Chris Bosh Talks Heat

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While Heat fans have become infatuated, obsessed even, with the LeBron-Bosh-Wade pipe dream, one of those stars recently spoke about the likelihood of bringing his game to South Beach this summer.

Superstar power forward Chris Bosh mentioned on Saturday that Miami is in prime contention to land this services.

“Miami is in top contention,” Bosh said at DJ Irie’s charity golf tournament in Miami. “With the money they have, the cap space they have, the rights on Dwyane [Wade], him possibly staying. And just having a good organization; they are known as a first-class organization.”

When asked about whether he would be willing to play center next year, his stance was firm. “The thing I said when I came into free agency is I’m going to be a forward,” Bosh said. “I’m going to play my natural position.”

So if the Heat are serious about tying up the five-time all star’s services, they will need to make some other moves as well.

Acquiring a high-end center in this year’s market is not going to come on the cheap. Supply will not come close to meeting the demand this summer.

There are a ton of teams with the cap space to splurge this summer and only a limited number of premier players to be had.

The second-tier players, in any other summer, could be had for much less. Because not every team looking to spend is going to land their James, Wade, or Bosh, guys like Brendan Haywood and Tyson Chandler (early termination option on his final year) will get overpaid.

Center Dexter Pittman could turn out to be a nice selection in the draft on Thursday, but he’s far from a finished product.

Some potential fits at center in free agency include

Haywood, Chandler, Joel Pryzbilla, and Brad Miller. All are unrestricted free agents except for Chandler, who is thinking about opting out of his contract.

Chandler and Haywood might be the biggest names of that group, but they won’t come on the cheap and both will command a contract starting in the $8-12 million range.

Assuming Miami is able to sign Wade and a power forward like Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, or Carlos Boozer, which is a fair assumption, they still would have gaping holes at point guard and small forward.

The smarter move would be to sign a guy like Pryzbilla, an experienced 7-footer who can block shots and score at an efficient rate. He’s still reasonably young at 30 and can be had at a starting salary in the $3-6 million range. Then the Heat could use their remaining assets (Cash, Beasley) to acquire a starting point guard, small forward, and still retain some of their own guys.

Call me insane, but I think Pat Riley’s No. 1 target is Bosh, not LeBron James. If Riley can step in and immediately woo Bosh in the first hour of free agency while everyone else has their sights set on James, maybe he can lock up his franchise cornerstones (Wade, Bosh) right from the get-go.

While the thought of LeBron and Wade running the floor together might fire up your nerves and make your palms sweat, the more realistic tandem of Bosh and Wade could very well end up being the move.

Come back on Monday for the Miami Heat Free Agency Preview.

Found on MIASPORTSGUY.COM