Official 2013-2014 MIAMI HEAT Thread

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Now that this is made....

Miami Heat: 2013-14 roster

Updated: September 19, 2013, 11:26 AM ET

By Tom Haberstroh | ESPN Insider

Here are our player scouting reports and 2013-14 projections for the Miami Heat. (Note: Kevin Pelton's stat projections are for players expected to play 250 or more minutes in '13-14.)

PROJECTED STARTERS

MARIO CHALMERS, PG

Pelton's 2013-14 Projections

PPG

RPG

APG

WIN %

WARP

Player card »

9.0

2.3

3.5

.512

4.4

Scouting report

+ Super-confident combo guard who can run an offense and shoot the rock.

+ Struggles to penetrate. Either makes a brilliant pass or throws it away with no in-between.

+ Disrupts passing lanes with very active hands. Not quick, but uses his body well.

Analysis

Chalmers is the ultimate zero-sum player. On one possession, he'll do something great that makes you wonder whether he really is a great point guard. On the next, he'll dribble the ball off his foot and then blame his foot for getting in the way. One step forward, one step back.

But the Heat will put up with all the headaches as long as he shoots 40 percent from 3-point range like he did last season. Chalmers has improved his deep shooting to the point where he's above-average at his position and absolutely deadly from the right corner (55.6 percent).

Chalmers briefly turned into Magic Johnson during the opening weeks of the season as he threaded the needle with amazing dishes to his teammates, but he quickly fell back to Earth and reverted to a shoot-first point guard. Overall, his turnover rate dropped while his assist rate nudged up slightly, which is a good sign for his development.

Defensively, Chalmers is still a disruptor, but he doesn't pressure the ball well because of mediocre quickness. His defensive isolation numbers in Synergy sagged into the bottom 20 percent in the league, but if he continues to rack up steals that ignite a LeBron James-Dwyane Wade fast break, the Heat will be happy.

DWYANE WADE, SG

Pelton's 2013-14 Projections

PPG

RPG

APG

WIN %

WARP

Player card »

20.0

4.8

4.6

.623

11.4

Scouting report

+ Strong, slashing guard with amazing shot-blocking ability, vision and finishing skills.

+ Irresistible pump fake. Terror to guard in transition. Great rebounder. No 3-point range.

+ Tough enough to anchor back line and swat shots. Nose for the ball, but lazy in transition D.

Analysis

Pop quiz: There were two players last season who scored at least 20 points on 50-plus percent shooting while averaging at least five rebounds and five assists. Name them.

One is LeBron James and, well, if you're paying attention to this section, you can probably guess who the other guy is.

Wade delivered yet another monster campaign that will go largely unnoticed because of that guy who wears No. 6 for Miami. He is listed at 6-foot-4, but he plays about a half foot taller because of his long arms, brute strength and jumping ability. Combine that with an incredible gift slicing to the rim, and you have one of the most impossible players to guard in the NBA.

Only one slight problem: He has chronic knee issues.

It's become an annual tradition in the NBA postseason that Wade must fight through various knee injuries to win the trophy, and 2012-13 was no different. Plowing through bone bruises that required PRP treatment and a fluid draining, Wade struggled to penetrate defenses that loaded the paint. What's worse, his midrange jump shot abandoned him, as he shot just 32.9 percent from 16 to 23 feet in the postseason, compared to a 42.0 percent conversion rate in the regular season. With no 3-point shot whatsoever, Wade looked shockingly powerless on offense.

To get his body right, Wade has gone back to working with famed trainer Tim Grover and he also underwent OssaTron shock treatment to alleviate knee pain. If those knees can't get close to 100 percent, he'll cramp up the Heat's offense again and perhaps force coach Erik Spoelstra to ponder giving more time to floor spacers like Ray Allen and Shane Battier.

But Wade can contribute elsewhere even with bad knees. He still averaged 4.8 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks per 36 minutes in the playoffs, which are still elite numbers for his position. However, Wade became slow on closeouts and routinely jogged back on defense to protest foul calls to near referees.

The knee-jerk eulogies on Wade's career are ridiculously premature, but he'd be wise to follow James and find a reliable long-range shot as athleticism insurance.

LEBRON JAMES, SF

Pelton's 2013-14 Projections

PPG

RPG

APG

WIN %

WARP

Player card »

25.7

8.0

6.8

.783

22.9

Scouting report

+ Do-it-all physical freak with elite shooting, passing and dribbling skills. Defies position.

