So what happens if Riley can't recruit?

[Aidz]

Let's say Miami misses out on Lowry, Gortat, Carmelo, Deng..

Do Bosh and James walk?

It'd be pretty funny if Miami was stuck with nothing but to offer a max contract to Wade.

[sixerfan82]

If Riley cant recruit then..

Then Lebron james doesnt resign with Miami..

When lebron james doesnt resign with miami, ticket sales drop

When ticket sales drop, people spend their money on other things

When people spend their money on other things, they get weird hobbies

When people get weird hobbies, they get involved with taxidermy.

When people get involved with taxidermy, they have a house full of weird stuff

Dont have a house full of weird stuff, help Riles recruit!

[OnFire]

I don't *think* that can happen. The Heat can't even begin to recruit until after LeBron, Bosh, Wade, and Haslem re-sign.

You can't use the salary cap space created by your own free agents or something like that. Also there was no reason for Wade to opt out of LeBron isn't re-signing.

[Mass Debator]

I already expect them to miss out on all of those.

I expect players like Jodie Meeks, Kirk Hinrich, Mike Miller, and Shawn Marion to really give Heat a chance. Ekpe Udoh and Okafor too.

Heat will be fine.

[Taller than CP3]

Everyone wants to play with Lebron.

Lebron makes Pat Riley's job much easier.

[AKADS]

I think they sign Okafor. Ed Davis. Anthony Morrow. And some other role players. The font need a big name just to fill there bench.

A guy like Morrow could start and give LeBron space to get to the hoop with Wade playing a 6th man role getting 25 minutes a night. Ed Davis brings a younger athlete who can rebound and play D. And Okafor is the big they have been missing.

Resign. Birdman. And they need to find a PG still

[OnFire]

Ed Davis and Jameer Nelson, with Big 3 + Haslem+Birdman+Napier would be a good start IMO.

[Droid101]

How are they going to sign all these guys?

If Bron really wants the max, what are they giving Wade and Bosh to stay?

20 for bron, 15 for Bosh and 13 for Wade along with cap holds and their other players, means they only have 4 million left. They can't afford any of the above mentioned players with 4 million.

[Meticode]

How are they going to sign all these guys?

If Bron really wants the max, what are they giving Wade and Bosh to stay?

20 for bron, 15 for Bosh and 13 for Wade along with cap holds and their other players, means they only have 4 million left. They can't afford any of the above mentioned players with 4 million.
The max for LeBron was $23 million I thought?

[hawkfan]

The Heat should try to make a run at Josh McRoberts.

He could be their Boris Diaw type with his passing skills.

[OnFire]

I am still not convinced that LeBron is going to take the Max. I kind of feel like he is putting that out there for OTHER teams, not saying what he wants to sign with the Heat for.

Could be wrong, and wouldn't be mad if I was, I just have a feeling that is why that rumor is out there.

[Droid101]

The max for LeBron was $23 million I thought?
I saw on Grantland that it'd start at 20.5 but they could be wrong.

Either way, I don't really see how they get any better. Swapping out min level vets with other min level vets.

Edit other sites are saying it'd start at 22.2. Either way, not good for the Heat.

[r15mohd]

I saw on Grantland that it'd start at 20.5 but they could be wrong.

Either way, I don't really see how they get any better. Swapping out min level vets with other min level vets.

Edit other sites are saying it'd start at 22.2. Either way, not good for the Heat.


surely there are more viable options...Battier was a no show for the most part and was no where near the same as last year. Same as Toney Douglas...replace them with Marion or VC, and it's a much different outcome IMO.

Lebron wants the max and surely he's worth it but I really think it'll be arond this for the Big3:

Lebron - 19 mil
Bosh - 15 mil
Wade - 12-13 mil

that's 46.5 mil + Cole at 3 mil, left with 12.5 mil on fillers to reach that $62 mil cap

[longtime lurker]

surely there are more viable options...Battier was a no show for the most part and was no where near the same as last year. Same as Toney Douglas...replace them with Marion or VC, and it's a much different outcome IMO.

