Miami Hurricanes: D’Eriq King to return for 2021 season

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Christmas may already have passed, but the Miami Hurricanes got another present a day late. Saturday, Miami quarterback D‘Eriq King announced that he would be coming back for the 2021 season.

King absolutely electrified the Miami offense this season. In total, he recorded 2573 passing yards, two touchdowns, and five interceptions.

His best game of the season came on November 6. Against North Carolina State, he put on a show. He went 31-of-40 on the afternoon, throwing for 430 yards and five touchdowns.

King gave Miami Hurricanes stability

This season, King gave the Miami passing game stability. This was something they did not have last year. His dual-threat ability helped ignite a Miami offense that was full of playmakers, especially at wide receiver. Although there were some struggles early on, King managed to put everything together, by the end of the season.

King’s arrival undoubtedly changed the culture of the Miami program as well. He offered leadership as well as skill, and that certainly showed on the field.

Now, he will look to have a big second year. With the opener slated to take place against Alabama, he will have a chance to make noise early.

One has to wonder if there will be any Miami quarterbacks hitting the transfer portal as result of this news. In what has been a very active couple of days with the transfer portal, players around the country have elected to pursue that route an effort to continue their college football careers.

Miami will certainly be in good hands for the 2021 season, and King will undoubtedly be a huge part of the Hurricanes offense. If he can be the same dynamic playmaker he was this season, the Miami Hurricanes could have a very realistic chance of standing the top of the ACC, and potentially making the College Football Playoff.

Miami’s Bench Unit: The Reliable Four

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In the Miami Heat’s Christmas Day win over the New Orleans Pelicans, we finally got some clarity about this Heat team.

Although lineups and rotations will change constantly, this game showed who the 9 man rotation will ultimately include. The fifth player in the starting lineup is interchangeable, but the first four off the bench will most likely remain the same.

And rightfully so, since that second unit kept them going in yesterday’s game, since they have the perfect balance of scoring and defense.

Goran Dragic has a lot to do with the success of that second unit, since he just calms everybody down when he steps on the floor, and can control the pace of the game. He also is a scoring threat from all three levels, and he has proved this far that he’s one of Miami’s most consistent go to scorers.

Precious Achiuwa is another reserve that was surprising, since not many expected that he would be getting this many minutes to start the season. Not only does he have zero experience at this level, but he’s been playing like he has the most experience. He is under more control than most guys on the roster, since he knows how to play his individual role at a high level.

The connection between Goran and Precious has been obvious as well, since Goran seems to have made it a priority to get Precious touches and set him up in his spots. Bam mentioned that in his post-game press conference, that Goran wants to get Precious involved as much as possible.

Now, although Goran and Precious are the most intriguing names to discuss off the bench, Andre Iguodala and Avery Bradley were the two guys that truly stood out in my opinion.

For starters, individually Andre did what he does best offensively by being the unselfish distributor, but also knocked down the occasional corner three which increases his value even more. Avery was huge on offense as well, hitting the three ball when needed, but more importantly taking that one step inside the three point line since that is his strength.

Both players had great Christmas Day performances individually, but they stood out even more as a duo. They were causing defensive havoc on the perimeter in yesterday’s game, since both of them are so active with their hands on the ball. JJ Redick couldn’t get an ounce of open space all game with Avery’s off ball defense, while Iguodala’s ability to switch made it that much better.

The reason this group of guys work so well together is because they have a great deal of chemistry, which is odd since it includes a free agent signing and a rookie. If the continuity is this high right now, just give them a few weeks.

The second unit worked best when the fifth guy was either Tyler Herro or Duncan Robinson, since adding an extra offensive threat on the perimeter maximizes their play.

The reason I call them the reliable four is because even when the starters seem to struggle, they all go out there and play their own game consistently. Miami has something special with this bench unit, and it’s why many have been raving about their depth.

