Jun 8, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh (1) dunks in the first half against the San Antonio Spurs in game two of the 2014 NBA Finals at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports
The Miami Heat have had a fair amount of star players come through their pipeline in their 27 years of history. That has played a major part in helping them become 3-time champions in that short time.
With the off-season all but over and preseason still ways away, we at All U Can Heat have tried to appreciate not only the Heat’s future, but the history of the franchise as well. What better way to do that than to look at some of the best players to wear a Miami Heat uniform.
So far this week AllUCanHeat.com has taken a look back the top 5 point guards, shooting guards, and small forwards in franchise history. Today we’ll look at the power forward position, which actually has two players on the current roster.
Honorable Mentions: Lamar Odom (only 1 season in Miami) and LeBron James (did not count as a PF in this exercise)
Next: Grant Pt. 1
5. Brian Grant (2001-04)
Brian Grant’s biggest accomplishment in Miami may have been apart of a package that brought Shaquille O’Neal to Miami, but before that, he was an important part of the Heat franchise.
Pat Riley originally brought Brian Grant to Miami in hopes of pairing him with franchise anchor Alonzo Morning, to join Eddie Jones and Anthony Mason. Riley insisted that Grant was the missing piece from the championship equation, thus rewarding him with a 7-year $86 million mega free agent deal in 2000.
Unfortunately for Miami, Zo’s now famous bout with a rare kidney disease scrapped those championship plans before the team had a chance to get together on the court. However, Grant did not disappoint, averaging 15.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game on 48% shooting that season. This resulted in a career high PER of 17.5 for the man playing center out of necessity.
In his 4 seasons in Miami, Brian Grant averaged 11.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game on 48% shooting. He may have never lived up to the contract he signed, but he did end up helping the Heat bring in O’Neal, who helped turn Dwyane Wade into the best shooting guard in Heat history.
Next: Another Grant?
4. Grant Long (1988-94)
I could not leave Grant Long from this list, otherwise Chris Posada would have killed me. But he also makes the list because he sure as hell deserves to. Grant Long may have been the Udonis Haslem before UD ever suited up for the Heat.
The Heat drafted Long with the 33rd overall pick in the 1988 NBA draft. Long had a successful NBA career with the Heat, averaging 11.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game on 48% shooting in his 7 seasons with the team. He was mostly known for his aggressive defense, rebounding, and all out hustle play with the Heat.
Long’s banner season with the Heat may have been the 1991-1992 season, when he averaged an NBA career high of 14.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game on 49% shooting. He posted a career high 15.8 PER that season to go along with an impressive 57% true shooting percentage.
Like Brian Grant, Grant Long’s Miami career came to a halt as a result of a trade. He was packaged along with Steve Smith to the Atlanta Hawks for Kevin Willis
Next: P.J. Brown
3. P.J. Brown (1996-2000)
Who can ever forget P.J. Brown or many of have classic moments against the then hated rival New York Knicks?
Brown came to Miami as a free agent signing during the crazy 1996 off-season. His signing was overshadowed by the Juwan Howard signing fiasco that led the NBA to void the contract Howard signed with the Heat.
In his time with the Heat, Brown was well-known for his defense. Brown was selected the All-NBA defensive second team twice in his Heat career, in 1997 and 1999. He would make the second team one more time in his career, but that was in 2001, after his Miami days were done.
Brown averaged 9.9 points and 7.9 rebounds per game on 47% shooting in his time with the Heat. His best season with the team came during the lockout shortened 1998-1999 season, when he averaged a career high of 11.4 points and 6.9 rebounds on 48% shooting.
Just like the other power forwards that preceded Brown on this list, his Heat career ended with a trade. The Heat traded Brown in a blockbuster, along with Tim James, Jamal Mashburn, Otis Thorpe, and Rodney Buford to the Charlotte Hornets for Ricky Davis, Dale Ellis, Eddie Jones and Anthony Mason
Next: UD!!
2. Udonis Haslem (2003-Present)
Udnois Haslem is far from the most talented or skilled player to ever wear a Miami Heat uniform, but he is probably one of the most respected and a big time fan favorite. Haslem signed with the Heat as an undrafted free agent in 2003 and has stuck with the team since.
Despite being undrafted, Haslem played in the rookie challenge game at the all-star break and was named to the All-NBA Second Rookie team in 2003-2004. He then became the starting power forward the next season for the Heat when Lamar Odom and Brian Grant were traded to LA for Shaq. He would hold onto that starting role for the Heat’s 2006 NBA championship run and became a Heat leader and captain in later years.
Until the 2009-2010 season, Haslem was a starter for the Heat, until the Heat drafted Michael Beasley and allowed the second overall pick from the 2008 a chance to win the starting role.
Haslem’s best single season came during 2007-2008 season, when he averaged 12 points and 9 rebounds per game on 46% shooting from the field. Haslem has averaged 8.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in his 12-year Miami Heat and NBA career. His hustle and unselfishness have been his calling cards.
Haslem reportedly turned down huge money deals during the LeBron James off-season to remain in Miami with good pal Dwyane Wade. He has since then been rewarded with loyalty and contracts from the Heat front office, despite not being the same caliber player he was before LeBron came to Miami.
Haslem’s best moment for the Heat has to be this one:
Next: Bosh
1. Chris Bosh (2010-Present)
Jan 16, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Miami Heat center Chris Bosh (1) as a timeout is called after making a basket against the Sacramento Kings during the third quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Miami Heat defeated the Sacramento Kings 95-83. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
There is little question that Chris Bosh has been the best power forward in Miami Heat history. His star talent is a rare treat and Heat fans, for the most part, have enjoyed watching Bosh play in Miami. Bosh has been a huge piece for the Heat and who knows what could have been last season had it not been for his health issues.
Bosh went one pick ahead of Dwyane Wade in the 2003 draft, going fourth overall to the Toronto Raptors. It’s doubtful at the time of the pick that either he or Wade could have imagined pairing up in Miami to put together a historic 4-year run they had with LeBron.
More than any of the other big 3, Bosh had to make the biggest adjustment to his game when coming to Miami, as he saw the ball a lot less. He adapted his game to include a 3-point shot and improved his defense to an elite level while having less of an offensive burden playing with Dwyane Wade and LeBron James.
Bosh has averaged 17.8 points and 7.3 rebound per game in his 5-year Heat career. He averaged 20.2 points and 9.4 rebounds in his time with the Raptors.
However, Bosh has grown as a defender and has been a more efficient player in Miami, especially with the added 3-point shot.
Bosh was almost a goner last off-season before Pat Riley and owner Mickey Arison dug deep into their pockets and gave him a max contract to sign in Miami. I argued at the time that Bosh was worth his contract, and more.
Chris Bosh’s season was ended abruptly last February as there was a blood clot discovered in one of his lungs. The hope is he’ll return to full strength this season and continue to solidify his spot as the best power forward in Heat history.