+ Intelligent player who can find teammates where no one else can. Deadly 3-point jumper.

+ Average free throw shooter. Can defend almost anyone. Excellent rebounder. Is never hurt.

Analysis

At this point, James is the closest thing we may ever have to a perfect basketball player.

He crushed the rest of the league in PER last season with a 31.7, just shy of his career high. He shot a ridiculous 56.5 percent from the field. He scored more points in the paint per game than anybody else in the league. He dished out more assists than most point guards. He registered a higher rebound rate than Marc Gasol and Robin Lopez. Defensively, he's tall, quick and strong enough to guard just about anyone in the league, and he almost did.

And if all that wasn't enough, consider this: He now wields one of the most potent jumpers in the league. Only Jose Calderon averaged more points per spot-up play than James, according to Synergy Sports.

Most efficient spot-up players, 2012-13 regular season(Min. 100 plays)

Player Plays Points PPP

Jose Calderon 187 281 1.50

LeBron James 143 195 1.36

Kyle Korver 224 301 1.34

Steve Nash 114 153 1.32

Stephen Curry 226 294 1.30

James' name pops up near the top of all the jump-shot leaderboards for last season. And that includes the unguarded catch-and-shoot category, in which he effectively shot 73.1 percent once you account for the added value of 3s. Only five players were more lethal with open shots. While he couldn't find his shot in the Finals until the very end, he ended up converting 37.5 percent of his 3s in the postseason, which is well above average. (For perspective, Kevin Durant shot 31.3 percent from deep in the playoffs.)

So, what's left for him to master?

Free throws. James seemingly switched up his routine every other game last season, and he still shot his lowest rate since 2007-08. It crept up to 77.7 percent in the playoffs, but he should be doing better and he vows that it's his No. 1 priority this offseason. We'll believe it when we see it.

Coach Erik Spoelstra nicknamed him 1-through-5 for a reason. James guarded everyone from Tiago Splitter to Tony Parker to Al Jefferson to Nate Robinson to Kevin Durant last season, but it's almost impossible to quantify that versatility. Nonetheless, the Heat were 4.4 points better per 100 possessions defensively with him on the floor, and 82games says he held his small forward counterpart to just a 12.7 PER.

With a lethal jump shot now in his repertoire, he's a reliable free throw routine from achieving the basketball ideal.

 

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UDONIS HASLEM, PF

Pelton's 2013-14 Projections

PPG

RPG

APG

WIN %

WARP

Player card »

4.0

5.3

0.5

.332

-2.2

Scouting report

+ Jump-shooting, tough center in an unathletic forward's body. Short corner specialist.

+ Ugly shot mechanics that yield inconsistent results. Doesn't draw fouls.

+ Smart defender. Tenacious rebounder with knack for ball. Fearless enforcer.

Analysis

Haslem enjoyed a bounce-back season after struggling through foot problems that kept him grounded in 2011-12. But Haslem adjusted his game this past season to take fewer contested shots at the rim and limit his basket attacks to open layups coming from pick-and-roll actions. As a result, he was blocked just 6.2 percent of his shots in 2012-13, compared to 10.6 percent in 2011-12. Basically, Haslem found peace with where he is in his career.

The herky-jerky jumper comes and goes. When it goes in, he looks like a useful player. When it doesn't, he looks all but washed up. But the guy makes it just enough to keep him in the starting rotation and logging big minutes. He shot 41 percent from 16 to 23 feet last season, up from his 35.0 percent rate the previous season. Like Norris Cole, his shot improved as the season progressed.

Haslem tallies big rebounding numbers individually, but the Heat actually cleaned the glass slightly better when he was on the bench (49.3 percent to 48.5 percent). That disparity worsened in the playoffs, lending credence to the notion that Haslem sometimes gobbles up rebounds at the expense of his teammates.

His defense is a mixed bag. Haslem never shies away from contact on the defensive end and continues to be one of the best charge-takers in the league. He's still woefully undersized, and his opponent counterpart PER of 21.1 reflects that he can get physically dominated underneath. His foul rate soared last season, but he's a high-IQ defender who has mastered coach Erik Spoelstra's highly detailed system.

CHRIS BOSH, C

Pelton's 2013-14 Projections

PPG

RPG

APG

WIN %

WARP

Player card »

15.8

7.1

1.8

.510

5.2

Scouting report

+ Versatile, left-handed big man with silky jumper and driving ability.

