If Wade returns to pre-injury form...how good is Miami?

[Milbuck]

Let's say Wade returns to being a borderline elite player..obviously not who he was in 2009 or before that because that's not reasonable, but something like 2011-2012 to 2012-13 when he put up 22/5/5/2/1 on great efficiency with still good defense. Or maybe even he is able to find and maintain the form he was in during the 27-game winning streak when he put up 23/6/6/3/1 on 58% TS. And let's say this is a consistent form for him, he isn't missing every third game or so, he plays for the majority of the season and sustains that level of play.

How good does Miami become if he can return to that level?

Heat fans correct this depth chart, just going by what I see on the roster..

Norris Cole | Mario Chalmers | Shabazz Napier
Dwyane Wade | James Ennis | Tyler Johnson
Luol Deng | Danny Granger | James Ennis
Chris Bosh | Josh McRoberts | Shawne Williams
Chris Andersen | Udonis Haslem | Justin Hamilton

Doesn't look that scary on paper..but with good health..Wade, Bosh, Deng, McRoberts, Granger is a pretty damn good 5 to build around especially if Wade is healthy, and with guys like Birdman, Haslem, Cole, etc. as your role players and young developmental guys like Napier, Ennis, Johnson, that's a pretty solid team.

[TheNaturalWR]

Huge Wade fan but no way in hell this happens. He'll show a glimpse of being able to return to that form maybe once every 7 games but I personally think he's done. If he does though, I think we could be a top 2-3 seed. If he somehow returned to 2010-2011 form and got his athleticism back I'd confidently say 1st seed.

[ImKobe]

He'll have a good few stretches, where he looks like his old self, nagging injuries will limit his game though.

[Milbuck]

I get all the doubts, especially after the finals..but I'm just curious as to how good they could be if he's healthy. So assume he is healthy, he somehow finds his good form from the previous two years when he was healthy.

[riseagainst]

if he does return to his pre-2012 form, he'll most likely be the MVP of the league.

[PJR]

If this team had a halfway decent center, to where you could play a conventional lineup with Bosh at his natural position, I'd feel much better about the prospects of this team still being legit in the East. With that, you could bring McBob off the bench in a niche role as a secondary playmaker instead of having to start him. Would be real solid. Add in Deng, with his ability as a defender first, and a cutter offensively, and that's a relatively balanced team.


I think Wade raw numbers are going up across the board, as his usage and volume of shot attempts will rise. Ditto for Bosh. You're going to see more engagement from both of them as they no longer have to cede large portions of their respective games anymore. How much Wade has left physically is certainly a question mark(he's going to be 33 in January) , but I believe a good portion of his decline had to do with him having to play off the ball so much. That won't be the case next year without James, who needed to control every facet of the offense to remain engaged.

[BigTicket]

Wade isn't injured, he's just getting old.

[dubeta]

No matter the health of Wade it's still championship or bust for Miami

Absolutely no excuses

[Mass Debator]

If he is able to put up 37 minutes like he did in '11, I won't be surprised if he puts up the same stats that year. He needs another season putting up 20+ attempts and aim for MVP of the league.

In terms of winning it all, the Heat needs another piece. Healthy Okafor please.

[Suguru101]

if he does return to his pre-2012 form, he'll most likely be the MVP of the league.

Prime LeBron
Prime Durant


GTFO.

[Mass Debator]

Prime LeBron
Prime Durant


GTFO.
Lebron + Love/Irving
Durant + Westbrook
Wade + Bosh

If all end up with the same top record, MVP has to go to Wade.

[Milbuck]

If this team had a halfway decent center, to where you could play a conventional lineup with Bosh at his natural position, I'd feel much better about the prospects of this team still being legit in the East. With that, you could bring McBob off the bench in a niche role as a secondary playmaker instead of having to start him. Would be real solid. Add in Deng, with his ability as a defender first, and a cutter offensively, and that's a relatively balanced team.


