Things Are Heating Up in Miami: Reviewing the Supporting Cast

With the whole league seemingly fixated on whether or not Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh can co-exist, Pat Riley has been busy trying to recruit players to surround the Big Three.

This all started with Wade, LeBron and Bosh taking a paycut on their contracts. Instead of making 120 million plus over six years, LeBron and Bosh will earn 110 million, and D. Wade will earn 107.

It seems as though unselfishness, both on and off the court, is the key for success for Miami this season.

This was the first domino to fall.

By the Big Three taking a paycut, the Heat had saved cap-room to split between three-point specialist Mike Miller and, in my view, the heart and soul of the Miami Heat, Udonis Haslem.

Mike Miller, a former Rookie of the Year and 6th man of the Year, is the perfect addition to this team. He is extremely effective on offense: he can shoot the ball well, can put it on the floor and drive to the rim, and most importantly, he is a willing passer.

Udonis Haslem is the only remaining player from the '06 championship team, along with Dwyane Wade. A Co-Captain with the team last year, Haslem is the ultimate workhouse. He led the league in double-doubles off the bench last season. He plays his heart out every time he plays.

It just wouldn't be right to have this superteam without him.

The addition of Big Z surprised me completely. While it is only fair for Z to be chasing rings at his current age, I was not expecting him to sign with Miami. Oh, how the Cleveland fans will hate us now.

While getting on in age, Z is a big body in the paint, which is exactly what we need. He'll also create space in the middle for Wade, James and Bosh to operate, as opposing teams need to respect Z's mid-range game.

A big flaw in this team lies in the fact that Bosh, while agreat player, isn't too flash on defense. Defensive minded bigs are needed in this team.

So the next four additions for Miami adressed this problem. Let me list them off for you: Jamaal Magloire, Joel Anthony, Dexter Pittman and Juwan Howard.

An interesting mix of the young and old. Joel Anthony is a straight up beast. Standing at 6'9, he is severly undersized. But, don't let mislead you. Per 48 minutes, Joel ranked in the top 10 for blocks. He does not take no for an answer, and is an immediate impact player on defense. Offensively, he is not solid (at all) but, who needs to be when you play with the new Big 3?

Next we have Dexter Pittman, Miami's only signed rookie. And what a team to join. Dexter is a big boy, in all senses of the word. Tipping the scales at acuddly 310 pounds, Dexter has some potential. With a 7'6 wingspan, Pittman has one of the most unique frames I have ever seen in the NBA. Interesting to see how Coach Spo uses him this season.

Now we enter therealms of the experienced.

While Juwan Howard is far past his prime, he can still play. He was a crucial member of the Portland Trail Blazers last year, after their roster was brutally attacked by injury after injury. He has shown in the past he will do anything the team requires from him, something that Pat Riley loves.

Jamaal Magloire won't see much playing time this season. But, when he does, he certainly makes the most of it. Hegoes after every rebound, managing to take down 3.4 rebounds in 10 minutes. It is hustle and energy players who sacrifice minutes like this who make championship teams.

Miami then turned its sights towards another quality shooter in James Jones, who was bought out by Miami earlier, then resigned, at a loss of about four million dollars. That there, is one hell of a sacrifice. Oh, and being a 40 percent career shooter from downtown is handy aswell.

And last but not least, we have Carlos Arroyo, Miami's starting point guard from last season. Whether he keeps this role or not is debateable. With Chalmers entering his third season, it is quite possible to see him re-take the reigns of the team. Or, we could see LeMagic James run the point, which would mean Mike Miller starts at small forward.

Many questioned the success of this team on how the supporting cast was filled. Many believed that the Heat would be picked apart against teams with depth like the Celtics, Lakers and Magic.

I think it is safe to say that, once again, Pat Riley has silenced his critics.