Miami Heat: How Their Roster Looks Now and How It Could Change by the First Game

With the NBA back, speculation pieces are no more. No more will you see the same rehashed trade rumor articles over and over again nor will we linger on LeBron James and what he could possibly do over this lockout to improve. Those days are over because the NBA is back and analyses and previews are back and here to stay.

The season starts on Christmas with the Miami Heat taking on the defending NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. The last time the Heat took on the Mavericks, they were victims of a Game 6 loss in the NBA Finals that would award Dallas the title.

This season, the Heat are going to be on a mission from God as they attempt to live up to expectations once again. However, the team will most likely have a number of huge flaws that held them back last season gone as well as have their two key players off the bench healthy after a 2010-11 campaign where we saw Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem struggle throughout the year.

Mostly, we'll be anticipating some more LeBron James and Dwyane Wade fast breaks. The two hooked up a number of times last season for some of the best plays you'll ever see in the history of the game and there is sure to be more this upcoming season with the two players having a better understanding of each other's tendencies as well as having an even greater drive to secure a title.

Obtaining that title will be as difficult as it was last season with a number of quality teams improving.  That means the Heat will be on the lookout for a number of players that can aid them during the brief free agency period that will ensue within the coming weeks.

We take a look at the Heat's current roster as a refresher course and then offer a possible look into the future of what this team will look like come Christmas Day.

Upper Tier

I've always believed that this Miami Heat team has been built into three different tiers in terms of quality and production. You have your few members of the top tier, a few more in the middle tier that are key role players, and then the lower tier players that are seldom seen and are either on the bench or utilized in case of an emergency.

The top tier, of course, belongs to the Heat's three superstars that have put together some of the finest games you'll ever see played among three players.

LeBron James

Coming off of a depressing end to what was an incredible postseason, LeBron James has been relatively quiet this offseason with the exception of some highlight reel plays out of the many charity games he has been a part of. Staying out of the spotlight is the best thing James could have done this offseason after the heavy amount of scrutiny he received on account on his dismal NBA Finals performance where he only averaged 17 points per game.

James had a solid regular season averaging a team high 27 points and eight assists per to go along with seven rebounds coupled with some stellar play in the Eastern Conference playoffs where he closed the door on the Sixers, Bulls and Celtics in the span of 15 games. He would face some difficulties attempting to play off the ball and controlling the ball too much, but he is attempting to deviate from that type of play as the team aims to find a pure point guard to assist in facilitating the offense.

Now equipped with a post game, courtesy of Hakeem Olajuwon, James may be as dominant as ever and will be in MVP contention once again.

Dwyane Wade

One of the few good stories to come out of the NBA Finals, it appeared that Dwyane Wade never lost his touch for playing at the NBA's highest stage as he averaged a series high 27 points on an unreal 55 percent from the field. With the Mavs focused on eliminating the paint from Wade and James, it seems as if it only appeared to work on one of those two as Wade continued to abuse the Mavs defense in the post and near the rim.

Set to be 30 years old in January, Wade only has a few more years in him to take advantage of his athleticism. He's been healthy for the past three seasons now, but an injury on those risky drives that he attempts at this stage of his career could bring about more risk than reward. Wade's one of the most dangerous players in the league thanks to his speed and strength and he could be the key to a Heat championship when considering how consistent in pressure moments he is.

Wade nearly averaged 26 points per last season to go along with six rebounds and five assists per. With his ailments and injuries that once hampered him in the past, it seems as if Wade has only improved with age as the team looks to see Dwyane's mid-range jumper revert to the lethal shot it once was.

Chris Bosh

Highly criticized the entirety of last season just because, Chris Bosh made up for an inconsistent regular season by having a dominant postseason that included a huge boost against the Chicago Bulls in the Conference Finals and stepping up in place of James in the NBA Finals by nearly averaging 20 points per. The only problem was that the team didn't look to Bosh enough and treated him as a third scoring option when it was only last year that he was a primary scorer averaging 24 points per.

