regular season, I think that the Heat will lead the league in average ticket prices for their games over the next several years. Yeah, people are going to hate all over the Heat. I still think they are going to draw better then any team, home or away, because people are going to want to see this team in person.

Any way you size it up, the Heat and the Lakers are the mecca of the NBA right now. Who knows how long it will stay that way but all signs point to ‘a while'. Unfortunately, that means that the common Miami Heat fan is going to have a very hard time seeing his/her team. Hopefully those of you who fall into that category have a nice TV and can enjoy the Heat in beautiful HD.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying a game from your house, where the beer and food is free and the bathroom is only a few feet away. This will also add a level of exclusivity to attending Heat games, making it a very special night regardless of what team they happen to be playing against.

Miami will put on a good show every night and there will probably be some celebrities sitting courtside as well for you to take pictures of. I remember thinking it was pretty cool when I went to a Knicks game and saw Jeremy Piven and John McEnroe sitting along the sideline...and that's nothing compared to what I'm expecting to see attending Heat games this year.

So yeah, it sucks that ticket prices are going to be through the roof but think of the alternative. Would you rather root for an amazing team but rarely get to go to games, or would you prefer to be able to afford tickets to see an average-ish Heat team?

Don't expect the Heat's roster to change much more

2010-08-13T04:05:12Z

More photos » J Pat Carter - AP

Joel says NAH to the competition

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Something that has been getting a decent amount of attention lately is the center situation in Miami. There are a lot of people out there who feel like the Heat are undersized and need to bring in another body to play in the paint. I understand that Joel Anthony isn't the biggest guy but I still think that he can do a perfectly fine job playing center for the Heat.

Anthony is ‘only' 6'9" but that hasn't stopped him from putting up some amazing blocks per minute stats and providing a defensive boost whenever he's on the court. I am also very enthused by the fact that Joel has improved considerably every season of his career, and there is no reason to think he wont continue down that path this year.

I think that he is going to have a breakout year this season, for several reasons. The increase in playing time will obviously provide a boost to his numbers, and all the nationally televised games combined with tons of attention the Heat will be getting will certainly help Joel get some exposure.

Next to Anthony is newcomer Zydrunas Ilgauskas. I think he'll end up playing backup to Joel, which will be mutually beneficial to both. Keeping Big Z fresh throughout the season will be clutch when the playoffs roll around and the Heat have to deal with guys like Dwight Howard and Boston's O'Neal twins.

There is also going to be some kind of good center coming out of the Western Conference assuming the Heat get all the way to the Finals. Whether its Andrew Bynum, Tim Duncan, Brendan Haywood...someone very solid will be waiting for the Heat in June.

Zydrunas is a big dude, listed at 7'3" 260lbs. This guy was the starting center in Cleveland for a decade, always giving a full effort and leaving it all on the court. He rebounds very well and has averaged over a block/game every year before last season when his minutes dropped by almost 10.

Big Z is a career 47.5% shooter from the field with many of his shots coming from outside the paint. His perimeter shooting is something he's worked on a lot over the past few years, and in the last two seasons has added the 3-pointer to his shooting repertoire. After taking 7 or less treys in each of the first 10 years of his career, he has gone 26-for-62 (42%) in the last two years.

Despite Joel and Zydrunas, some people think that the Heat needs another big body down there. A name that has been thrown around a lot both on this blog as well as among members of the media is Kwame Brown. Brown is 6'11" 270lbs. He's a league veteran who had his best years with the Wizards and Lakers, but since leaving L.A. in 2008 his game has struggled.

Over the last three seasons playing for Memphis and Detroit, Brown has played about 15 minutes a game, scoring 3.6 points on 51.8% shooting while grabbing 4.1 rebounds. If he joined the Heat, would they put him in a position to play ahead of Joel Anthony or Zydrunas Ilgauskas? I doubt it. There is no way he would play more then 15 minutes a game; it would probably closer to 10 or less.

So why would the Heat bring in someone who is strikingly similar in both size and style to Jamaal Magloire? Both guys had some very good seasons, none closer then 2007 though. Both have seen their production and numbers decline but still provide their teams with solid bench play, in many ways exceeding what is expected from the usual 2^nd or 3^rd string center.

I understand that looking at our roster, the center position is the one that could be picked out as needing an upgrade the most. That still doesn't mean we need that upgrade, I just think it's a case of people seeing names like Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James next to Joel Anthony and Mario Chalmers' on the roster and thinking we need guys who are as big of names as our ‘Big 3'.

I don't think the Heat will be adding any more players before training camp because the roster looks pretty damn good. The players who some feel need to be replaced with better guys (Joel, Chalmers, Magloire, Arroyo...centers and PG's) have all been with this team for a while, so the coaching staff knows exactly what they are getting.

I expect Joel to show nice improvements on offense while his D will speak for itself. I would like to expect a similar improvement from Mario Chalmers, but for now I'm just hoping that the kid will play with some confidence and maybe even a little swagger. Get his mind off of ‘not messing up' and just have fun with the guys around him.

