Miami Heat: The Center of Attention

Newsflash! The Miami Heat need to rebuild! Oh wait, you already knew that?

The Heat and many other teams will be in hot pursuit of a center this offseason. Pat Reilly came out and stated that it is very important that they add a center to start fixing the problem that the Miami Heat have.

That problem is?  Everything. 

But let's start with the center position. This is what the Heat have. They have Mark Blount, who in Reilly's words "is a backup center who has proven he can start." I disagree, Mark is a backup center who is actually a backup center. He has issues rebounding, he plays below average defense, and really does not have an inside game. I actually like him more as a power forward when you have a dominating center in the game. Blount stretches the floor out in the half-court game and gets the big guys away from the basket. He can shoot, which is great, but he is not Rasheed Wallace.

Alonzo Mourning is the wild card. He is contemplating a return. He told the fans at a game last week that he was four weeks ahead of schedule for returning from his injury.  Whether he comes back or not, he will be only be a backup, and a 20-minute guy like he has been the past couple years.

So again, this leaves the Heat with a void to fill at center. Earl Barron is the last wild card, and Shaq once said he was mini-Shaq. Well that doesn't look like it is going to pan out.

The Heat have two options. One, they can do something with that draft pick which should be the number one or number two. Two, they can try to sign someone or make a sign and trade.

The first scenario is almost too ridiculous to even discuss. If they somehow do not land the first or second pick, which would turn into Beasley or Rose, then trading may actually be a good option. They could trade the pick and package in Mark Blount to land a center or just clear space. Another trade piece could be Udonis Haslem (especially if they draft Beasley). 

Some centers who would then be available to sign if a trade could not be pulled off would be: San An's Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto, Memphis' Kwame Brown, New Jersey's DeSagana Diop, Houston's Dikembe Mutombo, Seattle's Francisco Elson, Toronto's Primoz Brezec, and Sacramento's Lorenzen Wright.

Stromile Swift could also be an option, he has a player option much like Shawn Marions.  There are also a couple restricted free agents, that if Shawn Marion Opts out, the Heat could offer more than the player's current team. Emeka Okafor, Golden State's Andris Biedrins, and New Jersey's Nenad Krstic are the three names that would fit this bill.

The other options would be a sign and trade, but that may not be realistic because the current teams would like to see these guys stick around.

A lot of this all depends on Shawn Marion. Will he come back? If he does, then they do not have much money to work with. If he opts out, (he is crazy) but that would benefit the Heat and they would have the most money under the cap in the whole league.

The best bet for Miami would be to offer him a long-term contract and see if they can get him to take less money this year, but more over all in the long run. He probably knows that the market is not too beneficial for free agents this year, and that he will not make more than $17.9 million if he explores free agency. He is a great piece to build around, but it may be tough to rebuild if he sticks around.

What other options do they have? Well there are some players who may be available in a trade. Eddy Curry, Brad Miller, Jermaine O'Neal, and Tyrus Thomas may be available. I am not big on any of these guys. Curry is having a solid year and may good enough if he is available. Thomas may be the odd man out with Noah being favored by the Bulls. I know he is a power forward, but he may be decent in the East to contribute as a big man. 

After the Heat draft and find a center, they can resign Jason Williams and Dorrell Wright. That would leave the Heat with a starting lineup of the incoming center, Beasley, Marion, Wade, and Jason Williams/Marcus Banks/ or a free-agent signing. This lineup would be fast and we see in the Sixers how a fast lineup can be effective. 

Needless to say change is very important. Pat Reilly needs to bring in guys who want to win and have the right mindset. This Heat team has been beaten and battered. Getting away from the losing mentality is the first step the team must take.