Finding a way to incorporate Bosh into the rotation and giving him ways to score was one of the most difficult tasks for the Heat organization. With Wade and James dominating the ball so much, the ball would tend to deviate from Bosh as it would be the two slashers attempting to force the issue on drives rather than utilizing their All-Star power forward.

The Heat are paying Bosh as if he were a number one scoring option, but they never use him as such. With one season of the first experiments taking place, it wouldn't come as a surprise if the Heat actually allow the ball to run through Bosh instead of James or Wade as a means to throw off the defense. Bosh is incredibly crafty and fast for a power forward and the Heat need to instill some confidence in him by allowing him to run the offense for stretches with Wade and/or James on the floor.

Middle Tier

The middle tier is composed of those that contribute to the team, but not in the same matter as their superiors in the upper tier. They're basically designed to do the dirty work, hit their open jumpers, and play solid defense to give their team some support outside of the big three.

By losing out on two of their key role players for the majority of the regular and postseason last year, the Heat were never able to play at full strength and it cost them when they couldn't find a consistent perimeter threat, a player who was willing to get physical and grab rebounds, and a player that wasn't afraid to use his physicality to play defense.

Losing out on Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem was a devastating blow to a team that was already lacking on talent outside of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, but the Heat get a healthy Miller and Haslem back next season with both of them at 100 percent.

Mike Miller

Projected to be the Miami Heat's leading contributor from deep, this was supposed to be a dream come true for a player of Miller's caliber. He had shot 40 percent from beyond the arc for his career before joining Miami and that was with teams that didn't have three players attracting attention the entire time they were on the floor. With Miller set to constantly be open and being a notoriously good shooter, he was expected to be one of the league's leaders in three-point percentage.

Instead, Miller would hurt his thumb during a practice prior to the start of the season and he would never be the same. He'd sit out until late-November and would only accumulate more injuries before ending the season with a well below average of 36 percent from deep. With this coming after a season where he shot 48 percent from deep with the Wizards, it was quite the disappointment as Miller kept getting hurt and only becoming a factor in hustle points.

However, Miller's thumbs are back in working order and his personal life has finally straightened out. The big three will be attracting attention and Miller will be able to be depended on during the team's second run at a title.

Udonis Haslem

Losing Mike Miller hurt, but no injuries were worse last season than the torn ligament that Udonis Haslem suffered in a game in late-November. Haslem had never dealt with too serious of an injury before and this was a huge blow to the Heat legend as he would be forced to sit out until Game 2 of the Conference Finals. Haslem made a triumphant return that night, but he wasn't the same as his lift when going up for rebounds or taking a jump shot appeared to be limited.

Haslem had long been the Heat's go to guy during any type of situation. He and Wade are the only members of the team today that were a part of the 2006 championship squad and they've basically been on their own since 2008. With Wade's drives bringing about so much attention in the middle, Haslem became Wade's favorite target as he would find himself open on the baseline, consistently hitting the 15 footer that made him well known.

He's a scrappy player that will give it his all game in and game out and he was greatly missed by a Heat team that sometimes lacked the overall drive and effort during the regular season. With Haslem now at 100 percent, the Heat get back one of their most consistent mid-range shooters as well as arguably their best rebounder and post defender.

Mario Chalmers

Wildly inconsistent yet again, Mario Chalmers finds himself in the middle tier after replacing Mike Bibby in the final game of the postseason. Bibby had become so horrendous with his jump shot and overall offense that the Heat were forced to start Chalmers just to get someone in the rotation that could possibly hit a three-point shot and contribute in some way. Luckily enough for the Heat, Chalmers had played well all postseason and he played even better in the Finals as he averaged 11 points per.

Chalmers has been an interesting case all of the three years that he has spent with the Heat. He had a stellar rookie season where he averaged 10 points per and started in all 82 games, but then laid an egg in his sophomore season as he averaged only six points per, hit 32 percent of his shots from deep, and was sent to the bench in favor of Carlos Arroyo.

With Bibby out of the starting lineup, it's Chalmers dictating his own destiny yet again. The Heat have constantly attempted to incorporate Chalmers in the lineup, but it has usually resulted in either a player that can hit the three and disrupt the passing lane or a player that can't hit three's, makes ludicrous mistakes, and can't keep his assignment in front of him.

