Heat Rumors: How Andray Blatche Would Shake Up Defending Champions' Rotation

Rob Carr/Getty Images

The Miami Heat may not be done making moves quite yet. Recent amnesty victim Andray Blatche could be heading to South Beach. 

According to ESPN's Marc Stein, the Heat are one of the teams interested in acquiring the head case of a power forward: 

Free-agent rumble that just dribbled across the pond: Heat & Spurs among teams to express exploratory interest in free agent Andray Blatche

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) August 4, 2012

Using Rotoworld's NBA depth charts as a guideline, let's take a look at how the positional rotations would look with Blatche on the roster. 

Point Guard

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Starter: Mario Chalmers

Primary Backup: Norris Cole

 

Andray Blatche wouldn't really affect the point guard rotation much at all. 

Mario Chalmers remains the starter at the position, with Norris Cole serving as the primary backup. Nothing has changed here since the last season ended. 

While LeBron James may serve as the de facto point guard at times, Chalmers and Cole are still entrenched as the top two options on the depth chart. 

Shooting Guard

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Starter: Dwyane Wade

Primary Backup: Ray Allen

Others: James Jones and Mike Miller

 

Dwyane Wade will continue to serve as the starting shooting guard for the defending champions, but a new backup is in place. 

Once with the Boston Celtics, Ray Allen is going to be the primary backup and should become the first man off the bench as he brings his talents from long-range to South Beach. 

The sharpshooters continue to fill up the depth chart, and they would remain unaffected by the potential acquisition of Andray Blatche. 

Small Forward

Marc Serota/Getty Images

Starter: Shane Battier

Primary Backup: Rashard Lewis

 

Rashard Lewis has been the other big acquisition for the Miami Heat so far during the offseason, and he'll serve as the primary backup to Shane Battier. 

This position has an intriguing blend of defense (Battier) and offense (Lewis). The minutes could be split fairly evenly if Lewis can return to his old form. 

Andray Blatche could affect this one rather significantly, though. If he becomes the player so many once expected, he could force his way into the starting lineup and allow LeBron James to shift over into the starting small forward role. 

Power Forward

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Power Forward: LeBron James

Primary Backup: Udonis Haslem

Other: Andray Blatche

 

The way the Miami Heat roster is currently set up would force LeBron James to shift to power forward, which wouldn't be a bad thing given his recent postgame improvements. 

At first, Udonis Haslem is going to fill the primary backup role, but that spot is up for the taking as Haslem continues to get older. 

Andray Blatche would begin the season entrenched on the Miami bench, but he could work his way up and eventually become the starting power forward if he got his head screwed on straight. 

I'm not suggesting that Blatche could take the job from James, rather that he could play well enough to enable James to switch back to small forward. 

Center

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Starter: Chris Bosh

Primary Backup: Joel Anthony

Others: Dexter Pittman and Justin Hamilton

 

Chris Bosh might not be a traditional center, but he's currently listed as the starting big man for the Miami Heat. 

Joel Anthony (no thanks) is listed as the primary backup, with Dexter Pittman (even more no thanks) and Justin Hamilton (no thanks) as the other options off the bench. 

Bosh will play the vast majority of the minutes and the Heat will go small-ball with the rest of them. There's also a chance that Andray Blatche could occasionally get some run here.