Odom + Boozer (+ AI eh) = Miami Heat Contenders?

[Kush]

With LA's decreased offer to Odom and Boozer's interest in the Heat, Wade can potentially have the necessary troops to lead an upset in the east. I like the celtics, even with a diminished KG, but I have to hope for my heat. Oh, and LA dropping Odom would be a huge mistake, i just hope they don't realize it. Then again, Boozer/Beasley is still a toss up because i see Beasley being a force next season and a monster by 2011. Any one else?

 

[COMTONDAJATT]

Probably not, they would still be 4th best in the East but they would close the gap. Orlando/Cleveland/Boston are going to be fighting and jostling between the top 3 spots. Losing Odom would suck for LA but they would still be the top team in the west. He said he will make a decision within the next 48 hours so until then its too early to say.

 

[Kush]

not to mention, Chris Bosh WILL not just highly consider the heat next season, but will hit the ground running with ALL heat center's being out of contract at the end of the year. (I wouldnt mind Oneal or Magloire off the bench though).

 

[Saab]

Problem with bball right now is that a lot of owners dont want to hit the luxury tax before next year and arent looking into vets with long term deals, especially older ones, in order to get people from '10-'11. The big moves youll see during the year and leading up to the season are ones made by teams with players such as wade, lebron, chris bosh, etc who have expiring deals and teams want to re-up them by promising talented squads or finding talented role players(spurs) to fit in the system. The heat might pull the trigger, but money is one the east and wests best teams to make moves to match if the start doesnt go to well.

 

[[Sher] Imran]

If Buss lets Odom walk, Kobe is NOT gonna be happy

 

[Saab]

Ive been thinking, if buss doesnt want odom for that much....

why not resign him and trade him to minnesota for a guy like rubio who doesnt seem to be to keen on playing for the wolves. reports indicate he will buy out his contract, but the salary talk might be ridiculously high along with other accomadations. A swap of odom/farmar with the wolves for maybe a combo of corey brewer/ricky rubio with a pick from la?

brewer is a 6'9 guard forward that can play all three positions and could defend at an elite level from all three. He makes LA a much better defensive team and puts length on the court(hence replacing odoms length) and with more bulk could play a gerald wallace style four. Rubio could thrive in LA, where he wont be forced to produce like crazy and wont be picked apart(unless they start losing) and could play behind fish to start and see his role develop.

Minnesota gets to play with johhny flynn with a solid backup in farmar(if the lakers go that route) and get a mobile big with great inside outside game to complement jefferson and love. He could run the break with q-richardson and flynn as they would have great transitions starting from love and could really flourish in a high tempo game. Farmar is a capable and polished player who plays in rhthym and will be splitting time with flynn. Pick would make things go sweeter.

 

[COMTONDAJATT]

Lamar is not going to Minnesota, no way he would agree to that and no way the new Timberwolves GM would let a player like Odom take up cap space. His only choices are LA or Miami.

 

[Saab]

Just a thought...I dont know how much of a say lamar has in it, but you have to think that with a nucleus of some pretty good talent(love, jefferson, flynn, brewer) with clearly defined roles and a low cap number, you could see an odom acquisition being something towards the thinking they might be able to get into the bidding for a superstar or at least a very good player to fit the puzzle.

LA signing of lamar effectively kills any pairing of kobe with any super humanoid. If you leave out lamar, you think that kobe not only could win with what he has left, but he can get something special next year on the premise of championship for a bargain price(not superstar, but maybe two people for the price of one.)

 

[COMTONDAJATT]

Just a thought...I dont know how much of a say lamar has in it, but you have to think that with a nucleus of some pretty good talent(love, jefferson, flynn, brewer) with clearly defined roles and a low cap number, you could see an odom acquisition being something towards the thinking they might be able to get into the bidding for a superstar or at least a very good player to fit the puzzle.

LA signing of lamar effectively kills any pairing of kobe with any super humanoid. If you leave out lamar, you think that kobe not only could win with what he has left, but he can get something special next year on the premise of championship for a bargain price(not superstar, but maybe two people for the price of one.)

