11Sep

Miami Heat’s Last Off-Season Acquisition Prospects

Raanan-Katz-Chris-Bosh-Miami-Heat-compressorThis off-season the Miami Heat have spent the most money out of any other team in the NBA as the team still has holes in their lineup that need addressing. The absence of LeBron James along with potential injury issues for Dwyane Wade and Josh McRoberts show a depth concern for the reigning eastern conference champions. The team might look to add a player with potential that is not yet proven to add to their bench. Right now, the Miami Heat have 11 player on their roster with guaranteed salaries. During this time of the season, they are basically looking for a player to fill their last roster spot and possibly act as a team mentor during practice.  This player could also be one of the last players off the bench to add energy during a team mental break in a pivotal moment of a game.

Ryan Hollins is a great example of this. He has the energy-filling capabilities as the would-be Heat third center, and he has veteran leadership that could be used throughout practice. Another option is Jordan Crawford. Crawford can be an excellent playmaker off the bench, which is something that the Miami Heat are looking for. Emeka Okafor is also attracting a lot of attention. Though his injury past worries many people, Emeka Okafor could be a great investment for the Heat bench. Miami experienced some bad results with Greg Oden, but Okafor’s injury should be easier to handle. Do the Miami Heat need another Udonis Haslem? Dante Cunningham could fill that void and possibly beat Haslem for the spot as the mid-range big-man with great athleticism. Miami can only offer whoever they pick up minimum salary at this point, so since the Clippers just waved Miroslav Raduljica, the Heat could definitely use his size and rebounding abilities off the bench.

01Sep

Assistant coaching shake-up changes personality of Heat’s bench

By Joe

Two long-time assistant coaches for the Heat will no longer be regular contributors to the day-to-day operations of the team.

Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo and coaching legend Ron Rothstein have been reassigned by the Heat, the Herald confirmed on Monday. McAdoo and Rothstein were both originally hired as assistants by Heat president Pat Riley. Yahoo Sports first reported the story.

With McAdoo and Rothstein likely off the bench, assistants David Fizdale, Dan Craig and Juwan Howard are expected to assume more prominent roles. Fizdale is considered one of the top assistants in the NBA and a likely future head coach in the league, Craig has a growing reputation as a talented skills coach and video researcher and Howard joined the Heat’s staff on a full-time basis last year.

This latest shake-up of the Heat’s bench is an extension of the team’s busy offseason. Riley and Heat coach Erik Spoelstra did well to salvage the team’s roster after LeBron James left the team for the Cleveland Cavaliers. When preseason training begins later this month, the camp will have many familiar faces, but a notably different collective personality.

Spoelstra, who began his career as a video coordinator for the Heat, inherited assistants McAdoo and Rothstein …read more

Source:: Raanan Katz – Miami Herald – Miami Heat