Once the starting lineup gets in a flow, since they haven’t yet, this Heat team will be even more intriguing than last years team.

Tua Tagovailoa had reason to celebrate as the Dolphins won in his first NFL start against the Rams.

Martin’s Best Week 16 NFL Bets: Dolphins and More

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Previous Week’s Record:  1-2
Overall Season Record:  24-17 

 

We have arrived in the last week of 2020 for the NFL, the penultimate one of the season. And you know what? Good riddance to the worst year ever. The one that made us play with fear and uncertainty, the one that infected players and coaches from coast to coast, the one that kept fans away from cheering on the teams they love!  

 

No matter what happens the rest of this year, the best bet you should make is that 2021 will be better for everyone.   

 

Now let’s take a look at what Week 16 has in store for us. One thing is for sure, I am not putting any money on the Pittsburgh Steelers. They couldn’t even beat the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football to give us a winning slate last time around. For shame. 

 

You can find every game’s odds here on the Yahoo! Sports website. We took the ones as of Thursday morning. 

 

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (7-7) vs. MIAMI DOLPHINS (9-5)  

 

Two teams heading in opposite directions.  

 

The Raiders are 1-4 in their last five games, just a push away from being eliminated from playoff contention and from their 17th season with eight or fewer wins in their last 18 tries dating to 2003. Their defense has allowed 36.0 points per game since they were 6-3.   

 

The Dolphins are 8-2 in their last 10 and 5-2 with Tua as their promising starting quarterback that doesn’t seem to make the same mistake twice. He takes care of the ball and the defense forces opposing turnovers while allowing 21 points or less in five of their past six contests. 

 

I don’t really care whether Derek Carr or Marcus Mariota start at quarterback for the Raiders. I’m going with the Dolphins, and the Raiders don’t even cover at home. 

 

My pick: Raiders 20-27 Dolphins (-3) 

 

WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM (6-8) vs. CAROLINA PANTHERS (4-9) 

 

The NFC East is such a shitshow that it is currently being led by a team whose owner currently believes he is the victim of a extortion while their backup quarterback is fined for “pulling a Harden” (AKA breaking COVID-19 protocols for stupid reasons). 

 

An organization in such a state of disarray shouldn’t be just two wins away from a division title and the fourth seed in the NFC playoffs, and yet that is exactly where the Ron Rivera Riverboaters find themselves.  

 

Christian McCaffrey looks to be MIA for the Panthers for the sixth straight game, and why wouldn’t he be? All his presence can do is increase his risk of aggravating his quad injury and putting Carolina’s top five draft pick in jeopardy. 

 

The Panthers have allowed seven sacks combined in their past two games against the Broncos (11th in the league in that category) and the Packers (10th). Now they will face a hellacious Washington front four led by rookie sensation Chase Young that’s tied for fourth in the league in sacks. 

 

My pick: Washington (-2) 20-17 Panthers  

 

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL PICK 

 

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (6-8) vs. BUFFALO BILLS (11-3) 

 

As if 2020 wasn’t bizarre enough, we end it with the division-leading Buffalo Bills that boasts a quarterback that is also an MVP candidate facing a Patriots team with nothing to play for and serious questions under center for this game and for the future. It’s like the Freaky Friday of football. 

 

The Pats were a Cam Newton fumble away from at least forcing overtime in Buffalo back in Week 8, but they ended up losing 24-21 instead during what would be the beginning of the end for them. 

 

The Bills’ offense has averaged 34.8 points per game since then, and they are a Kyler Murray Hail Mary in Arizona away from being 8-0 since Week 7. 

 

Their firepower and motivation to secure the second seed in the AFC will be too much for Belichick and his players to overcome. 

 

My pick: Bills (-7) 31-23 Patriots   

5 Takeaways from Miami’s Christmas Day Win

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The Miami Heat got to kick off a display of Christmas Day games against the New Orleans Pelicans, and got the win 111-98, after their fair share of ups and downs. Miami wanted to make it a priority to clean up their defensive issues, which they did, but the offense continued to show some struggles. Either way, here are five takeaways from the game….