This is sure to be an interesting year for Chalmers as the Heat aim to keep him.

Joel Anthony

At least he's trying. Joel Anthony might have become a fan favorite for his impeccable defense and impressive shot blocking skills, but it's going to take more than a little more than a point per game for the 6'9" center to begin living up to his $18 million contract. Anthony's offensive skill set may be the absolute worst in the league as he can't make jump shots, has no post game, and does stuff like this.  

It's too bad since Anthony actually has a great deal of athleticism which you can see him utilize on defense when timing his block attempts and moving his feet as quick as any player his height could. He's an outstanding defender that can defend the mid-range jumper while still possessing the ability to defend larger centers in the middle.

Still, you'd rather see a player with some sort of offense. The Heat played five on four basketball a number of times last season and it's because Joel's in the lineup and the defense can sag off of him and pay more attention to more significant players instead of wasting their time by defending a player who can barely make a wide open lay in.

Lower Tier

The lower tier features players that aren't usually a part of the general rotation, but they might infiltrate it from time to time due to a player's injury or needing one of these players and his specific specialty such as three-point shooting or clogging the paint.

These were the players that the Heat were forced to rely on due to the already apparent lack of depth in the paint and with the incessant inconsistencies from the perimeter from every player that considered himself a shooter.

James Jones

The Heat's troubles from deep weren't all that bad. They did have James Jones filling in very nicely in place of Mike Miller. Jones was the team's leading producer from beyond the arc by hitting nearly two three-pointers per game on 43 percent from the field in his best season with the Heat since joining the team in 2008. Unfortunately for the Heat, Jones would sometimes disappear in dire moments and wouldn't hit the shots that he'd hit in the middle of the game.

Also, he's a horrific defender and doesn't have the intangibles that Miller provides even when he's not hitting three-pointers. Despite playing in 19 minutes per game, Jones only averaged two rebounds and less than an assist per due to him spending the majority of the contest camping out from beyond the arc.

Mike Bibby

After an impressive regular season showing where he connected on 46 percent of his three-point attempts, the Miami Heat finally appeared to get it right when signing veteran Mike Bibby to run the point in place of the inconsistent Mario Chalmers and Carlos Arroyo. Bibby was a huge improvement from what the team was working with prior to his signing and it resulted in more perimeter shots being converted and a better flow to the offense.

Unfortunately, that only lasted in the regular season as Bibby would forget how to shoot for the entire postseason. Despite starting in all but one game, Bibby would average less than four points per on 28 percent shooting from the field to go along with an even more impressive percentage in the three-point department at 26 percent.

Eddie House

A wildly inconsistent three-point shooter that has you either loving or hating him any given game night in which he partakes, Eddie House managed to have a solid year in his second stint with the Miami Heat. In 17 minutes of game time a night, House averaged seven points per and converted on 39 percent of his three-point attempts.

House will never be a starter, no matter how dismal Chalmers is playing, and will be forever used as a spark off the bench. The Heat didn't utilize him as much as they should have last season and he might be spending more time on the bench with Miller returning and the high possibility that the team finds another perimeter shooter.

Juwan Howard

Thirty-eight years old with 17 years of NBA experience, Juwan Howard was needed a lot more than he originally expected after Udonis Haslem suffered an injury that kept him out the majority of the regular and postseason. With little depth behind Chris Bosh or at the center position in general, the Heat needed a big man to step up and the only player that could fulfill those expectations somehow turned out to be Juwan Howard.

Howard has a decent game in the post, but he has absolutely no lift on his jumpers or when going up for rebounds and there's not going to be much of a point to playing him next season when Haslem returns and the Heat get some much needed help at the power forward and center position.

The Doghouse

This is the bottom of the barrel on the Miami Heat bench. These players reside in that quiet space at the end of, and behind, the bench either in suits or warm-ups that they won't get out of until the game is over. These players aren't bad in any way, but rather don't fit into the Heat's fast-paced system and would only slow down the intended pace of the offense and defense.

