NBA Rumors: Do the Miami Heat Need Mike Bibby and Troy Murphy?

After suffering an embarrassing home loss on Sunday night to the new-look New York Knicks, the Miami Heat potentially find themselves in the midst of a significant roster change.

The candidates for addition? Veterans Mike Bibby and Troy Murphy.

Anxiety on South Beach didn't set up camp over night; it's been slowly snowballing over the past few weeks. Just when it appeared all was right with the Heat, just when it seemed head coach Erik Spoelstra's message of "trust" had finally gotten through, the chemistry of the players essentially took a step backwards.

The Bulls are suddenly just one game behind the Heat in the standings. The Knicks, not Miami, look like the team with the best potential chemistry. The powerful Heat offense has grown stagnant against the elite teams in the league, and no one has emerged as a promising late-game option.

The only thing left to do in Miami? Panic.

Which is exactly what's going on in South Florida at the moment. Pat Riley, the Heat organization and the fans felt confident going into the break.

No moves needed to be made; there was no sense of urgency.

There was talk of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade wanting to come out and make a statement in the second half of the season to prove to all that the Heat are a legitimate contender, as well as gear up for the playoffs looming in the distance.

Now, just two weeks later, we find ourselves hearing that Mike Bibby and Troy Murphy are very possible new additions to the star-studded Miami lineup.

Bibby would certainly be an asset, as the veteran point guard has an impressive past and without a doubt brings more to the table than current point guards Mario Chalmers and Carlos Arroyo.

However, everyone talks about how badly the Heat need someone more qualified to run the point, but what's someone like Bibby going to do for the team if James continually is the one directing traffic in the half-court offense?

In order for Bibby to be worth it for Miami, LeBron must learn to play off the ball. Otherwise, Bibby is virtually worthless, especially since he doesn't have much to offer on the defensive end.

As for Murphy, he also would be a huge new weapon for this struggling Heat team. With Udonis Haslem still injured, Miami has been thin at the power forward spot all year. Having a real rebounding and scoring threat with range like Murphy's would bolster the Heat bench enormously.

If the Heat were able to successfully acquire both veterans, it would mean two current players would need to be cut. The general consensus of who those might be? Carlos Arroyo and Jamaal Magloire.

So, the question is, do the Heat truly need Mike Bibby and Troy Murphy? I don't necessarily know, and I don't think anyone can answer that question.

Would they help? Absolutely, no question about it. But are they a necessity? That's a whole different issue.

It may sound cliche, probably because it is, but in a league like the NBA the regular season does not matter for teams like the Miami Heat.

All that matters is that, come playoff time, your guys are ready to go and give your team the best shot at winning it all.

At that point everything and anything is possible; that's the beauty of the game.

Heat fans must also take comfort in the fact that Haslem has been absent for basically the entire season, which is something it appears many have forgotten. He will be huge for this team when he takes the floor and is ready to contribute once again.

The bench will improve, the mentality of the locker room will get tougher, and the defense down low will get a boost.

Regardless, talk such as this are always exciting to think about. Fans will always be intrigued at the possibility of adding a new face to their team, especially if it's someone with a big name like Mike Bibby.

Just understand that it won't be like a light switch went off.

Even if the moves are made, the roster is still not complete. Riley put a two-year plan in place for this team for a reason. A younger, more well-rounded center is still an absolute necessity for Miami to pick up this offseason.

Murphy would be huge for the bench, but the Heat will still need to reflect come the end of the year, whenever that may be, on whether or not their bench play has been consistent enough.

Also, fans must remember the 2006 Heat championship team. Everyone seems to have already forgotten, but that team had extreme difficulty beating above-average teams during the regular season.

Could this year turn out like 2006? Only time will tell.

Is it likely? Probably not, but with a team consisting of two of the best players in the world I wouldn't be so quick to bet the house against them.