NBA Free Agents 2011: 10 Players Who Would Make the Miami Heat a Title Winner

The Heat made their biggest splashes last year, now it's time to create some ripples just to fill in holes and eradicate key flaws that were exposed in their NBA Finals loss.

The Finals loss made the Miami Heat come to a few realizations about their position outside of Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James. With James performing his top disappearing act ever, Wade and Bosh were alone in leading this team as they couldn't find help from anywhere else—in the starting lineup or off the bench.

They were basically left playing five on two, and the odds of winning are usually stacked against two.

This year, the Heat organization will begin making their moves so that they can avoid being in the type of awkward positions that they were subjected to last year.

The dilemma at the center position played a key role, as centers or anyone who found themselves thriving in the post could make easy shots against the Heat's myriad of dismal centers—which included starter Joel Anthony, who stands at 6'9".

Besides center, the Heat will also be looking to add some depth to the point guard position, as well as adding some consistency and back court defense to the bench.

With Mike Miller possibly being a casualty to the amnesty clause due to a hernia surgery that will keep him out two months, the Heat may be looking towards a new direction, and have already announced a number of proposed targets this off season.

Superstars won't be on the move, but this upcoming free agency period will be just as significant as last year's, as the Heat hope to possibly give these 10 players a shot on the team.

Samuel Dalembert

The most likely candidate to become the Miami Heat's next starting center, Samuel Dalembert will be addressing a number of issues that would be eradicated if he decides to join the team.

From the sound of it, Dalembert might just become a member of the Heat after expressing good notion that he might be taking advantage of his free agency by leaving the Sacramento Kings and heading to Miami. It would be quite the transition for Dalembert as he leaves one of the worst teams in the Western Conference in favor of joining a team that's currently atop the East.

With 50 relatives living in the South Florida area and his native Haiti, where he still does charity work, only a few 100 miles away, Dalembert would find himself in a comfortable environment that's familiar to him and close to home. It would be a little different from his two previous locations in Philadelphia and most recently across the country playing in Sacramento for half of the 2010-'11 season.

Dalembert has been in the league for nine seasons and will be halfway to 31 years old at the start of the 2010-'11 season. With a number of teams eying Denver Nuggets free agent center Nene Hilario and Dallas Mavericks center Tyson Chandler, some of the attention has been taken off of Dalembert which means that he could come cheaper than the Heat originally anticipated.

Also, Dalembert has made his money. He's $68 million richer since joining the NBA and is looking for a place he can fit in, contribute in a positive light on a quality team, and ultimately win a championship. Money is no longer an issue to a person like Dalembert as he only hopes to better himself by coming up with every NBA players goal by winning a title.

With the Heat courting him, seeing Samuel could be a reality extremely soon. It would be the perfect fit for the Heat too as they receive a solid offensive threat that can catch and finish and hit the occasional mid-range shot, rebound at an efficient rate, and most importantly, deter opponents from scoring in the paint at will and actually providing some sort of resistance between the offensive player and the rim.

Shane Battier

After a long off season where he took a number of offers from his twitter followers, Shane Battier might just be joining the Miami Heat after word is that the team has become the favorite to have his services for the 2011-'12 season.

Finding a player of Battier's caliber couldn't have come at a better time either. With Mike Miller set to be sidelined for the next two months and possibly being a casualty of the amnesty clause in the future because of it, a perimeter threat that can space the floor is going to be desperately needed and Battier could address that issue.

As a 39% career three-point shooter, Battier has proven that he can consistently knock down shots and hit timely ones when called upon. He's a ten year veteran that recently turned 33 years old and has dealt with no persistent injury problems in the past which greatly addresses the hole that this team had when it came to reliable and consistent leadership off the bench along the perimeter.

Not only will the Heat be looking to add Battier on account of his overall shooting touch, they'll mostly be utilizing him as the teams leading perimeter off the bench which will provide a huge benefit for the likes of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. On account of the team lacking the stable perimeter defenders that they needed last year, Wade and James were forced to pick up the pieces for an extended amount of time and therefore were forced to work harder on defense than they anticipated.

With Battier, they get a breather on the defensive end as they can allow him to utilize his famed and notoriously quality defense. He's been one of the most consistent one-on-one defenders as he's strong, quick, and smart enough to play up against player in the NBA, no matter how prolific of a scorer that usually are.