I think Wade raw numbers are going up across the board, as his usage and volume of shot attempts will rise. Ditto for Bosh. You're going to see more engagement from both of them as they no longer have to cede large portions of their respective games anymore. How much Wade has left physically is certainly a question mark(he's going to be 33 in January) , but I believe a good portion of his decline had to do with him having to play off the ball so much. That won't be the case next year without James, who needed to control every facet of the offense to remain engaged.
Yeah you hit most of the points on their weaknesses. Center position is definitely not a strong point..I think they can get by with a Deng/Bosh/Andersen front court for the most part, but Haslem as a highly undersized backup C could spell some trouble when they play teams like Chicago.

And I think they need a more proven backup SG too..if Wade can give them high quality 34-36 mpg, they'll be fine either way, but I think they could get someone more proven than Ennis and Johnson. Jordan Crawford wouldn't be a bad pickup..has a bad rep for some reason but I think he could thrive with that 2nd unit. Chalmers-Crawford-Granger-McRoberts-Okafor would be a nice bench.

[FLDFSU]

Let's say Wade returns to being a borderline elite player..obviously not who he was in 2009 or before that because that's not reasonable, but something like 2011-2012 to 2012-13 when he put up 22/5/5/2/1 on great efficiency with still good defense. Or maybe even he is able to find and maintain the form he was in during the 27-game winning streak when he put up 23/6/6/3/1 on 58% TS. And let's say this is a consistent form for him, he isn't missing every third game or so, he plays for the majority of the season and sustains that level of play.

How good does Miami become if he can return to that level?

Heat fans correct this depth chart, just going by what I see on the roster..

Norris Cole | Mario Chalmers | Shabazz Napier
Dwyane Wade | James Ennis | Tyler Johnson
Luol Deng | Danny Granger | James Ennis
Chris Bosh | Josh McRoberts | Shawne Williams
Chris Andersen | Udonis Haslem | Justin Hamilton

Doesn't look that scary on paper..but with good health..Wade, Bosh, Deng, McRoberts, Granger is a pretty damn good 5 to build around especially if Wade is healthy, and with guys like Birdman, Haslem, Cole, etc. as your role players and young developmental guys like Napier, Ennis, Johnson, that's a pretty solid team.

I don't know. I personally think pretty solid cast.

But according to this thread:
http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=323705&page=7

"It looks like we've reached a unanimous decision guys, the Heat are indeed stacked, more so than any team since Russell's Celtics."

and this:

"A finals MVP is your 3rd option? Confirmed, Heat are the most stacked team since Russell's Celtics."

and this:

"Yeah man, I know you said Wade is your 3rd option. I was just mentioning how having a finals MVP as your 3rd option confirms that the Heat are the most stacked team in recent memory."
--January 26, 2014

you have us down as the most stacked team of all time with a 2013-2014 Wade.

I am guessing, per your logic, the most stacked organization in the history of mankind? :confusedshrug:

[Milbuck]

I don't know. I personally think pretty solid cast.

But according to this thread:
http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=323705&page=7

"It looks like we've reached a unanimous decision guys, the Heat are indeed stacked, more so than any team since Russell's Celtics."

and this:

"A finals MVP is your 3rd option? Confirmed, Heat are the most stacked team since Russell's Celtics."

and this:

"Yeah man, I know you said Wade is your 3rd option. I was just mentioning how having a finals MVP as your 3rd option confirms that the Heat are the most stacked team in recent memory."
--January 26, 2014

you have us down as the most stacked team of all time with a 2013-2014 Wade.

I am guessing, per your logic, the most stacked organization in the history of mankind? :confusedshrug:
How many times do I have to tell you that I was clearly messing with Corleone?

The Heat are the most stacked team in NBA History relative to competition per ISH posters.

Taking one or two players off that "historically" stacked team should not lead to a blow out by the Wizards. Especially when the Wizard's sole all-star goes 2-7 for 4 points....

