Chris “Birdman” Andersen is an important player and the Miami Heat must keep a hold of him. (Photo Credit: Mark Runyon, Basketball Schedule)
The Indiana Pacers dominantly exposed what we already knew … the Miami Heat need size and they need it now.
The Pacers dragged Miami on to a decisive seventh game in the Eastern Conference Finals mainly on the back of 7’2” Roy Hibbert at center, who made it seem like a man against boys in the paint.
“The Great Wall of Hibbert” (as Reggie Miller puts it) was dominant both defensively and offensively. Troubling finishers with his sheer length and size as well as his body control on offense, not biting on attempts to draw offensive fouls out of him from the smaller, quicker players.
And because of the lack of foul trouble, he and David West ran riot on the boards as they out-rebounded Miami.
The bad news for the Heat is that there aren’t many high-quality bigs on market and they don’t much cap room to work with. However, the good news is there are some serviceable centers out there that may be available at a low price.
I would imagine the “Birdman” would be Miami’s No. 1 priority when signing centers; the move makes way too much sense for it not happen.
After signing on midseason, Andersen has risen to become the unsung hero of this Miami Heat team because he does a lot of the dirty work yet gets little acknowledgement. The 6’10” Energizer bunny from Texas has become one of Erik Spoelstra’s key men due to his toughness, athleticism and shot blocking prowess. He may not always record the shot block stat against his name, but he will challenge and alter every single shot that comes his way.
He’s also been a huge addition to a side in desperate need of size and rebounding, grabbing 13.2 rebounds per 48 minutes for a Miami who were dead last in rebounds per game with 38.6 boards.
Plus, he’s not a liability on offense, so that’s a bonus considering how much attention is on the “Big 3” and the shooters. Dare I say, without Chris Andersen to throw at Hibbert and finish easy baskets near the rim, Miami wouldn’t have made it to the NBA Finals.
Greg Oden’s pro career has been a nightmare he just can’t wake from.
Six years after being selected with the first overall pick, Oden has only played in 82 games during 2008-10, no thanks to injury. All while the second-overall pick, Kevin Durant, continues his rise to stardom and work his way to Springfield.
What better way to erase the sad memories of the last six years than joining the kings of the Eastern Conference and possibly winning a ring before his draft nemesis?
For Miami, this would be a low-risk/high-reward move because of Oden’s unfortunate injury history so he should/could be cheap. Yet, even with the small sample, he has shown he can be dominant when healthy(ish). After all, he hasn’t been 100 percent healthy since high school, since he played his only year of college with a wrist injury.
For Oden the move makes sense as he would be a major contributor on a championship-caliber team that will keep a very close eye on his minutes in order to minimize any chance of injury. Plus, he’s may look 40, but he’s only 25 years old and can still have a successful NBA career.
Let’s just hope his body doesn’t let him down … again.
Dalembert is no longer the player he was during his prime days in Philly but you can rest assured he can still play.
The 26th pick from Seton Hall in the 2001 NBA Draft has always been a great defender, as illustrated by his nearly two blocks per game, and is a tough rebounder, averaging just more than eight boards for his career.
I don’t expect Milwaukee to break the bank to resign the soon to be unrestricted free agent, although there should be interest from plenty of teams in league. However, at 32 years old, the Haitian-born center may be ready to join the fraternity of veterans searching for a championship ring and where better to go than South Beach? Miami offer such an opportunity with a position need and a strong Haitian community.
Darko Milicic (Yes, I am actually serious)
For Darko Milicic, the NBA (except maybe Minnesota) hasn’t been too kind to him, primarily because of his association with the 2003 NBA draft class, but also his lack of production.
2013 is the time to reignite his association with his top five draft brethren in South Beach.
No, he doesn’t have Kevin McHale post moves. No, he won’t take over a game with his amazing play and by no means will he be banging on the door to stardom. He is just big–7’, 275lb, big–and as the saying goes, “You can’t teach 7 feet.”
Moreover, Milicic will do all that is asked of him and when the Miami Heat comes across a giant like Hibbert again, Spoelstra this time will have a 7-foot tall go-to guy of his own.
Milicic will only cause a minor dent to the Heat’s already thin cap room but then again, it is a small price to pay for having a much-needed insurance strategy.