+ Automatic from midrange, improving 3-point shot. Great finisher. Poor rebounder.

+ Smart defender but lacks size to guard bigger 5s. Sneaky shot-blocker who doesn't foul.

Analysis

In the hoops version of nature versus nurture, Bosh represents Exhibit A for the nurture side. It's stunning to see the transformation from a one-way paint maven in Toronto to a two-way marksman in Miami. For Bosh, winning appears to be the ultimate catalyst for change.

In 2009-10, his last season in Toronto, 35 percent of Bosh's offense came from post-ups and just 9.9 percent come on spot-ups. In Miami last season? His post-up offense dropped to just 14.1 percent and his spot-up portion rocketed up to 32.8 percent. While it's been something of a gradual change, Bosh is essentially a stretch big at this stage of his career.

And for good reason. Moving Bosh to the perimeter affords LeBron James and Dwyane Wade space to penetrate, but it also allows Bosh to showcase what might be the most money midrange jumper in the game. Yes, even better than Dirk Nowitzki's.

Best midrange shooters, 2012-13 season (16-23 feet, min. 200 FGA)

Player FG FGA FG%

Chris Bosh 174 329 52.9

Dirk Nowitzki 119 238 50.0

Luke Ridnour 146 300 48.7

Jose Calderon 106 221 48.0

Chris Paul 105 220 47.7

Bosh has made it clear that he'd like to puncture the paint more this upcoming season, and it could help his plummeting rebounding rate, which fell to a career-low 12.6 percent. However, much of that slide can be attributed to Udonis Haslem, who is often guilty of board-snatching; Bosh's rebound rate was near Toronto levels when Haslem hit the bench last season.

On the defensive end, Bosh saw his block rate nearly double last season, but he's not thick enough to hang with monsters like Roy Hibbert, and the Heat were no better off defensively with him on the floor, according to NBA.com. Still, he understands the angles and puts in the effort, which is more than you could say of him in Toronto.

 

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RESERVES

RAY ALLEN, SG

Pelton's 2013-14 Projections

PPG

RPG

APG

WIN %

WARP

Player card »

9.5

2.3

1.6

.481

2.7

Scouting report

+ Perhaps the best shooter ever. Picturesque form and deadly from the corners.

+ Waning off-the-dribble game. Balky ankles have sapped athleticism. World-class conditioning.

+ Flaming bag defender who picks up cheap fouls. Outstanding foul shooter. Good rebounder.

Analysis

It's fitting that Allen hit his late-game tying shot in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals from the corner. That should be the top priority for any defense against Allen. The 38-year-old shot 45.0 percent from there in the 2012-13 season, which is somehow worse than his mark there the previous season but still among the best high-volume rates in the league.

Allen remains ageless, and as a corner marksman off the bench he proved to be the perfect complement to LeBron James. Get this: During the 2013 playoffs, the Heat scored an impressive 116.4 points per 100 possessions with James and Allen paired together but just 102.2 points per 100 possessions with James playing without him.

Allen's lateral explosiveness is all but gone, so he found himself forcing too many shots off drives, trying to prove he can turn back the clock to his Seattle days. As such, Allen turned the ball over on 28.3 percent of his pick-and-roll drives, one of the highest rates in the league.

As you might suspect, his value on the defensive end is just about nil. Even though he held his shooting guard counterpart to 12.2 PER, the Heat pretty much hide him under a rug on that end of the floor. Other than the occasional overly ambitious drive, Allen gave the Heat another 3-point threat but, more importantly, a safety net for the Heat in case Dwyane Wade got injured. Everyone remembers the Game 6 shot, but Allen rescued the Heat many times throughout the season. Expect more of the same in 2013-14, but the Heat had better make sure the robot has enough fuel to last one more season.

CHRIS ANDERSEN, PF

Pelton's 2013-14 Projections

PPG

RPG

APG

WIN %

WARP

Player card »

4.2

4.0

0.4

.545

3.1

Scouting report

+ Springy, energetic big man who can finish anything near the rim. Fantastic weakside blocker.

+ No shooting range outside four feet, but higher vertical than most bigs. Great rebounder.

+ Struggles to defend bruising big men. Extremely foul-prone. Might be a professional wrestler.

