Now that LeBronapalooza is over it's going to be VERY interesting to see two things:- How the Cavaliers shape their roster.
- How the Miami Heat fill their roster with 3 guys who should be getting max contract money.
LeWosh (LeBron + Wade + Bosh) should all be getting maximum salaries this year. But if they want to have a real shot at winning a championship, they'll ALL take salary cuts to enable the team to sign better players via free agency. There's a good amount of talent floating around via free agency this summer outside of the players we've all been hearing about over the past few months. If LeWosh really want to take this team to the promised land next season and for a couple seasons after that, they'll take pay cuts knowing that any money they lose in NBA contract money they will MORE THAN make up for via endorsements outside of basketball. I actually believe they could make a couple million dollars just off club appearances in South Florida alone.
All of what you're about to read is my guess at what the Heat could do with LeWosh's contracts and the available free agents right now to have a decent team for next season. I repeat, NEXT SEASON, not the next 2 or 3 seasons.
DISCLAIMER: I don't know exactly how much of a pay cut LeWosh would have to take in order for this to work but I know that this is a possibility.
Step 1: They ask all 3 stars to take a multi-million dollar pay cut this year. Maybe $5 million each, thereby freeing up $15 million to sign other solid players.
Step 2: I hate Duke and I can't stand this particular guy but...Pick up a shooter (JJ Reddick) at 2.8 million (he's already in Florida and he can come off the bench as sharp shooter when needed). That was really tough to suggest, some of you all will understand.
Step 3: Pick up a center (Ben Wallace) at $850K (defensively he may still be serviceable for a seson...maybe). The point is that they DON'T don't need an offensive center, just one that plays defense. Keep in mind they'll also have the Varnardo kid from Mississippi state who is a great shot blocker as insurance.
Step 4: Pick up Juwan Howard at $830K (I know what you're thinking, "He's still playing basketball?" Yes! He is, and he had a decent year last year, has a smart basketball IQ and could play a solid role for this team coming off the bench.)
Step 5: Make sure they sign DeSean Butler (solid back-up at the 2 and maybe even 3 depending on match-ups) and Dexter Pittman (a "project" type of Center like Bynum was/still is). Signing Varnado is also a part of this step as well. If I were the Heat GM I'd consider trading the rights to Pittman to another team that can provide a solid 3 that's a good role player (Matt Barnes anyone? He's out there with a $1.6 million dollar price tag).
If they took these five steps they'd have the following:
Starting 5: Chalmers, Wade, Bron, Bosh, Ben Wallace as starting five. Minus Ben Wallace this is a pretty friggin' good starting five. Especially if Chalmers has a Rondo-type of improvement over the next couple seasons.
Bench: Reddick (SG), Howard (PF), Butler (SG/SF), Varnado (C), Pittman (C)/Barnes (SG/SF). What they would be in dire need of would be a decent backup PG (dare I say Derek Fisher?) off the bench. Derek Fisher would actually be a REALLY good pick-up to instill some veteran leadership with a group of back-ups like this and to support LeWosh the same way he supported Kobe.
Again, this is just my $0.02. I'm not exactly sure how the money/contracts would have to work in order to facilitate all this but I think it makes sense and would give them a decent shot to at least make it to the Finals next season and still have some decent young players to keep around for another year or two if they want.
6 comments:
i tried to read this and i couldn't get through it...CLEARLY its very detailed and sports lingo all that stuff that i don't get....but i really wanted to try...adult ADD set in and it was over
BUT
on a side note i really enjoy your new profile pic...full of personality...that's my .02 cents
Merci.
I was with you until you said take a 5 mil pay cut a piece. As the crooked politician from the Wire would say...shhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiii! I can see 3 Live Crew taking a 1-2 mil pay cut a piece but not 5. I would smack Riley if he asked me to take a 5 mil pay cut!! On the flip side tho, your probably right on as to what it will take to win a championship. James and Wade might be willing to take that pay cut...but I can see Bosh saying "ohh hell nah". Bosh isn't as marketable as Wade and Bosh. How many chicks would show up at a party if they announced Chris Bosh would be there?? There are probalby people who didn't even know who Bosh was before he signed with the Heat. On another note, the poor Wizards will be last place in the divison...AGAIN!
LOL at you was with me until 5 million. Well, that's what the reality is if they really want to sign some good players. Or at least that's how I interpreted it from what they were saying on ESPN.
It looks like Bosh and Bron took 6 years $110 million and Wade took 6 years at $107 million. They did NOT disclose however, how much they'd all make yearly, which is the real question. I'd be interested in seeing who's making what the first year to see how much money they have free to spend. They made Fisher an offer already which I'm assuming has to be a couple million for next year but who knows.
Also, I really don't think $5 million is that much to a cat like LeBron who made $90 million off a Nike endorsement before he even played an NBA. When you're in the hundred million dollar range in terms of money you bring in, I don't think $5 million is that bad to lose, especially when he can easily make that up in endorsement deals in a spendthrift market like Miami. Just don't do them bama azz Eastern Motors style commercials lol.
And I agree with what you said about Bosh, he isn't as marketable...YET! Once he averages a double-double with Bron and D Wade he'll be thrust into superstardom in the commercial sense. His time is coming (to be really famous) and I think that's what he wants and also a reason why he wanted out of Toronto.
The Wizards are gonna stink but they'll be fun to watch with John Wall, McGee, and gunnin-azz Arenas, lol.
Umm...why do you HATE Duke?
What is going on with us not seeing eye to eye on this sports thing??
LOL! I have to laugh at myself for picking that out of all the analysis you had in this post. My bad, but that's my team.
Either way, I agree with the other comment from Earl. The big 3 are too greedy, and in the end, their paycut will be 2-3 mil at best. Now that they have Mike Miller, I suppose all they need is a solid center to let the circus begin. It will be interesting either way.
I hate Duke b/c I'm a Marylander (or DMV-er rather).
If you take away the player names and focus on the roles that each of the guys I mentioned would play I think you'll see that they're doing pretty much what I said. They even made a run at Fisher and Mike Miller is pretty much JJ Reddick but taller.
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