With Magloire and Arroyo you know exactly what your getting, and while I think Arroyo will get a bit more playing time...Magloire is one of the most important guys on this team. It isn't what you see on the court, but on the bench and in the locker room is where the Big Cat's value lies.

Since joining the Heat back in 2008, Magloire has provided the team with a veteran's leadership and priceless experience and advice. Those people saying the Heat need ‘size' and ‘bulk' must not know Jamaal very well. If there is ever a time where things get chippy out there, Magloire is the guy to send on the floor.

He's more then happy to mix it up and defend his teammates, something that may be an issue with all the Heat-hate out there. That's just part of what Magloire does for his team. He is a big, positive presence in the locker room and is a vocal leader on this team.

The roster we have right now should be more then enough to dominate the league. If you have reached the point where you don't feel comfortable with what the Heat has to offer, stop reading this right now and just go look at their roster. Look at the names, the stats, the depth...and if you still feel like the Heat need to do more then I don't know what to tell you.

The only move I can see the team making at some point this season would be to bring in a perimeter ‘shut down' defender. That's where a Matt Barnes or even a Raja Bell would've been a great fit. Still, the Heat are going to score a ton of points so this could end up being a non-issue but it's the only real need I could see the team having this season. Otherwise, I think they are in good shape.

The Miami Hype Machine with 790 The Ticket's 'The Sports Brothers'

2010-08-11T19:35:21Z

RUN DLC. The Three Kings. South Beach NWO. Whatever you want to call the new look Miami Heat, the NBA has dated its hunting season and YOU are the prey. League commish David Stern wasted little time in deciding to turn up the Heat on Miami's rebuilt, revamped basketball team.

After all Stern did not need to consult with a marketing firm to decide whether to give as much league exposure as possible to this rock star of a basketball team. It's so easy to understand why the NBA season opens on October 26th with a nationally televised Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics game.

No tune up games here, not the Philadelphia 76ers or LA Clippers. Nope. There will be no sacrificial lambs for the Heat on opening night. Only a true test right off the bat against the mean, nasty, defending Eastern Conference Champions who only recently added some beef in the middle with the acquisition Shaquille O'Neal, a former teammate of Wade and James.

Get ready for the "super bowl" hype usually reserved for the two weeks prior to the big game, only this time for the entire season, with this basketball team. NBA TV had an hour long special last week just on the early season matchups including Heat vs. C's on opening night, and also spotlighting the October 29th home opener against Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic, as well as a Christmas Day showdown against the 2-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.

Here we sit on the verge of another NFL season, and yes it is common knowledge that football is king when it comes to all sports yet the Miami Heat have had everyone talking NBA basketball ever since they assembled their dream team. The hype machine will not stop. That Pat Riley is some kinda visionary isn't he? Every move this team makes will be covered like no basketball team since the ‘92 dream team of Magic, Bird and Jordan.

We have already seen the late night TV appearances by the Big 3, Vegas has already installed them as the favorites to win it all, everybody outside of the 305 hates them, in fact they were recently listed on a Sports Illustrated poll of all time most hated teams at number 25, and they have yet to play a game!

Get ready for even more paparazzi South Florida. We should be used to this kind of stuff here in South Beach, but it's going to go to another level this NBA season. The world has not seen anything like this yet.

Listen to the Sports Brothers on 790AM and 790theticket.com daily weekdays from 1p-3p. Follow us on Twitter @thesportsbros, and on Facebook.

Taking a closer look at the Heat's 2010-11 schedule

2010-08-11T04:38:12Z

More photos » Doug Benc - Getty Images

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Now that the Heat schedule is finally out, there is really nothing else to look forward to until training camp. Considering everything that has gone on in the last five weeks, I think we (as Heat fans) can handle some down time. Since we do have the schedule to look over, I want to highlight some of the games that stick out to me.

Road and Home openers- at Boston (10/26) and vs. Orlando (10/29). These two opponents are as tough as the Heat will get when talking about Eastern Conference matchups. The season opener in Boston will have plenty of hype, so much so that the former Heat O'Neals playing for the green team will probably not get a ton of attention.

The home opener against Orlando will hopefully be the beginning of a fierce cross-state and division rivalry. The Magic could very well end up being the Heat's best competition in the Eastern Conference.

Tuesday November 2^nd, Minnesota @ Miami- Michael Beasley makes his return to South Florida for the Heat's second home game of the season. It's the only reason this game has any interest because the Heat should wipe the floor with teams like Minnesota.

Saturday November 6^th-Friday November 19^th- Miami's first extended home stand. During that 13-day stretch the Heat will play six home games. New Jersey, Utah, Boston, Toronto, Phoenix and Charlotte come to the AAA.

Saturday November 27^th- Heat @ Dallas. Coming on the 2^nd night of a back-to-back, this could end up being the Heat's first real road test of the season. Also, some optimists would say that this is the first legitimate opportunity for the Heat to lose a game.

Thursday December 2^nd- Heat @ Cleveland. LeBron's first return to Cleveland. Nuff' said.