Analysis

Andersen maintains that he stayed in shape during a 15-month layoff by running up and down the Rocky Mountains. Whatever he did, it worked. Andersen came back to the court in January and fit in seamlessly to give the Heat an element that they didn't have on the roster: a high-flying big man who could grab anything near the rim and throw it through the net.

Andersen's efficiency was off the charts. He shot 57.7 percent from the floor during the regular season, with 99 of his 123 shots coming at the rim. In the playoffs, he broke a pseudo-record by shooting 80.7 percent from the floor, with 47 of his 57 shots coming at the rim. Sure, all those buckets came at point-blank range, but if it was easy, everyone would do it.

Defensively, regularized adjusted plus-minus thought he was a monster. Only eight players were more valuable on that end of the floor, according to RAPM, which is amazing considering he didn't even play for the first two months of the season. He still fouls way too much (5.1 every 36 minutes), but the Heat aren't asking him to play 30 minutes a night. His slight frame can be exposed by stronger big men in one-on-one opportunities, but he's still a major plus on that end.

Like with many of the Heatles, Andersen's getting old, and it will be interesting to see if the injury bug doesn't come back to bite him at age 35. But nabbing this combination of efficiency and basket protection for the veteran's minimum is yet another heist by Heat boss Pat Riley.

SHANE BATTIER, F

Pelton's 2013-14 Projections

PPG

RPG

APG

WIN %

WARP

Player card »

5.7

2.7

1.3

.484

2.8

Scouting report

+ High IQ. Deadly corner sharpshooter with athleticism of a scarecrow. Ultimate role player.

+ Slow set shot from chest. Effective baseline drive. Crafty passer in high post. Limits mistakes.

+ Charge-taker who gets abused by stronger 4s. Horrible rebounder, but boxes out with vigor.

Analysis

Battier was one of the most automatic shooters in the league last season. And then the playoffs happened. A corner dweller, Battier had the third-highest true shooting percentage of any wing in the regular season, behind Kyle Korver and Kevin Durant (62.3 percent). In fact, the No-Stats All-Star led the NBA in made corner 3s by a wide margin and did so at a 46.1 percent clip. He was actually 14 made corner 3s from matching the output of the entire New Orleans Pelicans.

Most corner 3-pointers ('12-13 season)

Player FG FGA FG%

Shane Battier 88 191 46.1

Martell Webster 73 149 49.0

Danny Green 73 169 43.2

Klay Thompson 72 160 45.0

Corey Brewer 71 198 35.9

But it all fell apart once the postseason came around. Until his timely barrage in Games 6 and 7 of the NBA Finals, Battier had made just 22.4 percent of his postseason 3-pointers and 22.2 percent of his shots overall. It's worth wondering if he was physically battered from having to "guard" David West and Carlos Boozer in the playoffs to preserve LeBron James. Either way, the Heat will have to do a better job of conserving Battier's body for playoff time as he begins life as a 35-year-old in the NBA.

Battier's rebounding continues to fall off a cliff, as his per-minute rate (3.3 per 36 minutes) has been nearly halved in two seasons. Whatever was left of his athleticism is gone, but as long as he keeps turnovers to a minimum, shoots at a high clip and plays smart defense, the Heat will be thrilled with Battier's contributions on and off the court.

NORRIS COLE, PG

Pelton's 2013-14 Projections

PPG

RPG

APG

WIN %

WARP

Player card »

7.3

1.8

2.5

.354

-2.1

Scouting report

+ Pesky, undersized point guard with improved jump shot. Struggles to score in paint.

+ Not a playmaker. Puts the blinders on during penetration and forces shots.

+ Provides intense ball pressure, but court awareness lacking. Fouls a ton.

Analysis

Did Cole steal Shane Battier's shooting talents during the playoffs a la Space Jam? That's the only explanation for Cole's suddenly lights-out shooting from downtown. After hitting a paltry 27.6 percent from deep in his rookie season, Cole shot 35.7 percent last regular season and then scorched opponents in the postseason at a 53.1 percent clip.

It's a good thing he worked on his 3-point shot because it's the only thing keeping him on an NBA roster. After a horrible start to the season, Cole ranked among the worst players in recent memory. Even with a much-improved second half to the season, his 7.92 PER was the fifth-worst in the league (minimum 1,000 minutes).

