With all the talk about the league becoming younger and faster, the fact is that the veteran, smart and crafty clubs are the ones winning the rings. Miami, SA, Detroit and the Lakers all did not have youth but had smart players who knew their roles and could execute, which are traits rare and too precious found in young players. With that said, Houston has two superstars it can build around. What it needs is that third solid scorer, such as a Ginobili or Antoine Walker-type of contributors. That player will not be found in this year's draft; this year's draft selection will likely be the 8th or 9th man in the rotation for the next 2 years or so. With that said, we should keep our draft pick and save Stro and Luther (if we decide he's trade bait) and offer some sign-and-trade package for Bonzi Wells, who I feel would be an adequate third clog on this team. Now, we'd still have some young guns if we need to hang with Phoenix or Dallas due to our draft picks (maybe Marcus Williams and Pittsnogle) so that wouldn't be an issue. But considering that, now, the Heat are the championship model, we'd look like this: Shaq-Yao TMac-Wade Wells-Walker Williams-Alston Haslem-Howard Mourning-Deke Add in some able role players such as whoever we decide to draft and, say, we re-sign Bogans, and that would be a capable team. My point is that until Yao and TMac are clearly long gone and unable to be the centerpieces of this club, we will always and should be a halfcourt club focused on defense. Therefore it's more essential, at this point, to pickup veteran pieces than young players who need time to develop and who will have to take years just to earn Van Gundy's trust.
the funny thing is that I can see the comparison with the major players, but the only two I see a big drop off is: Haslem-Howard Mourning-Deke Haslem is 10x the player Howard is. Haslem does the things Howard doesn't and championship caliber teams NEED. Howard thinks he's a star. Haslem knows he has to hustle, grab boards and knock down open jump shots. And Mourning is a GREAT backup center. Deke was very good in 2004-05, but not this past season.
Honestly... I'd love any of the three... In the last few weeks I think those three guys are too good in different ways... I believe Brandon Roy is a kid everyone wants. A great basketball player, can play PG and one thing they played at Washington was D, period. I see Carney as someone that can learn from another athletic player in TMac. He would only get better and better with someone to learn from like TMac. Same can be said for Brewer. I think he's a Scottie Pippen type player. He's not a deadly 3pt shooter(neither was Pippen) but he can handle the ball, play D and is athletic enough to help. I don't like how other mock drafts have us taking a 6'3 SG. WHY? Don't we have enough of those?
I think you missed one of the biggest pieces of the Heat...Posey? He did not start but was huge in their run in the finals...he reminded me of what Horry did for us, played D and hit some 3's.