#1: Duncan Robinson sparks Heat run, after hitting the occasional three.

It’s no surprise that Duncan Robinson can shoot the ball at an elite level, and that continued today. He knocked down 6 threes in the first half on 75% shooting, but what that led to was what stood out. Miami couldn’t get in a rhythm in the first quarter, but Duncan set the tone. And after he began to hit three after three, it was clear the entire offense would open up. And it did. He was in a lineup with the rest of the bench unit, which I will discuss next, and it allowed Goran Dragic and others to thrive. That is why the word gravity always surfaces when talking about Duncan, since he has so much control over the opposing defense.

#2: Miami’s bench looks impressive, both on defense and offense.

There’s a reason that depth has been discussed so much with this team heading into the season, and that’s because there are a few reserves who can be starters. The starters did not have it going offensively early, but once Goran Dragic and company came in, they took control. Goran obviously played a huge role, which I will discuss next, but others showed out too. For one, Precious Achiuwa still seemed to look more comfortable than most of the guys on the floor for Miami. Avery Bradley and Andre Iguodala also looked impressive on the defensive end, since they were causing havoc on the perimeter all game when on the floor together. I feel we will always discuss Goran and Precious, but Andre and Avery will be a big part of this team going forward.

#3: Goran Dragic puts on yet another offensive display.

Now to Goran Dragic individually. The dude is 34 years old and playing like he is 24. As I explained after the season opener, he comes right in and controls the pace of the game. And with a roster full of youth, that is much needed. He looked good scoring the ball again, but looked even better as a distributor, dishing out 6 first half assists. It’s already known that Goran holds major value on this team, but I don’t think many expected him to continue his elite bubble play into the start of the season. This team needs a veteran like Goran who can take over for the team when Butler isn’t on the floor, and that’s exactly what he did.

#4: Tyler Herro’s struggles have to do with role change.

Tyler Herro seemed to struggle early in the game once again, but I don’t think people should begin to worry. He told media in his press conference yesterday that the issues aren’t point guard vs shooting guard, but instead starting role vs bench role. It’s not easy to adjust from a spark into a guy that needs to set the tone, which is why it’ll take some games for him to get back into a rhythm. And as I’ve discussed, it needs to be remembered first and foremost that he’s a pure scorer, and the passing will come after he gets going. A lot of times he seemed reluctant to shoot, which pretty much altered many jumpers. He’s a guy that plays off of confidence, and that needs to continue. Tyler will be just fine after he gets acclimated with his role, but for now it’s time to learn.

#5: Life without Jimmy Butler changes some things.

Jimmy Butler did not come back out onto the floor after halftime, since he had some right ankle stiffness. His first half stats included 4 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, but his time out further proved the impact that he holds on this team. I think everybody is aware of the role he plays on defense, but he truly controls the offense just with his presence. For one, his ability to put his head down and attack allows the shooters to get the spacing they need. And since there were some ball-handling issues when Goran Dragic was off the floor, it’s obvious that had a lot to do with Jimmy not being out there. Miami had to play a different type of game after Jimmy Butler went out, which means adjustments were made by Spo in that second half. Jimmy’s impact on this team is known, but it needs to be appreciated.

Precious Achiuwa’s Impressive Season Opener Speaks Volume

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The major takeaway from Miami’s season opening loss to the Orlando Magic was Precious Achiuwa. I don’t think many expected him to get decent minutes this season due to the absence of Summer League and not playing since February, but well, that changed last night.

Not only did Precious get minutes, but he made a huge impact. One thing that was expected for rookies this season is that it will take time for them to get comfortable at the NBA level. And Precious got thrown right into the fire and thrived.

