Heat maneuvering could net Mike Miller, keep Haslem

It seems crazy thet the Cavs would even answer a phone call from the Heat. The players they could possibly get back in a sign-and-trade wouldn't be as good as what they could sign with the MLE. It wouldn't make sense to help LeBron or the Heat out with such a deal. Without a SnT, the Heat roster would probably resemble something like this:

Dwyane Wade G
LeBron James F
Chris Bosh F
Ben Wallace C
Mike Miller F
Jason Williams G
Keyon Dooling G
Devean George F
Jarvis Hayes F
Jarvis Varnado F
Flip Murray G
Mario Chalmers G
Da'Sean Butler F
Etan Thomas F
Dexter Pittman C

And that is probably the high end of what they can expect. That is a beatable team in the regular season, and one that would get rolled in the playoffs. After the public humiliation that obviously involved tampering by Riley and the Heat, I don't see how they could even entertain this for a second.

 

You have got to be kidding. Take a look at the team that Lebron (a worse Lebron, mind you) took to the Finals a few years back and compare to the one you just posted.

Lebron + Wade + a bunch of scrubs is a 2nd round lock, probably an ECF favorite. Add Bosh + Miller and they are the favorites to at least make the Finals. Fill that out with some good vets looking for a title and/or Heat loyalists like Haslem and this is going to be one of the best teams ever.

 

You think that team above is better than the Celtics? Or the Bulls? Or Orlando? Role players are guys that fit a need for the team and do their job well. A bunch of washed-up/never-was filler is not the same as a role player.

If guys like Haslem are willing to take the minimum when they could get around the MLE, then more power to them trying to get their ring. I just don't think there will be many willing to take that kind of cut if they really have something to offer another team.

 

Well I heard the Cavs press conference today and someone (their GM I guess) was saying they are now open to doing whatever is best for the team (he was asked about a S&T possibility).

 

I thought I heard that JO already signed with Boston.

 

Dude I remember him too. He was freakin fat. He would be the last one down the court. Catch the ball in the post. Spin while wiping all his fat and sweat on the post defender and dunking the ball. It was kind of funny actually.

Im happy for him though. He worked hard to get where he is.

 

Also, can't they just send the Cavs a huge TE and a future pick?

 

Yes, I think Lebron+Wade+Bosh+Miller+any four guys is better than any team in the East and competitive with the Lakers. Role players aren't that hard to come by-- they look great because of superstars. Look at a guy like James Posey who was picked up by the C's after they got their big three. That's a classic example of a guy who looked better than he was. Look at Fox and Shaw and Fisher when the Lakers had Kobe & Shaq. There are tons of these types of guys. Believe me, whoever joins this Heat team is going to suddenly become a baller. Even a scrub like Brian Cook would look good with zero coverage.

 

Hmm.. I think they can. But the huge TE is pretty useless for the Cavs, who can have $13 mil of cap space if Lebron leaves. They can get a low 1st round pick, but these are of fairly insignificant value (unless Darly Morey is drafting).

Edit:

Here's what Larry Coon said:

And here's the rule governing this maneuver, I think:
http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#Q20

 

You are naming a bunch of guys who were getting paid in the $5-7M range because they were good at something. That is a list of guys who are too slow, out of shape, old, unskilled, or for whatever reason cannot get more than the minimum from other teams.

I agree that role players are pretty easy to come by, but not when you have zero cap room. I would say the best way for the Heat to help their team would be to not help the Heat keep decent role players like Haslem and Richardson. Working with them at this point feels disrespectful to the Cavs fans.

And Brian Cook is off the board for $2.5M. As long as the Cavs don't help them out with a sign and trade, the Heat couldn't even afford utter trash like Brian F'ing Cook!

 

Re: Brian Cook, that's exactly my point. He was signed for essentially the vet min (2.5M over two years). Aside from players taking pay cuts to win a championship (either before retiring or to give them more credibility in free agency.. there are always a few), this is what the vet min gets you. Cookie is a scrub but he is serviceable on a team of superstars because he won't be guarded. Expect Miami to pickup at least one or two guys like this, eg, Steve Novak.

 

Just heard Mike Miller was close to signing with Lakers. Good D by LA

 

If the Cavs take the huge trade exception, they would also still have the MLE and LLE.

Dan Gilbert should probably do the smart thing and get something out of this catastrophe. He's already saved face in the city of Cleveland with his awesome open letter. He's not going to be killed for doing a S&T, especially if the Cavs end up making a trade later for a useful player with that TPE.

 

The Heat currently have two swingmen and a PF that will be getting the vast majority of PT at their positions. All that aticle mentioned were a bunch of swingmen and a PF they can acquire. Not the most effective method of team-building.

 

Good point about the MLE/LLE. I think, however, that Larry Coon's tweet and FAQ suggest that CLE would have to take back substantial salary from MIA for the deal achieve the purpose that MIA wants it to achieve (i.e. allow MIA to get MLE/LLE and the Bird exceptions on its own FAs). Gotta think through how exactly the math works for each team.

 

Won't happen, I see no benefit in Cleveland making deals to facilitate Lebron's championship run. This is just wishful thinking thrown out by Pat Riley so he can steal lunch from guys like Kahn and Wallace. Just watch these morons will gift-wrap a few role-players for the Heat and go duck their faces under a rock.

 

I'm still lost. What does Miami have to gain and what do they have to give? I don't see how they can give up any players. How will this give them more cap space to sign other guys, or will it just throw them over the cap and allow them to use the MLE and LLE?

 

Where did you hear this?