Lamar has all the leverage, he is the Free Agent. Sign and trades only happen when the Free Agent wants them to happen. Odom hates cold weather climates and Kahn is going in a whole different direction.

 

[jsidhu]

with odom and boozer heat will win the championship then they would have the big 4 odom boozer beasley and wade thats jus crazy

 

[Saab]

Just a thought...I dont know how much of a say lamar has in it, but you have to think that with a nucleus of some pretty good talent(love, jefferson, flynn, brewer) with clearly defined roles and a low cap number, you could see an odom acquisition being something towards the thinking they might be able to get into the bidding for a superstar or at least a very good player to fit the puzzle.

LA signing of lamar effectively kills any pairing of kobe with any super humanoid. If you leave out lamar, you think that kobe not only could win with what he has left, but he can get something special next year on the premise of championship for a bargain price(not superstar, but maybe two people for the price of one.)

Lamar has all the leverage, he is the Free Agent. Sign and trades only happen when the Free Agent wants them to happen. Odom hates cold weather climates and Kahn is going in a whole different direction.

Thats true, but the longer this drags on, the more it favors the heat. If they get a deal done it still wont vault the heat up in the top four. You got odom whos value is for super-subbing and playing 2-4 with mis-match capability at each place. Boozer who has health trouble and is an undersized four. Beasley who oozes talent but is also an undersized four(hes more 6'8 1/2 from his pre-draft measurables) that needs to stop taking jumpers and attack the basket. If miami is going to beast it, they are going to need an actual post presence for a while(o'neil plays well) for them to be effective. If o'neill can play well and stay healthy, thats how its going to click because it opens up the floor, and d-wade is insane driving to the hoop.

 

[COMTONDAJATT]

Thats true, but the longer this drags on, the more it favors the heat. If they get a deal done it still wont vault the heat up in the top four. You got odom whos value is for super-subbing and playing 2-4 with mis-match capability at each place. Boozer who has health trouble and is an undersized four. Beasley who oozes talent but is also an undersized four(hes more 6'8 1/2 from his pre-draft measurables) that needs to stop taking jumpers and attack the basket. If miami is going to beast it, they are going to need an actual post presence for a while(o'neil plays well) for them to be effective. If o'neill can play well and stay healthy, thats how its going to click because it opens up the floor, and d-wade is insane driving to the hoop.

Lakers management has a history of playing hardball and they rightly should because of cap situation, back in 87 or 88 Cooper didnt sign until like the second day of training camp because the Lakers wouldnt budge. If Lamar goes to Miami he starts, and if he does he has to play PF, he cant guard SF because when he does he gets into majoooor foul trouble. Beasley still cant play a lick of defense. Boozer's knees will explode. Oneal will never be healthy again. I know that sounds major doomsday but its 2009 and thats just the way those players are now. If Heat get Odom they should stand pat and wait for Bosh next year.

 

[Sher Foundation]

Actually saab, the longer the odom situation prolongs, the more it favors the lakers. Heat's offer is on the table and it has not changed. Odom is waiting for something...and thats a better offer from the lakers. It just shows that he really wants to stay in LA thats why he keeps holding off on committing to miami in hopes of the lakers compromising a little more. He met with wade and pat riley last night...if a signing was to happen with the heat...yesterday would have been it. But no odom news today which means he still has hope. Lakers have improved their offer in the last 24 hours but def not by much. Lets see who gives up first!

 

[Saab]

Thats true, but the longer this drags on, the more it favors the heat. If they get a deal done it still wont vault the heat up in the top four. You got odom whos value is for super-subbing and playing 2-4 with mis-match capability at each place. Boozer who has health trouble and is an undersized four. Beasley who oozes talent but is also an undersized four(hes more 6'8 1/2 from his pre-draft measurables) that needs to stop taking jumpers and attack the basket. If miami is going to beast it, they are going to need an actual post presence for a while(o'neil plays well) for them to be effective. If o'neill can play well and stay healthy, thats how its going to click because it opens up the floor, and d-wade is insane driving to the hoop.