You might not remember these players being affiliated with the Miami Heat, but they're actually still there and waiting for their chance.

Erick Dampier

It came as a surprise to not see Erick Dampier utilized at all during the Heat's postseason run. He started in 22 of the 51 games he played with the team during the regular season and managed to provide some sort of resistance in the paint as opposed to the bull fighter method of post defense that the team had been playing prior to Dampier taking over.

The problem with Dampier is that he's not quick enough to fit in with the Heat. Joel Anthony has the athleticism and speed to run with the big three and Dampier can barely trudge his way up court before needing to hit an oxygen tank on the bench.

At 36 years old, last year might have been one of the last times we see Dampier playing in the NBA.

Jamaal Magloire

It's tough to believe, but Jamaal Magloire is only 33 years old and has only been in the league for a little more than a decade. I say this is tough to believe because it appears that Magloire is actually 40 when playing as he can barely get off the ground to throw down a dunk despite being 6'11". The 2004 All-Star has spent his past three seasons with the Heat, but has only been featured in 54 games over the past two years and three games in the postseason last year.

Magloire is rarely seen by this point in his career and there's not much need for a 33-year-old center that can barely dunk or move his feet.

Dexter Pittman

The former University of Texas center may very well find himself in the lower tier next season if he continues to shed weight and improve his overall game. Dexter Pittman has dropped over 100 pounds since departing from high school and would make his NBA debut last year with two games where he scored his first NBA field goal as well as grabbed three boards and committed two fouls and turnovers.

With an impressive stint in the D-League where he made it to the All-Star game after averaging 14 points and nine rebounds, Pittman may find himself in the rotation thanks to his size and youth and the overall need for some depth at the center position.

Norris Cole

The Heat's latest acquisition comes by way of the 2011 NBA draft where they selected point guard Norris Cole out of Cleveland State University. It was a solid pick by the Heat as they attempt to add some depth to the one spot while giving Mario Chalmers some competition and possibly bringing in one of the draft's top steals.

Cole averaged 22 points, five boards and five assists per in his senior season at CSU and showed off a great deal of attributes that the Heat could use such as his quickness, athleticism and ability to hit the open mid-range or perimeter shot. Cole could find himself in the rotation very soon if Chalmers doesn't live up to expectations.

Free Agents

The 2011 free agency class of the Miami Heat doesn't exactly compete with that of 2010, does it? Unlike last year where the Heat were able to convince Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem into pay-cuts, they'll be looking at whom to secure and whom to let go amongst a possible starter and a myriad of players who found themselves at the end of the bench last season.

No All-Stars will be departing, but the Heat will need to take a look at the six free agents that could be on the way out if the organization isn't careful.

Mario Chalmers (R)

The only restricted free agent on the Miami Heat roster, Mario Chalmers may not be going anywhere after an impressive NBA Finals, a qualifying offer by the Heat and the possibility that he gets his starting job once again.

Chalmers shouldn't be coveted by too many teams after his inconsistent play over his first three seasons and it should result in the Heat re-signing Mario for cheap. The Heat are attempting to make him the future starter and this could be his last chance to prove himself.

Staying or going: Staying

Mike Bibby (U)

Had he transitioned his regular season play to the postseason, we might be speaking of keeping Mike Bibby around as the starter and finally cutting ties with Mario Chalmers. Instead, Bibby shot below 30 percent from the field overall and from beyond the arc and he now finds himself on the outside looking in.

The Heat won't be signing Bibby and it's for obvious reasons. Seeing a veteran jump shooter like Bibby struggle so greatly with his shot was disappointing and it might have actually cost the Miami Heat a title.

Staying or going: Going

Erick Dampier (U)

He played zero minutes in the 2011 postseason and spent the night after the Miami Heat's Finals loss partying with the Dallas Mavericks, so do you honestly think that this guy has a chance to re-sign with this team?

Staying or going: Going

Juwan Howard (U)

The 17-year veteran really wants to win a title and the Miami Heat want to be the team to deliver it. Juwan Howard has been all over the country in his 17 years as an NBA player and he wants to make his last stop in Miami with a championship in hand to finally say that he has completed the ultimate goal on his journey.