Friday November 17^th- Heat @ New York. Miami's first visit to Madison Square Garden. Should be interesting to see how the fans react to LeBron and how much of a fight the Knicks put up. I'd love to see this rivalry renewed.

Saturday December 25^th- Heat @ Lakers. Another ‘Nuff said' game as the Heat travel to L.A. to play the Lakers on Christmas Day, in a matchup many think will be a preview of the NBA Finals.

Friday January 7^th- Saturday January 15^th- First extended road trip. Miami will travel to Milwaukee, Portland, Los Angeles (for the Clippers), Denver and Chicago. It will be a very tough trip, and ending it in Chicago for the Heat's first visit to D-Wade's hometown won't be pretty.

The 2^nd half of the season doesn't have much to get excited about at this time, but things can change significantly once the season begins and we see which teams are better then we thought. It's easy to go through the schedule and pick out a bunch of wins, but try this...

Find the game you think will be the Heat's first loss. Whether you think it will be right at the beginning against Boston or Orlando, or much later like when they visit Dallas at the end of November, its something cool to think about.

Heat's 2010-11 schedule released

2010-08-11T00:50:14Z

Heat's 2010-11 schedule released

Meant to get this posted sooner but it's been a busy day. I'm sure many of you have already seen it, but here is the link in case you haven't.

Jeff Van Gundy has high hopes for the Heat

2010-08-10T05:05:06Z

More photos » Scott Clarke - AP

The next time Jeff is sitting in front of that backdrop he'll be preparing a nice 'I told you so' speech

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We're less then two months away from training camp, and hopefully now that football season is upon us the time will go by even quicker. Well, that's assuming you guys are as psychotically into football as I am...so if you aren't, my bad. PS- Go Dolphins.

Getting back to basketball, the biggest Heat news out there right now is from former NBA coach and current ESPN/ABC analyst Jeff Van Gundy. My best memory of Jeff is him on the floor hanging on to Alonzo Mourning's leg during one of the awesome playoff fights between the Heat and Knicks back in the 90's. That is one of the positives of the Knicks getting better, the renewal of a great but forgotten NBA rivalry.

It started out with comments he made to the Miami Herald, saying that the Heat had a "legit shot" to break the 72-win record set by the Chicago Bulls in 1995-96. Then yesterday he appeared on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000 in Chicago and elaborated on that claim.

"I would think that everybody would think they would have a great shot at it. I don't know if I said they will or they have a great chance, whatever I said, I just think if they're healthy, the discrepancy between their talent level and the next level is so great, that I just don't see how they lose games. I think they're that good."

The first question that pops in my mind is whether or not he's being more optimistic or realistic. Trying to be as un-bias as possible, it's very easy to believe that if the Heat stay healthy then they would win 70ish games. Maybe more. This is an amazing collection of talent that will be near impossible to stop on offense. And what about defense? Van Gundy addressed that too...

"Erik Spoelstra is a heck of a coach, so they're going to be motivated to play well defensively, which is about coaching, and offensively they're going to be an absolute nightmare to deal with. If LeBron James can win 66 games in the regular season with the guys he played with, who I think are better than people have given them credit for in Cleveland, then I think you add Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Mike Miller, it's not a stretch to say they can win six more."

The point he makes about LeBron in Cleveland is so true. And that is no knock on the Cavs players because they were pretty damn good, and have been good for several years. Mo Williams doesn't get the credit he deserves as one of the better point guards in the league, and I feel like Antawn Jamison and Anderson Varejao fly way under the radar considering how good they are.

However, their roster pales in comparison to the one the Heat now has. Pretty much every roster in the NBA comes up short to ours, and that is before guys like Mario Chalmers and Joel Anthony benefit off of the talent on the players around them. Unfortunately it's just going to be the norm that people are going to constantly be hating on the Heat. Just because it's a popular topic doesn't mean it should be bought in to, and JVG acknowledged that as well.

"I think people are trying to pick on Miami right now instead of opening their eyes to just how great they are. There are going to be no chemistry issues. Wade and James are unselfish players. That doesn't mean if they win a championship it's a great accomplishment either, because they're so much better than everybody. But to discount just how good they are, I think people are making a mistake."

While I like how he takes it to another level, saying the Heat are so good that winning a title isn't a great accomplishment. I think it's a pretty big deal, and I think that when the Bulls were winning their 6 titles in the 90's, each and every one was a big deal to them.

I realize that this is just one guy and Jeff Van Gundy is no NBA guru but it's nice to hear some positivity and (whether or not you want to admit it), realism coming from a very public basketball figure. Or maybe he's just trying to piss his brother off. Either way...considering all the b-s I've been reading lately, this was a pleasant little surprise.

FYI- The NBA will release full team schedules sometime today, so keep your eyes open for that because I'm sure there will be 'leaks' of schedules leading up to the official release. I'll leave you with this video, which is totally unrelated to the story you just read. Another random and funny thing sent to me from Snoop97Dawg...enjoy.