http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/...14sep14,0,7083973.story?coll=sfla-sports-heat Heat, Laettner reach deal By Ira Winderman Staff Writer Posted September 14 2004 The Heat has reached an agreement in principle with free-agent power forward Christian Laettner. Unsettled in its power rotation after trading Lamar Odom and Brian Grant, as well as Caron Butler, to the Lakers in July for Shaquille O'Neal, the Heat will be adding a 35-year-old known more for passing and shooting than physical inside play. Shuffled to the end of the Wizards' rotation at the end of last season after he was suspended five games for a violation of the league's substance-abuse policy, the former Duke standout and Olympian twice found himself as trade fodder this summer. He first was part of the deal with Dallas that delivered Antawn Jamison to Washington and then was in the trade with the Warriors that landed Erick Dampier with the Mavericks. With the Heat having split its $4.9 million midlevel salary-cap exception between center Michael Doleac and guard Damon Jones, and with the team having used its $1.6 million exception on swingman Wesley Person, it was limited to the $1.1 million veteran's minimum for Laettner. A former All-Star, Laettner is due $6.2 million this season from the Warriors, who waived him last week. Limited somewhat by back pain, he is still viewed as a solid 20-minute contributor. The arrival of Laettner, who is expected to sign this week, leaves coach Stan Van Gundy with a deep power rotation but also with one that does not include a proven post defender to take some of the inside burden off O'Neal. Besides O'Neal, Laettner and Doleac, the Heat's power rotation also includes center Wang Zhi-Zhi, Udonis Haslem, a part-time starter last season at power forward, as well as Malik Allen, the team's 2002-03 starter at power forward. Factoring in the ability of 6-foot-10 second-round pick Matt Freije to play as an outside-shooting power forward, it likely means 2003 second-round pick Jerome Beasley will have to display a significant perimeter upgrade to remain on the roster.
I'm too lazy and it's late but someone please post Miami's depth chart. Gotta see how we'll match up in the finals.
Strange, it never dawned on me that Stan has the number 1 center, and Jeff has the number 2 center. I wonder if they've talked at all about it. Hmm, I bet Stan is saying "my center is better than yours!" Jeff comes back with, "at least I have the better China man (Yao over Wang)." Pugs
Well I was trying compare similarities that the brothers have on their teams. Obviously I'd prefer the Rockets over the Heat because of T-Mac. Pugs
Miami's roster: Shaq /Doleac/ZhiZhi Haslem /Laetner/Allen/Freije/Beasley R Butler /(Jones) Jones /Person/(Wade)/Wright Wade /Dooling I don't think we'll see a greater +/- (playing/sitting pt differential) than Shaq on this team. Evan
heat wont make it to finals, i think they r overrated, and besides that imo rockets would sweep the heat no answer for tmac
Maybe not finals, but I am pretty close to pencilling them in the EC finals versus Detriot. They have a pretty good staple of guards and swingmen plus Shaq, that goes along way. I think the line up will be: Shaq Doleac Laettner Zhizhi Haslem Laettner Allen Beasley(?) Freije(?) E. Jones R.Butler Wade Person D. Jones Dooling There one glaring weak spot is at the 4--I assume Laettner or Haslem or Allen will compete to start, I expect one of the latter two to have a defense and rebounding oriented PF along side Shaq. Laettner does seem kind of an off signing seeing they have Doleac and Zhizhi already, but doesn't hurt them I guess. If Shaq could get Karl Malone to sign, then I might pencil them in the WC finals.