The best thing about Cole's development is that he understands he shouldn't be taking shots away from LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Really, at his skill level, he shouldn't be taking shots away from anyone. His usage rate dropped from 21.8 percent in his rookie season to a much more palatable 17.0 percent last season. He was ill-equipped to become the scoring spark plug off the bench, but that's what the Heat envisioned when they drafted him two years ago.

Cole morphed into a defensive specialist by the end of the season, which is a role that he can fill. His Synergy grades checked out well, but regularized adjusted plus-minus says he's a major negative on that end of the floor. He can pressure the ball like crazy, but he's not a high-IQ player and he tends to be overly aggressive, which leads to loads of fouls.

 

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JOEL ANTHONY, C

Pelton's 2013-14 Projections

PPG

RPG

APG

WIN %

WARP

Player card »

1.1

1.5

0.1

.352

-0.8

Scouting report

+ Undersized, mobile center with traces of offensive skill and flyswatters for hands.

+ Can't catch the ball. Improved around the basket but still struggles to score. Bad rebounder.

+ Covers incredible amount of real estate defensively. Excellent shot-blocker. Knows his role.

Analysis

Yes, this is the same guy who started the 2011 NBA Finals. A casualty of coach Erik Spoelstra's positionless scheme, Anthony completely fell out of the Heat's rotation this past season and became a benchwarmer behind Chris Andersen, Chris Bosh and Udonis Haslem.

Anthony is what he's always been: a hardworking, defensive specialist who has little to no value elsewhere. Offensively, he turned the ball over 21.5 percent of his possessions (which seems generously low) and he used just 8.6 percent of the team's possessions while on the floor. Distributors have to gently hand him the ball on a platter, and he has no jump shot to speak of. His wide stance is useful in screening situations, but he's often called for moving screens and his offensive ineptitude forces the big to double the ball handler.

But he's mastered the defensive end of the floor. Few players can go from blitz-to-basket as quickly as he can, and his Synergy grades in pick-and-roll situations reflect it. (Anthony checks out in the top 10 percent in the league here.) He's a great shot-blocker on top of that, but even the Heat's superstars can't fully compensate for his offensive deficiencies. He'll assume garbage duty for the Heat, especially with Greg Oden lurking.

MICHAEL BEASLEY, PF

Pelton's 2013-14 Projections

PPG

RPG

APG

WIN %

WARP

Player card »

0.0

0.0

0.0

.374

--

Scouting report

+ Long lefty wing who loves taking jumpers at expense of teammates. Better at 4 than 3.

+ A wasted talent who hijacks offense. Good handle, but never passes. Mistake-prone.

+ Poisonous presence on and off the court. Takes vacation on defense. Out of shape.

Analysis

If there was a team that could turn around Beasley, it's probably the Heat, who drafted him out of Kansas State but couldn't wait to get rid of him in 2010. Seeing that he's coming to Miami on a training camp invite with no money guaranteed, even they don't seem all that confident he's up to the task.

But it's worth a riskless free trial. No, the Heat aren't getting the same player they drafted No. 2 overall who dominated the college ranks. Beasley's PER peaked his rookie season and has been in a downward spiral ever since. Last season in Phoenix was an inefficiency tour de force. We've seen 436 players in NBA history log at least 1,000 minutes with a usage rate as high as Beasley's last season (27.6 percent) but none of them posted a true shooting percentage as bad as Beasley's (46.2). Translation: He was a ball hog of the highest degree (no pun intended).

Michael Beasley's Productivity Plunge (Player efficiency rating (PER) by season)

Team Season MPG PER

Miami 2008-09 24.8 17.2

Miami 2009-10 29.8 16.1

Minnesota 2010-11 32.3 15.5

Minnesota 2011-12 23.1 13.0

Phoenix 2012-13 20.7 10.8

When he's not busy chucking up ill-advised jumpers, he's a total lost cause on the defensive end. His next successful rotation will be his first. With someone of his size, ambidexterity and athleticism, he could be a lockdown defender, but he doesn't seem to care enough to do the work. The Suns were already terrible last season, but they were 6.6 points per 100 possessions worse with Beasley on the floor. Unsurprisingly, they paid him $7 million to leave.

There's some potential for Beasley to be a stretch 4 off the bench who can rain from the corners, but that's why they have Rashard Lewis and Shane Battier. Otherwise, it's hard to see the fit here. With all the talent in the world, Beasley has flushed his career down the toilet by playing one-on-one ball in a team sport. That simply won't fly in Miami.

