Miami Heat Roundtable: Who is coming home for Thanksgiving?
Compare five of the guys, to five traditional Thanksgiving dishes…
Tachauer: Alright, let’s do this. First up, you have Wade, who is obviously the turkey. Without him, the Miami Heat just wouldn’t be the same; which obviously also holds true for turkey on Thanksgiving. Then we have Richardson as the stuffing, because I have yet to meet a single person who isn’t a fan of either. Bam Adebayo is pumpkin pie, as while not everyone may be acquainted with him just yet, once they are, they’ll instantly appreciate his value. Goran Dragic is brussel sprouts, also known as my favorite side dish of all time; good for you, but also delicious. And Justise Winslow is the cranberry sauce: sometimes sweet, sometimes tangy.
Rahming: Whiteside is the turkey, but not just any old turkey: it has to be deep fried. We all know Whiteside can erupt at any point during a game and make people look like barbecue chicken, but there are times where he puts up a dud, or comes close to fouling out too soon. Those times can be characterized by a bland baked turkey, that often turns out to be dry and tasteless. Bam Adebayo is stuffing for me. I love when he gets on the court, because you know as soon as he does, he’s going to work hard to get to his spots and stuff the stat sheet responsibly. Wayne Ellington is baked mac and cheese. He’s got to be on the court for the Heat to be effective, because he’s a 3-point specialist that contributes on defense, and doesn’t mind getting assists and rebounds when needed. To me, if a Thanksgiving plate doesn’t include mac and cheese, it’s void in my book. And what would a holiday dinner be, without sweet potato pie? For me, Wade is that pie. At year 16 as a pro, there are a lot of times where he makes a mistake or his age shows, and fans (myself included) just look the other way. In my family, sweet potato pie is the only dessert served, and if you mess it up, we remember it forever. Lastly comes green bean casserole. No one likes it, but yet someone brings it to dinner every time. It usually sits on the table untouched, or with only a few small pieces taken from it. Right now Haslem is that casserole. Heat Nation appreciates all he’s done for the franchise, but seriously, what is he doing still in the roster? He’ll always be ready to play but I honestly don’t know how much head coach Erik Spoelstra will really be able to use him.
Morganfield: Wade is obviously the turkey. He’s the star of the show and you can’t mention the Miami Heat without mentioning his name. Haslem is the ham. He’s been around just as long as the turkey and he’s also a star in his own right, but doesn’t get as much spotlight as the turkey. Richardson is the baked macaroni and cheese. I mean really, who doesn’t love mac and cheese? He’s solid and enjoyable. Without the mac and cheese, it’s kind of just a regular plate of food. Whiteside is the stuffing or dressing. He’s not for everybody, but he’s essential to have at every Thanksgiving meal. And Winslow? Well, he’s the collard greens. You don’t really know how he does it, but he makes the plate better and more complete.
Campbell: Richardson is my aunt’s potato salad: full of flavor and very good, with tons of potential. Wayne Ellington is mac and cheese: when it’s hot, it so good, but when its not, it’s just not the same. Dion Waiters is the turkey: let’s face it, he’s packed on a few pounds lately. Kelly Olynyk is mashed potatoes: he’s the same complexion as them and if there’s no gravy added, it can be very dry. Finally, Wade is apple pie: always there and always reliable.