STACKED!

Stop bringing up that "stacked" argument that trolls and idiots bring up. No one objective considers this banged up, older Miami squad the most stacked team ever. But by constantly bringing it up, you look foolish, trying to suggest that this supporting cast sucks.
Seriously, you are a trash poster. I have never once seen you post anything aside from bitching about how people call the Heat stacked.

[aj1987]

Let's say Wade returns to being a borderline elite player..obviously not who he was in 2009 or before that because that's not reasonable, but something like 2011-2012 to 2012-13 when he put up 22/5/5/2/1 on great efficiency with still good defense. Or maybe even he is able to find and maintain the form he was in during the 27-game winning streak when he put up 23/6/6/3/1 on 58% TS. And let's say this is a consistent form for him, he isn't missing every third game or so, he plays for the majority of the season and sustains that level of play.

How good does Miami become if he can return to that level?

Heat fans correct this depth chart, just going by what I see on the roster..

Norris Cole | Mario Chalmers | Shabazz Napier
Dwyane Wade | James Ennis | Tyler Johnson
Luol Deng | Danny Granger | James Ennis
Chris Bosh | Josh McRoberts | Shawne Williams
Chris Andersen | Udonis Haslem | Justin Hamilton

Doesn't look that scary on paper..but with good health..Wade, Bosh, Deng, McRoberts, Granger is a pretty damn good 5 to build around especially if Wade is healthy, and with guys like Birdman, Haslem, Cole, etc. as your role players and young developmental guys like Napier, Ennis, Johnson, that's a pretty solid team.
I can see him playing like he did in the '13 RS. Nothing more. Actually, anything more would just be AMAZING (hopefully he does). That being said, this team is pretty good. Miami basically replaced LeBron with Deng, McBob, and Granger. Although LeBron >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> all of them COMBINED, that doesn't change the fact that Miami WILL make the Playoffs. We'll actually be a pretty decent team in the EC.

[Suguru101]

Lebron + Love/Irving
Durant + Westbrook
Wade + Bosh

If all end up with the same top record, MVP has to go to Wade.

No, it doesn't have to.

And Wade's stats won't be close to LeBron, and Durant will also put insane stats.

Wade is not winning MVP in this realm dude, his chance passed.

[Mass Debator]

No, it doesn't have to.

And Wade's stats won't be close to LeBron, and Durant will also put insane stats.

Wade is not winning MVP in this realm dude, his chance passed.
We're talking if he performs at pre-injury form like 2011...that was 26/6/5 better than D-Rose's MVP line.

[oarabbus]

I will be quite impressed if Wade puts up 18/4/4. He's done. What I saw in the finals was a man who could not reach into another gear. A man who's body was betraying him. A man who is done.

[TheNaturalWR]

We're talking if he performs at pre-injury form like 2011...that was 26/6/5 better than D-Rose's MVP line.

Nah the OP said 2011-2012. If it was 2010-2011 then yeah I'd agree. 2011 Wade was a monster.

[GrapeApe]

I'll admit Wade was lazy/complacent at times the past couple of seasons and I've been critical of him because of it. This is a HUGE year for him and he knows it. I think being back in his comfort zone as the primary ball handler will really revitalize him. There's going to be a different dynamic and chemistry between he and Bosh that will have to be fine tuned as well. As great as LeBron is and as much as it hurts to lose a player of that caliber, I'm extremely excited about this season and seeing Wade back as "the man". I don't have delusions about him being in peak form but I think he'll suprise a lot of people.

[mehyaM24]

top 2 seed in the east. could win a championship, imo.

[ILLsmak]

I will be quite impressed if Wade puts up 18/4/4. He's done. What I saw in the finals was a man who could not reach into another gear. A man who's body was betraying him. A man who is done.

He is older, but he took a dive in the finals.

-Smak

[GrapeApe]

He is older, but he took a dive in the finals.

-Smak

Care to explain? Perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you mean.