GREG ODEN, C

Pelton's 2013-14 Projections

PPG

RPG

APG

WIN %

WARP

Player card »

0.0

0.0

0.0

--

--

Scouting report

+ Injury-riddled, talented big man with limitless potential and a history of off-the-court issues.

+ Monster rebounder and paint defender. Fouls way too much. Needs to get back in shape.

+ Hasn't played in an NBA game in almost four years.

Analysis

Who knows.

With almost a half-decade away from the game and multiple major surgeries on his knees, it's impossible to know what kind of player Oden will be or whether he will ever take the court this upcoming season. When he last played, back in 2009-10, he was a beast of a big man. At 21 years old, Oden averaged 16.7 points and 12.8 rebounds along with 3.4 blocks per 36 minutes in 21 games. But he also got whistled for six fouls per 36 minutes, which simply isn't acceptable for a big-time player.

The Heat could use him as a big body to throw at the Roy Hibberts and Marc Gasols of the league during the postseason stretch, but & baby steps. Word is that Oden has lost significant weight to relieve the pounding on his restitched knees, but it also might sap his effectiveness in the paint.

The Heat have themselves another big man reclamation project who could be another Chris Andersen-type impact & or another Eddy Curry.

JAMES JONES, SG/SF

Pelton's 2013-14 Projections

PPG

RPG

APG

WIN %

WARP

Player card »

1.9

0.7

0.3

.451

0.4

Scouting report

+ Long, skinny stand-still shooter with high release, affinity for the corners and no handle.

+ Takes monthly trip inside the arc. Can't create his own shot. Not a passer.

+ Sufficient defender, but lacks strength. Poor rebounder.

Analysis

In the midst of all the angst during the 2012-13 Miami Heat season, nothing quite gripped a nation quite like James Jones' enduring quest to take a layup in an NBA game.

On April 15, he finally did it: He unfurled his first layup in more than two years.

He made it, thank goodness. It marked his first and only shot inside 10 feet in his past two seasons. If you see him -- gasp! -- dribble the basketball, it either means it's your lucky day or something in the Heat's offense has gone terribly wrong. Probably the latter.

Jones is a shooting specialist to the core. Nine out of 10 shots that he takes come from behind the arc, making him one of the most specialized players in the game. He has no plans to venture into the paint and he has no business going there, either. He runs to the corner, waits for the kickout and then fires up a homing missile to the bottom of the net.

The biggest beneficiary to Mike Miller's departure is the doctor who had to labor over him 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The second-biggest is Jones, who played fewer minutes in the entire 2012-13 season than he did in the month of January 2011, but should soak up some of Miller's minutes next season along with Shane Battier.

Yes, it's certainly a little unnerving that a shooting specialist shot just 30.2 percent from downtown, but almost all of those shots came in garbage time with Norris Cole feeding him the ball. For perspective, Jones shared the court with LeBron James for all of eight minutes last season. The Heat should miss Miller's floor game, but they shouldn't miss a beat from a shooting perspective.

 

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RASHARD LEWIS, PF

Pelton's 2013-14 Projections

PPG

RPG

APG

WIN %

WARP

Player card »

1.5

0.7

0.2

.407

0.0

Scouting report

+ Long, shooting big man with unorthodox release, limited athleticism and bad wheels.

+ Struggles to create his own shot. Doesn't pass or get to the free throw line.

+ Can't defend a chair on the perimeter, but can body up with bigs. Mediocre rebounder for size.

Analysis

The Rehabilitation of Rashard Lewis didn't go as well as planned. With some speculation that he might work himself into a full-time starting gig in Miami, his knees were still mostly shot and he completely fell out of the Heat's rotation by the end of the season.

Believe it or not, the awkward shot mechanics still get results. He shot 38.9 percent from downtown and was money from the left side, where he shot 50.8 percent on 3s. But the problem is that he's completely dependent on others to create those shots for him, and he's not mobile enough to provide any value elsewhere. He makes Shane Battier look like a gazelle.

The Heat hoped that his post-up game would provide another dynamic to his scoring game, but Lewis is too slow to take advantage of smaller players. He shot just 42.9 percent on post-ups last season, and he routinely drew offensive foul calls fighting for position. All told, he's still not comfortable in his new condition.

Because of his bad knees, he's a liability on the defensive end who can't stay in front of quicker bigs. He doesn't rebound nearly enough for someone who's 6-foot-10, but that's never been his strong suit. If the Heat can somehow get his knees right, they might have something. But at age 34, the chances of that are slim.