The one part of his game that I’ve mentioned frequently is his quick learning. Every single time he steps onto the floor, he improves on his issues from the game prior. And that is very impressive.

He also has been known to be a major problem on the boards, especially on the offensive side, and he proved that once again. Effort has continually been the word tied to him, and his will on both sides forced major frustration on Orlando’s bigs.

8 points and 3 rebounds does not explain what he did last night in his first regular season game. The Miami Heat were struggling on both ends of the floor, and Precious was the only player that seemed comfortable enough to make an impact, other than veteran Goran Dragic.

A lot of guys were out of control which caused a turnover issue, but that wasn’t the case for Achiuwa. He truly knows how to play the role that he is given without straying off, and that’s another great attribute to have.

Heading into the draft, I continually mentioned Miami would be looking for a guy to make immediate impact on this team. And well, they found their guy.

It seems as if he will continue to increase his floor time if he plays the way he did last night, since it’s essential to have somebody that can reiterate the things Bam Adebayo does on the floor.

Spo found another young gem that he can put his trust in, which makes this roster more and more intriguing.

5 Takeaways from Miami Heat’s Season Opener

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The Miami Heat kicked off their season against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night, and it was pretty much filled with surprises. The main surprise was that Miami didn’t play like the team that was just in the NBA finals, losing 113-107, but that doesn’t mean there should be immediate overreaction. Anyway, here are five takeaways from the game…

#1: Offensive sloppiness looks to be problematic.

It’s no surprise that turnovers are the first takeaway from this game, especially from Miami’s starters. They had 12 turnovers at the half, with the starting unit being in a rush offensively in the first quarter. That may have something to do with Tyler Herro running the point, since he’s not a traditional one, but that will improve as the season progresses. Goran Dragic though, which will be explained in a bit, settled Miami down and took control of the offense. Tyler isn’t the only one to blame, since Jimmy and Bam showed some sloppiness as well. But this should be expected in a season opener, and if they continue to slow down the offense early in games, it will be very beneficial to their play.

#2: Precious Achiuwa gets surprising minutes off the bench.

Even though I mentioned that I wouldn’t be shocked if Coach Spo threw Precious Achiuwa in the game off of the bench tonight, I definitely didn’t expect to have him being one of my takeaways from a season opener. But well, he is. There were a couple things that have been mentioned when discussing Precious Achiuwa. For one, he can be utilized on this team to reiterate many of the things Bam does on the floor, which he showed he can do. And secondly, it’s been said over and over that he has great touch around the rim, and that was clear as well. The lob connection he has found with Goran Dragic has been obvious, but even an impressive drive at the end of the shot clock showcased some more of his flashes. Coach Spo inserting him in the game to begin the season, after the absence of Summer League, should tell you all you need to know about the future of Precious Achiuwa with this team.

#3: Goran Dragic continues to be Miami’s steady piece.

It would be wrong not to mention Goran Dragic after this game, mostly since he was the main reason Miami was able to settle down early. After the starters continued to struggle offensively, as I mentioned previously, Goran came right into the game and picked up exactly where he left off. And that means he still was able to deliver when Miami was in a tough spot. His scoring ability is an obvious attribute, which he used early in the first half, but more importantly his ability to slow down the game is where he truly showed out. He has great feel for the game, which means he knows when to play both fast and slow, and tonight was the game to slow things down. Even with an aging Goran Dragic, it seems as if he isn’t slowing down anytime soon, and will continue to be a huge part of this Miami Heat team.

#4: Bam Adebayo’s offensive confidence seems to improve game by game.

Bam Adebayo’s scoring has been the thing people are waiting to emerge this season, specifically with his jumper. It’s never been about can he shoot the mid-range jumper, but instead will he shoot it. And tonight, we got the answer to that question. He came out in the first quarter with a purpose to initiate offense with the ball in his hands. And even though all of the shots weren’t falling for him, it’s a step in the right direction. The shots will begin to fall eventually, but it’ll come down to finding his spots that he’s most comfortable. And after watching him shoot it in both preseason games and tonight’s season opener, he seems at his best after the jab step. Either way, seeing Bam becoming more and more confident is a great sign for his progression going forward.