Lakers management has a history of playing hardball and they rightly should because of cap situation, back in 87 or 88 Cooper didnt sign until like the second day of training camp because the Lakers wouldnt budge. If Lamar goes to Miami he starts, and if he does he has to play PF, he cant guard SF because when he does he gets into majoooor foul trouble. Beasley still cant play a lick of defense. Boozer's knees will explode. Oneal will never be healthy again. I know that sounds major doomsday but its 2009 and thats just the way those players are now. If Heat get Odom they should stand pat and wait for Bosh next year.

Rumors are circulating that if the raptors hit a funk, theyll probably give up on bosh for something now rather than wait till he hits free agency. If miami signs odom, they might want to package him to get bosh who is a true post player. Beasley looks like he plays blazed. Miami should look to deal o'neill and his (i believe) expiring deal for a player like gerald wallace who would provide defense and good rebounding numbers to a team that is poor on that.

 

[COMTONDAJATT]

Rumors are circulating that if the raptors hit a funk, theyll probably give up on bosh for something now rather than wait till he hits free agency. If miami signs odom, they might want to package him to get bosh who is a true post player. Beasley looks like he plays blazed. Miami should look to deal o'neill and his (i believe) expiring deal for a player like gerald wallace who would provide defense and good rebounding numbers to a team that is poor on that.

I think the Raptors have a good chance of being competitive, but you are right and I think next trade deadline you could see a Bosh trade to Miami or Dallas or something like that. If they get Odom they wont be able to trade him until about 9 months or something after the contract is signed, weird NBA salary cap rules. Oneal's deal is i think 23 million and they will definitley look to unload him, doubt they can get Wallace though but Jordan is a horrible executive so it might happen. hahah

 

[jsidhu]

If Buss lets Odom walk, Kobe is NOT gonna be happy

kobe wont care if odom leaves cuz they just signed ron artest as long as kobe gets a championship he wont care who he has with him

 

[singh5327]

even with odom nd boozer, heat will not make it through to the conference finals, theres still too many good teams in the east. Teams like toronto nd wizards are getting better nd healthier. As much as I love watching D-Wade go to work and win games, the East has gotten seriously tougher. Also, I do believe kobe would care if odom leaves, he's already learned the hard way that if he doesnt have a strong supporting cast, hes not going anywhere near the finals. So if odom nd ariza left nd they only have artest, who tends to run his mouth alot, chances are SPURs become the favorites with their allstar lineup and depth off the bench.

 

[jsidhu]

i do think the spurs are gonna do good cuz they got richard jefferson they have an amazing line up tony parker tim duncan and richard jefferson and manu ginobli is healthy they jus signed antonio mcdyess they also have a beast rookie dejaun blair the spurs are set for the west
kobe does have a supporting cast other then artest he has bynum and pau gasol and derrick fisher

 

[singh5327]

i do think the spurs are gonna do good cuz they got richard jefferson they have an amazing line up tony parker tim duncan and richard jefferson and manu ginobli is healthy they jus signed antonio mcdyess they also have a beast rookie dejaun blair the spurs are set for the west
kobe does have a supporting cast other then artest he has bynum and pau gasol and derrick fisher

true true he does have all those guys supporting him, but the thing with Ariza and Odom is that there versatile players. there big men that can stretch the floor and thats a deadly weapon to have in the nba, not to mention they can guard big mean and guards alike, i would still think losing both, would take them outta the top spot

 

[jsidhu]

i do think the spurs are gonna do good cuz they got richard jefferson they have an amazing line up tony parker tim duncan and richard jefferson and manu ginobli is healthy they jus signed antonio mcdyess they also have a beast rookie dejaun blair the spurs are set for the west
kobe does have a supporting cast other then artest he has bynum and pau gasol and derrick fisher

true true he does have all those guys supporting him, but the thing with Ariza and Odom is that there versatile players. there big men that can stretch the floor and thats a deadly weapon to have in the nba, not to mention they can guard big mean and guards alike, i would still think losing both, would take them outta the top spot

ur right i think spurs will take the west and the nuggets would come in second and then would come the lakers