Jun 20, 2013; Miami, FL, USA
Does Pat Riley have a move up his sleeve?
The Heat are over the cap, so any additions will have to come by way of the Veteran’s Minimum. Someone like Shawn Marion probably won’t be interested in that (although with the way his market has shaped up, he might not have a choice), and Riley might be willing to let Ennis show that he can rise to the occasion before deciding on going out for another wing player.
Point guard will be another position to monitor, as Chalmers needs to prove that he can run the offense effectively; the Heat don’t need him to be a hero. Miami is also lacking on three-point specialists, as James Jones left, and Ray Allen hasn’t decided on his future.
The Heat don’t have a lot in the way of assets, as their young players are question marks, and the Heat won’t have a first round pick next season, unless they’re drafting in the Top-10 (which feels unlikely). Any trade they try to make would have to be for another complimentary part – a Cole for Iman Shumpert seems intriguing, but doesn’t really do anything for the Knicks (not like that hasn’t stopped them before).
But as I’ve said before that you can’t count Riley out. He’s always looking for ways to improve the roster. If Miami is in striking distance of a top spot in the conference, you better believe he’s going to maneuver his way into picking up an asset.
This team will be something of an enigma going into the season, but answering these questions will go a long way in shaping what could turn out to be a very interesting year for the Miami Heat.