Superfriends get sidekicks Heat Has Solid Backup Plan
By HOWARD BECK
When LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh formed their South Beach superfriends club, it left fans of jilted rivals only one resort: sneer at the rest of the lineup.
It was a natural reflex. Two weeks ago, the Miami Heat barely had a roster. And even superfriends need trusty sidekicks to win a title.
Miami had to gut its roster to make room for three mammoth salaries. The problem, if it could be called that, was a profound lack of payroll flexibility to fill the vacancies. The Heat, skeptics noted, would have to go shopping in the bargain bin.
To the great glee of Miami fans, and the probable dismay of everyone else, the task proved easier than expected.
The superfriends took pay cuts. Veterans started flocking to South Beach. The roster is now nearly complete, and it rates somewhere between not too shabby and darn solid.
The supporting cast features Mike Miller, one of the top 3-point shooters in the league; Udonis Haslem, a scrappy rebounder who helped Miami win the 2006 title; James Jones, a veteran shooter; center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, James’s longtime teammate in Cleveland; and the young point guard Mario Chalmers.
Miami also re-signed one veteran big man, Jamaal Magloire, picked up another, Juwan Howard and seems set to shore up the backcourt with a familiar face. Carlos Arroyo, who finished last season as the Heat’s starting point guard, plans to re-sign, according to The Sun-Sentinel.
The Heat’s starting lineup could look like this: Arroyo and Wade at guard, James and Bosh at forward, and Joel Anthony at center. The top five reserves would be Miller, Haslem, Ilgauskas, Chalmers and Howard.
It is not the sexiest, flashiest group around. But on a team with James, Wade and Bosh, efficient and effective should suffice. On balance, Miami’s bench compares favorably to those of its chief rivals, the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic. And it is much better than anyone envisioned two weeks ago.
Credit the three stars, who all took lower salaries to give the team more salary-cap room. That room turned into Miller and Haslem, who will form the core of the Heat’s bench. Everyone else came for minimum contracts, lured by the chance to win titles and play in Miami.
Miller has converted 40.5 percent of his 3-pointers in 10 seasons and has an overall shooting percentage of 46.4. He is a solid rebounder (5.1 per game) and playmaker (3.2 assists per game), and a selfless teammate. Coaches have faulted him for not shooting enough.
After a mostly anonymous career with lousy teams in Memphis, Minnesota and Washington, Miller could become a breakout star in Miami.
Haslem, who has played his entire seven-year career with Miami, is always good for 8-10 points, 8-10 rebounds and sturdy interior defense. A starter for most of his career, he now becomes one of the best backup power forwards in the league.
Ilgauskas was also a starter in Cleveland for nearly his entire career, until he was pushed to the bench by Shaquille O’Neal last season. In 2008-9, he started 65 games, averaging 12.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. He can play on the low block or step out and shoot, and at 7 feet 3 inches remains a defensive force in the paint.
Skeptics will downgrade the Heat at point guard: Arroyo and Chalmers are both better suited for the bench. But James and Wade will do most of the ball-handling, making a point guard nearly irrelevant. The Heat mostly needs Arroyo and Chalmers to defend and hit open jumpers.
There are understandable doubts at center, as well. Ilgauskas, 35, is a bit old and slow. Magloire, 32, has been coasting for at least five years. Anthony has no discernible skills. But Howard can also play the pivot in a pinch, as he showed last season in Portland.
The Heat will inevitably be known as LeBron, Dwyane, Bosh and “those other guys.” But the other guys may be good enough to help them lift the trophy next June.