Grant Hill

Recently turning 39 years old and set to play in his 17th year at the NBA level, Phoenix Suns small forward Grant Hill is just another veteran who might go ring chasing down in South Beach. Unlike the majority of the ring chasers who spent time with the Heat last year, Hill will actually contribute and won't be stuck at the end of the bench like Juwan Howard, Jamaal Magloire, or Erick Dampier.

Hill has been setting the standard for any player that hits the wrong end of 30. It seems as if those injury woes that he suffered from during the prime of his career for three consecutive seasons has allowed him to be stronger than ever and it has translated into Hill missing only three games over the past three seasons despite being 36 years old when that streak started.

Not only is Hill playing on a fast-paced team like the Suns and playing in 30 minutes per as the teams starting small forward, he is contributing in a huge way as the teams number two scorer behind Steve Nash. In fact, Hill is coming off of a terrific season where he averaged 13 points, four rebounds, and three assists per while converting on nearly 40% of his three-point attempts.

He has spent the past four seasons with the Suns and has been one of their most consistent contributors on offense and defense since joining the team which is saying a lot because Phoenix doesn't even play too much defense.

On a team like the Miami Heat where defense is a point of emphasis in the post and along the perimeter, Hill is just another lengthy veteran that could provide a lot of answers to numerous questions that the Heat are posing. The team is looking for consistency on both sides of the ball with the possible loss of Miller to the amnesty clause and Hill just may be the one to address those issues.

While Hill would only be around for a year or two before his eventual retirement, he would address momentary issues such as the lack of a consistent three-point shooter and perimeter defender. Also, the Heat could expect the ring-less Hill to possibly sign for cheap since he may be desperate for a chance to get a ring in his final years playing in the NBA.

Tayshaun Prince

A quality veteran that has surprisingly not been in the news when it comes to his impending free agency, Tayshaun Prince may just be the perfect player to add to the Miami Heat on account of just how consistent of a player he is on both sides of the ball.

On offense, Prince is as consistent as a player can be. He can drive to the rim with ease thanks in part to his length and hit the mid-range jumper which would allow plenty of more spacing on the floor as well as just another threat that could penetrate and drive in the paint. In terms of consistency, all you need to do is check out his points per average and you'll be able to tell why.

Over the past seven seasons, Prince has averaged between 13 and 15 points per. Whether he was a part of the championship team or the re-building teams, Prince still managed to play a huge part in the offense as he was relied on mostly for his consistency and was relied on to drop somewhere near 15 points per night.

The Heat may have LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh contributing over 65 points per game combined, but having a player like Prince to support the team off the bench with another ten points per game wouldn't hurt either.

In terms of his defense, Prince just may be the second best perimeter defender that the team could grab besides Shane Battier. However, Prince does have the advantage in the age department as he'll only be turning 32 years old at the end of February which means he could be playing this kind of consistent basketball for far longer than what Battier could possibly contribute.

On defense, Prince has been notorious for getting his assignments frustrated on account of the difficulties of attempting to get past Tayshaun and enter the lane. At 6'9", with an unbelievable wingspan, and superb lateral quickness, Prince would be one of the top pick-ups that the Heat could possibly make to strengthen their bench.

Tracy McGrady

Another member of the Detroit Pistons that could help out the Miami Heat (but not as much as Tayshaun would), Tracy McGrady could turn out to be another ring-less veteran that could be joining the team for the cheap much like what a number of veterans have done, including Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Erick Dampier, and Mike Bibby.

Since getting hurt and playing in only 35 games with the Houston Rockets in the 2008-'09 season, McGrady just hasn't been the same player as he has spent time with three teams over the past two seasons which includes the Rockets, the New York Knicks for 24 games, and most recently with the Pistons where he started 39 games and average eight points, four assists, and four boards per.

Long behind are the days that McGrady was leading the league in scoring and averaging better than 30 points per game. Much like Grant HIll, McGrady also had an extremely promising career cut short after a slew of injuries that would deter him with a number of those ailments coming in the second half of his career.

However, it's not all over for McGrady. He's coming off of a healthy season where he played in at least 70 games for the first time since 2007 and will only be 32 years old at the start of next year so there could still be a chance that remnants of the McGrady from the mid-2000's is still lingering and waiting to come out just one more time for a championship run.