JARVIS VARNADO, C

Pelton's 2013-14 Projections

PPG

RPG

APG

WIN %

WARP

Player card »

0.0

0.0

0.0

4.16

--

Scouting report

+ Undersized shot-blocking specialist who fouls too much and has no post-up moves.

+ Solid rebounder. Needs to add weight and skill.

Analysis

Picture Joel Anthony, but worse. That's Varnado. That's not a glowing compliment, but it's no surprise that the Heat are keeping tabs on Varnado with Anthony being potential trade bait this upcoming season. He's basically a lesser, cheaper version of Anthony.

Varnado averaged just 14.5 points per game in the D-League, which is a concern because the crop of players there is devoid of any talented big men. Also a bad sign: He fouled 5.2 times per 36 minutes there. Like Anthony, Varnado is a shot-blocking monster, swatting 3.3 shots per game for the Sioux Falls Skyforce. But until he keeps his fouls in check and learns pick-and-roll defense, he won't sniff an NBA rotation.

 

[infamous114]

Welcome back.

 

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Oh yeah and

Rio The GOAT

 

[infamous114]

Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick 5m

Spoelstra says he spoke to Juwan Howard 2 years ago about getting into coaching. "He could probably play another 2 years."



Tim Reynolds ‏@ByTimReynolds 3m

Spo says LeBron worked on post game a lot this summer



Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick 3m

Spoelstra puts it out there on LeBron: "This year, it would be great for him to recognized for the defensive work that he does."

Spoelstra says he told Oden: "No expectations."

Oh yea, Skolnick the GOAT Heat beat writer. Tim Reynolds is so unfunny and Ira be acting like he got sources lol, fuck outta here. Shout out to Michael Wallace from ESPN though.

 

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Wait micheal wallace is with ESPN now and not the herald? If so, good job on the come up

I heard bron worked on his FT shooting as a main priority this offseason

cant find the stream for media day..

 

[infamous114]

Wallace moved to ESPN when the big 3 got together. It's him, Tom Haberstroh and every Heat fan's least favorite guy covering the Heat, Brian Windhorst.

 

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Wallace moved to ESPN when the big 3 got together. It's him, Tom Haberstroh and every Heat fan's least favorite guy covering the Heat, Brian Windhorst.

Ohh you mean the heat index...

I check it like twice a yr. Windhorst keeps me away lol

 

[Chi-Town Bully]

Wallace moved to ESPN when the big 3 got together. It's him, Tom Haberstroh and every Heat fan's least favorite guy covering the Heat, Brian Windhorst.

I dont know anyone that likes this guys work

Good luck on the upcoming season, we coming for y'all

 

[stringer bell]

Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick 5m

Spoelstra says he spoke to Juwan Howard 2 years ago about getting into coaching. "He could probably play another 2 years."



Tim Reynolds ‏@ByTimReynolds 3m

Spo says LeBron worked on post game a lot this summer



Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick 3m

Spoelstra puts it out there on LeBron: "This year, it would be great for him to recognized for the defensive work that he does."

Spoelstra says he told Oden: "No expectations."

Oh yea, Skolnick the GOAT Heat beat writer. Tim Reynolds is so unfunny and Ira be acting like he got sources lol, fuck outta here. Shout out to Michael Wallace from ESPN though.

In bold for truth.. Skolnick just left the Plam Beach Post for the wack ass Bleacher Report...

 

[Tommy bilfiger]

Lmao this thread is a bandwagoners paradise.No heat fans posted before july 2010

 

[Beta]

Lmao this thread is a bandwagoners paradise.No heat fans posted before july 2010

FOH nigga

 

[Beta]

Fuckboy

Another dude on the squad that looks like curren$y

 

[infamous114]

http://instagram.com/p/e5KsLJEMjG/#

 

[infamous114]

Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick 1m

Haslem says he sat down Beasley and Chalmers and reminded them "this is not 5 years ago." Wants them to focus on court, not off.

 

[Beta]

Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick 1m

Haslem says he sat down Beasley and Chalmers and reminded them "this is not 5 years ago." Wants them to focus on court, not off.

yeah I dont want beasley bringin rio down...

 

[infamous114]

http://instagram.com/p/e5SdJOEMss/#
http://instagram.com/p/e5Eq4mEMrR/#