Soon to be 39 years old, Howard may be in his last season and signing for the veterans minimum with the Heat seems to be the most likely.

Staying or going: Staying

James Jones (U)

Talk about a slap in the face. After carrying the team's perimeter offense on his back for the majority of the season, the Heat would award James Jones by giving him zero minutes worth of playing time in the NBA Finals despite the team being as desperate as to allow Eddie House to get on the court instead of him.

Jones has played four uneventful seasons with the Heat and he certainly won't be in Miami for a fifth.

Staying or going: Going

Jamaal Magloire (U)

It's been a long fall for the 2004 All-Star and he just might have played his final games with the Miami Heat after playing in only 54 over the past two years. Magloire was featured in 18 regular season and three postseason games last season and carried a minimal effect with the exception of a surprising jam over MVP Derrick Rose.

Still, the guy can barely move and the Heat haven't shown any intention of giving him any minutes in the near future.

Staying or going: Going

Needs

Plain and simple, the Heat need some help. LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade can only carry this team so far and with Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller's injuries hurting the team in a devastating fashion, it would be best for the Heat to go and address a few key concerns in order to fill out this roster and have them ready to make another championship run that has them ending up as the winner.

The primary goal for this brief free agency period for the Miami Heat is to find a center. The team gave eight players a try at manning the fort in the middle and each player failed miserably with a number of reasons being the cause of the Heat's frustration at finding some help in the paint. With so many options and so little answers, the Heat will have to dig into the free agency pool and find their answer among the myriad of centers that are available.

Chris Bosh and Zydrunas Ilgauskas couldn't defend, Erick Dampier and Jamaal Magloire can't run, Udonis Haslem and Joel Anthony are too short, Juwan Howard can't jump, and Dexter Pittman is too raw which makes it pretty apparent that the Heat are going to need to find some help and fast if they want to address this issue.

Secondly, the team needs to find some help in terms of depth at the point. Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole show promise and Eddie House has proven to be a solid shooter in stints, but the Heat need to find a reliable and capable player that can run the point at an efficient rate if the team's latest experience at the point doesn't pan out.

This might be Chalmers' last chance and finding a point guard to possibly replace him midseason or at the end of the year could be a move that either makes or breaks the season.

Lastly, the Heat need to find some improvement on the bench outside of Miller and Haslem. With injuries taking those two out of the game for the majority of the year, it was painfully obvious how badly the Heat needed consistency and a defensive presence or two to come off the bench. The Heat were forced to deal with inconsistent shooters and aged veterans and it greatly hurt them down the stretch when they became a two-man team in the NBA Finals.

Fresh off of an impressive championship run, veterans will be jumping at the chance to sign with the Heat and many of the free agents itching to sign in Miami should be willing to take a pay cut in order to join one of the league's most talented teams that is closer to an NBA title than any other team.

Who Can Address Those Needs

Centers

Samuel Dalembert

Spending his first eight years with the Philadelphia 76ers and this most recent season with the Sacramento Kings, Samuel Dalembert will be the Miami Heat's most coveted free agent due to the great concern for finding a center. There are many centers on the market, but Dalembert by far provides the most upside in terms of scoring, rebounding and defending at a cost that may come affordable to the Heat.

Dalembert is exactly what the Heat are looking for and Miami may be just what Samuel is looking for. He's an excellent finisher in regards to his alley-oop jams, can rebound with the best of them, and can block shots with the best as he has averaged nearly two blocks per for his career. With the Heat searching for a center that can catch and finish and provide some resistance in the paint, Dalembert is just what the Heat are looking for.

Along with a guaranteed starting position, Dalembert also finds himself only a few miles away from his native Haiti where he has been active in charity work for a number of years.

Eddy Curry

Yeah, this might actually happen. It's not all bad though for the Miami Heat as Eddy Curry does appear committed to making a return to the NBA after shedding off nearly 100 pounds since being reported that he was weighed in at 350 pounds at one time. Curry has had two work-outs with the Heat and appears to be a shoo-in as a future member of the Heat with little interest elsewhere in regards to teams looking to sign Curry.