Speaking of championship runs, McGrady is just another veteran free agent out there who could join the Heat on account of their willingness to play their veterans off the bench for 20 minutes per game while also making a legitimate championship run on account of their big three. McGrady might have criticized the Heat last year, but the chances are high that he'll be aching to join the team this year as a last minute attempt to grab a title.

The Heat have considered McGrady to be a back-up option along with Michael Redd if they don't sign their targets in Battier, Hill, and Prince.

Patrick Mills

Not receiving nearly as much attention as he deserves (which is a good thing for the Heat), Portland Trail Blazers point guard and soon to be free agent Patrick Mills could end up joining Miami if teams don't take a long enough look at him to appreciate what he's capable of as a 23 year old with international and NBA experience.

As far as NBA experience goes, there isn't too much known about Mills. He has been coming off the bench for the past two seasons with the Blazers and has received little to no playing time with the 12 minutes per he averaged being the most he's played over his first two seasons in the NBA. In the short time he did play last year and in the 64 games he was featured, Mills averaged six points and two assists per.

To get a hold of just what Mills could be capable of, you need to take a look at his production at the international level while playing in the Australian league and for the Australian national team that recently went to Beijing. While Mills may not have been subjected to the level of talent in the NBA, he has already taken on one of the best teams to ever be assembled when he took on the 'Redeem Team' twice with positive results in both instances.

Despite being the youngest player on the floor, Mills posted up 13 points in the exhibition meeting between the two before posting up an extremely impressive 20 points, three assists, two steals, and zero turnovers in a quarterfinals loss to the American team that would eventually win gold.

To be 20 years old and post up zero turnovers against the fastest team in the tournament is a feat that not many veterans could ever dream of accomplishing.

Not too much is known of Mills which could come as an outstanding upside for the Heat who will be looking for cheap options throughout the free agency period. He wouldn't start, but he would give Mario Chalmers some competition while also learning under the guidance of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade for at least the next four years.

With a need for depth at point guard that requires a player who could stretch the floor as well as lead an offense, Mills would be a perfect option as he's set to hit free agency with little attention and possibly signing for cheap.

Nene Hilario

Yes, I do realize that Nene Hilario is way out of the Miami Heat's price range. It's obvious that the center could obtain up to $10 million on account of the fact that he is somewhat young, can score despite being a center, and is the cream of the crop in this years free agent class. Many will argue that Nene is out of the question for Miami, but so was LeBron James and Chris Bosh last year.

Believe it or not, money isn't everything to some of these players and while many will complain about the Heat stocking up on superstars, they forget to take in that James, Wade, and Bosh all left up to $50 million on the table in terms of money that they could have made had they signed a max-contract elsewhere. In an age where money has taken over the sporting world, shouldn't it be somewhat appreciated that some players want to win games before making money?

I digress. Hilario has already announced that he will not be returning to the Denver Nuggets and that the Miami Heat is one of his preferred destinations to play with next season. Along with the likes of Dallas Mavericks, who have other fish to fry, and the Houston Rockets, no championships any time there, the Heat could very well be the best option to choose from if Nene is that adamant about winning and being appreciated.

Of course, he will have to take a back seat to four players and will be forced to play center as well as making far less than what he could be making in Houston or Portland which makes the Heat's possible acquisition of the center extremely far fetched. Even though the chances of landing Nene are slim, the Heat will decide to give it a try to sign him as well as Blazers center Greg Oden.

As I stated, the chances of the Heat landing are Nene are slim since they're running low on funds. However, with the appeal of a starting job alongside three of the most talented players in the NBA as well as being a starter on a possible championship bound team, don't be so ready to rule this out yet.

Nene would be the top free agent for any team to land this year after showing great strides last year in following the trading of Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups. With those two departed and the team without a proven leader, it would be Nene who would come to the rescue and manage to lead the team to the post season and a sixth seed.

Hilario averaged 15 points and eight rebounds per while also leading the league in field goal percentage at 62% last year. The Heat aren't asking for much when it comes to finding a center since all they really need is one that can play defense and catch and finish, but adding Hilario is a monumental step up and there's no question about it.

Jason Richardson

One of the top shooting guards of free agency and not receiving as much attention as we expected, Orlando Magic shooting guard Jason Richardson may just be what the Heat are looking for with the loss of Mike Miller for two months and the possible loss of him completely due the injury and the prospect of using the amnesty clause in order to free up as much as $24 million.