Lebron wants the max and surely he's worth it but I really think it'll be arond this for the Big3:

Lebron - 19 mil
Bosh - 15 mil
Wade - 12-13 mil

that's 46.5 mil + Cole at 3 mil, left with 12.5 mil on fillers to reach that $62 mil cap

You can take off about 3.5 million for the capholds since Miami would only have 5 players under contract. And that doesn't even consider if Chris Anderson opts in.

[r15mohd]

You can take off about 3.5 million for the capholds since Miami would only have 5 players under contract. And that doesn't even consider if Chris Anderson opts in.


i think Andersen opted out early on...figure after it all, there's about $10mil to use on players before hitting the cap. Deng at $7-8mil is unlikely...guess we'll soon find out.

if Riley gets the Big3 to take even bigger cuts...he's gonna win FO man of the year again, can't see how he can't if he does this.

[lilgodfather1]

If everyone wants money then LeBron will be at 20.5, Bosh at 16, and Wade at 13. That would be 49.5 of the 55 million. Would give Riley 6.5 million to work with.

Next scenario, LeBron wants money, Wade and Bosh are flexible. 20.5, 15, 12.5 for a total of 48 million, leaving Riley 7 million.

Scenario three all are flexible. 19.5 for LeBron, 14 for Bosh, and 12 for Wade. Would give a total of 45.5 leaving Riley 14.5 million.

How flexible is LeBron is the big question. If he is willing to leave 5 million a year on the table, then it could give Riley a lot to work with. I wouldn't bet on him doing that though.

[boozehound]

as others have said, the cap holds and roster spot holds eat up almost all of their cap space already. They only way they get a big time FA is if they renounce the bird rights to bosh or wade and walk away from them. They are not bringing back the big three and adding any 7 figure FA. Read the zach lowe piece from today on grantland.

[boozehound]

If everyone wants money then LeBron will be at 20.5, Bosh at 16, and Wade at 13. That would be 49.5 of the 55 million. Would give Riley 6.5 million to work with.

Next scenario, LeBron wants money, Wade and Bosh are flexible. 20.5, 15, 12.5 for a total of 48 million, leaving Riley 7 million.

Scenario three all are flexible. 19.5 for LeBron, 14 for Bosh, and 12 for Wade. Would give a total of 45.5 leaving Riley 14.5 million.

How flexible is LeBron is the big question. If he is willing to leave 5 million a year on the table, then it could give Riley a lot to work with. I wouldn't bet on him doing that though.
you dont seem to be including Cole, the rookie cap hold or the minimum roster space holds.

[D-FENS]

If Riley cant recruit then..

Then Lebron james doesnt resign with Miami..

When lebron james doesnt resign with miami, ticket sales drop

When ticket sales drop, people spend their money on other things

When people spend their money on other things, they get weird hobbies

When people get weird hobbies, they get involved with taxidermy.

When people get involved with taxidermy, they have a house full of weird stuff

Dont have a house full of weird stuff, help Riles recruit!

Correct. The Celtics were unwatchable this year, so I started knitting, and eventually taxidermy.

[HomieWeMajor]

Then it will be time to make Birdman the 1st option. I reckon he can put up 20/10 with 2-3 blocks per game on 50+fg%.

[lilgodfather1]

you dont seem to be including Cole, the rookie cap hold or the minimum roster space holds.
Oh I know...

Just for easy math I was going with Windy's 55 million in cap space number because I don't care to figure it out.

The team is screwed. There are a ton of teams with huge cap space this year. Players are going to get way overpaid, and that will limit who the Heat can sign. I have very serious doubts that free agents like Pau Gasol is going to be enough to bring LeBron back to the team.

He would basically be killing a year of title contention in his prime for the chance that they can get good role players next year.

Tack on another year of Wade diminishing, and Bosh diminishing, and it doesn't paint a good picture for Miami.

LeBron is gone.

[3LiftHeatCurse]

Let's say Miami misses out on Lowry, Gortat, Carmelo, Deng..

Do Bosh and James walk?

It'd be pretty funny if Miami was stuck with nothing but to offer a max contract to Wade.

We aren't left with nothing.

We went to four straight NBA finals and went back to back champs for 2 rings.

We would chill and watch Wade retire in Heat uniform.