Signing Curry is a terrific deal for the Heat because of its low risk and low reward. There aren't many teams aching to have Curry on their team and it will result in the Heat signing the seven-footer for the veterans minimum.

Curry has only played in 10 games since 2008, so don't expect him to be NBA ready the moment he steps out on the floor. Do expect improvement at center though and Curry to possibly play a large role on a team that's desperate enough to sign him.

Point guards

T.J. Ford

T.J. Ford wants to join the Heat and it would be quite the surprise if the organization doesn't end up signing the player that was expecting a call from the team last year. With so much attention sure to focused on the likes of J.J. Barea or Rodney Stuckey, Ford could be picked up by the Heat for cheap and could play a significant role as a back-up.

Ford's coming off of a disappointing season with the Indiana Pacers where he averaged a career low five points and three assists per in only 41 seasons and could be looking for a change of pace now that the Pacers are looking for other options in terms of finding a point guard.

With Ford on the roster, it also provides Mario Chalmers with some healthy competition. Chalmers has always responded well to pressure on and off the court and having Ford competing with him for the starting point guard job should keep a fire under Mario to ensure that he doesn't lose focus.

Patrick Mills

A vastly underrated point guard that is most remembered for his time with the Australian national team during the Beijing Olympics, young Patrick Mills could possibly be picked up by the Miami Heat if the Portland Trail Blazers aren't adamant about re-signing the 23-year-old.

Mills has only spent two seasons in the NBA and didn't play in more than 64 in either of them. He was given 12 minutes of playing time last season and would impress with six points and two assists per while showing great maturity and an understanding of how to lead an offense.

He won't be leading the offense in Miami anytime soon, but he could if he does sign with the team and show that he's NBA ready. It's another low risk, low reward situation for the Heat and this could pay off dividends. Mills has shown maturity by leading a national basketball team at an extremely young age and he has shown off a great understanding of offense as he can use his small frame to drive and score over slower members of the front court.

Bench

Shane Battier

It's no secret that the Miami Heat will be pursuing Shane Battier and it shouldn't surprise anyone if he does end up joining the team when you consider that he'll be playing 20 minutes per night on a championship bound team. Battier has been pursuing an NBA title since 2001 and hasn't come as close as the second round with the Houston Rockets or Memphis Grizzlies.

Battier will be coveted by a number of teams over the free agency period thanks in part to the lock down defense that he continues to play despite being 32 years old as well as being a solid mid-range and perimeter shooter, both issues that the Heat need to address off the bench.

With a veteran like Battier off the bench, the Heat get an esteemed perimeter defender that could give James and Wade some time to rest as well as a knockdown shooter that has hit 39 percent from beyond the arc for his career.

Grant Hill

Another free agent that has had his name end up in rumors involving the Heat, current Phoenix Suns small forward Grant Hill will be looking for his best chance to win an NBA title at the end of his career and could find that calling in Miami. On a team where perimeter defenders and consistent shooters off the bench are rare, a player like Hill would fit in rather nicely—the team could use all the help it could get.

After dealing with nagging injuries during the prime of his career, Hill has been one of the league's iron men as he has only missed three games over the past three seasons. He has been playing with the Suns for the past four years now and is actually coming off of one of his best statistical seasons with the team after averaging 13 points per on 48 percent shooting.

Not only do the Heat get their consistent perimeter threat, they get a veteran who knows how to defend and knows how to play the game. At 39 years old, Hill will make the Heat look more like a retirement home but it might also result in a championship down in sunny South Beach.

What the Heat Will End Up Having

Point guard

Starter: Mario Chalmers

Bench: T.J. Ford, Eddie House and Norris Cole

Shooting guard

Starter: Dwyane Wade

Bench: Mike Miller

Small forward

Starter: LeBron James

Bench: Shane Battier

Power forward

Starter: Chris Bosh

Bench: Udonis Haslem, Joel Anthony, and Juwan Howard

Center

Starter: Samuel Dalembert

Bench: Eddy Curry and Dexter Pittman