With Miller sidelined once again, the Heat are in desperate need of a player that can stretch the floor and be relied on. Miller was intended to be that player last year since he was a 40% career shooter for his career and had just shot 48% from beyond the arc with the Washington Wizards. However, with a preseason thumb injury throwing him off for the entire season, Miller never got off the ground with the Heat and his tenure with the team could be over after this new ailment.

Enter Jason Richardson? Aside from Jamal Crawford who will be too much money and J.R. Smith who is stuck in China until March, Richardson may just be the top perimeter threat that this free agent class has to offer. He's a 37% shooter and has averaged two three-pointers per for his career while strengthening those stats with a 40% average and over two three-pointers per game last season in stints with Phoenix and Orlando.

While many will argue that Richardson's stats have been padded since he's been playing on high-octane offensive teams like Golden State, Phoenix, and Orlando, you still need to take into account that his career high of making three three-pointers per game came when he was the primary scorer in his one year with the Charlotte Bobcats. Richardson also shot a career high of 41% from beyond the arc as well.

He has been consistent from beyond the arc all of his career and could potentially join the Heat to replace Miller as the teams primary perimeter threat. The team needs that type of threat to help space the floor and give them the three-point shooter that they currently don't have. Miami doesn't want to have to rely on James Jones again and that could mean a player of Richardson's caliber joining the team and becoming the player that they wanted Miller to be.

Earl Watson

Another free agent who has been too heavily hyped and could be pursued by the Miami Heat as a cheap upgrade to the point guard position would be the Utah Jazz' Earl Watson who would present himself well as a solid veteran leader that could provide some guidance to projected starter Mario Chalmers.

Watson has bounced around from team to team for the duration of his career including spending the past four years with four different teams. Most recently, he is coming from a stint with the Jazz where he started in 13 games and averaged four points and four assists per. He has never been a stat hound and has only averaged as much as 11 points and seven assists per, but stats isn't what the Heat are looking for.

The point guard position is a lot more crucial towards the Heat than most would project. The team is attempting to deviate from LeBron James running the point because they don't want him to be subjected to the way he was playing in Cleveland where he dictates the flow of the offense and his four teammates stand by and wait for what he's going to do next. The Heat want a pure point guard that will allow James and Wade to move without the ball and Watson may just be that fit as a solid floor general.

Watson hasn't been much in the scoring department as he's only a 42% career shooter from the field, but the Heat have many other players who can score and should be adding more with the possibilities of Battier, Prince, Hill, or Richardson joining the fray. What the Heat should expect out of a player like Watson is someone who could provide some reliable depth at the point guard position as a solid defender and someone who limits his turnovers when leading the offense.

The Heat encountered a series of problems last year in regards to their point guard situation with streaky shooters in Chalmers and Eddie House and the disappearance of Mike Bibby in the post season. With the hopes that Chalmers does end up becoming the player that the Heat have hoped for since drafting him nearly four years ago, Watson would only be utilized as a filler who could lead the second unit.

Eddy Curry

We haven't even given him a second chance yet, and already people are beginning to write Eddy Curry off.

Among those complaints include addressing his weight issues, his inability to stay committed on defense or rebounding and just making a return to the NBA after a year-long lay off where no team wanted anything to do with him.

However, there would be one team to give Curry a work-out and that would be the Miami Heat, as they gave him one in March.

The Heat gave him the workout to see what they had in front of them. At that point, Curry was pushing 350 pounds and was nowhere near receiving a contract with any professional basketball team, let alone an NBA team.

Miami would give him a second workout in the summer, and would be happily surprised to see that he had dropped over 25 pounds.

Most recently, it's been rumored that Curry is now somewhere in the 300 pound range and could be expecting a contract offer at the veteran's minimum upon the start of the free agency period, which begins on the ninth.

Curry hasn't been pursued by any other teams since being waived by the Minnesota Timberwolves, with the Heat being the only exception on account of their desperate need for a big man to fill the paint.

Many will argue that Curry is washed up, but it would only be right to give the former number four pick a second chance. He understands that he made his fair share of mistakes—by eating himself out of the league and playing a major role in the embarrassment that was the New York Knicks of the 2000'sbut he's attempting to make up for it and has shown great commitment by dropping over 50 pounds as a means to get back into the NBA.

With the Heat mulling their options at center, Curry could very well be the player that ends up starting if the Heat's main targets in Samuel Dalembert and Nene Hilario don't make their way down to Miami.