Plenty of NBA news to talk about. My first reaction to the big Heat trade was that they are nuts. And that they would need many more basketballs. But a second look made me realize that their starting 5 are going to big and fast. O'Neal, Haslem, Walker, Wade and Williams. They will run, they will bang, they will do well in the half court game and they will certainly own the boards. It all comes down to meshing as a unit and playing as a team--an unselfish one.
Williams and Walker have developed reputations for being careless with the ball and shot selection. I can only imagine the look on Shaq's face after he battles flailing arms and legs to get position in the post--only to see an unecessary, errant pass by Williams or Walker hoisting a 3 with 18 seconds left on the shot clock. Plus, they aren't exactly known for their defense. So it will be interesting to see how it will all fit together. And I'm not sure Jason Williams is an upgrade over Damon Jones.
The Heat also got the underrated James Posey. He's a well-rounded player who will play excellent defense. The Heat drafted Wayne Simien from Kansas with their 1st round pick. While I am not a huge fan, most agree he is ready to contribue at the NBA level after a fine career for the Jayhawks. Dorrell Wright should see more playing time this season.
But was an overhaul needed for a team that won 59 games and almost made the finals? ESPN's Marc Stein has a great column about it here.
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