#5: Miami’s depth has been a point of emphasis, and rightfully so.

It seems as if it may have been getting old for a lot of people, when repeatedly hearing the Miami Heat’s depth being such a strength for this team. And well, I think that was on display tonight. For most of the game, the bench unit outplayed the starting lineup, mostly due to the fluid offense by limiting turnovers. That mostly falls under the two categories that I discussed before with Precious Achiuwa and Goran Dragic, but even others proved to be high value guys in a game like this. And we didn’t even see Avery Bradley or KZ Okpala, who are two guys that can easily help this team win basketball games right now. Coach Spo has an interesting task to deal with when talking about the rotation, but he’s got many options to choose from.

Inter Miami CF Acquire Patrick Seagrist

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Inter Miami CF have traded for former New York Red Bulls left-back Patrick Seagrist.

Seagrist, a 22-year-old left-footed defender, makes his way to South Florida through trade, as Inter Miami has agreed to send a 3rd round 2021 MLS SuperDraft pick to New York. Depending on performance, Miami could also send over $50,000 in General Allocation Money.

He was drafted 1oth overall in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft by the Red Bulls, which now means Inter Miami roster three top-ten picks from last year’s draft (Robbie Robinson 1st overall, Dylan Nealis 3rd overall).

As a rookie, Seagrist made just three appearances for the Red Bulls. Two of those came in the season’s first two matches in March, but after quarantine and before the MLS is Back Tournament, he lost the starting role and didn’t see the field again until August. With that said, there isn’t much Seagrist footage to look at in MLS, but his time at Marquette University shows more than enough to prove why he was a highly-touted prospect.

Seagrist was named to the All-BIG EAST First teams in both 2018 and 2019. In his senior year, 2019, Seagrist led the BIG EAST in assists as a left-back and was only one of two players for the Golden Eagles to start in every game. Needless to say, he was a very influential player on the collegiate level, just like his new teammate and defender Dylan Nealis was for Georgetown.

After Inter Miami traded away Ben Sweat to Austin FC for $100k in GAM, it was known the club would be in the market for a left-back. Not only did Miami lose Ben Sweat, but it was recently announced that Mikey Ambrose too would be leaving the club as he signed a contract with Atlanta United. Both Sweat and Ambrose, other than maybe Shea, were the only two players to play left-back in the 2020 season.

The Fit

Seagrist is a true, left-footed left-back who shows brilliant soccer IQ at a young age. His college tape shows a player who loves to get forward and provide service all across the pitch. A lot of what he does going forward relies on his left foot; whether it’d be an over the top pass or cross, it was mostly on the left foot from the left side, and this would be a perfect parallel to Lewis Morgan’s services on the right. He showed innate ability to find runs from attackers in any pocket of space or across the field, thus leading to why he was the top assist man in his conference.

His soccer IQ also helps his side when going forward, and this doesn’t solely pertain to what he does on the ball. At Marquette, Seagrist was in a system where it was in the instruction that he make overlapping runs and dart forward to help out on the wings. Inter Miami saw a lot of this in Ben Sweat’s better performances on the season, and Seagrist can mimic that.

As a defender, Seagrist has to become a little more polished. He stands at 6ft tall but is quite skinny, weighing in at about 170lbs (data from Marquette’s website). The physicality in MLS could stand to be a problem for Seagrist. His ability to read the game and position himself well does provide an advantage when it comes to interceptions and closing down space. The main worry here is in 1 on 1 scenarios if he’s beaten off the ball. Although Seagrist does have a bit of pace for running up and down the pitch, getting beaten by MLS veterans and or other physical, rapid wingers is a lot to try and recover from.

One positive in his defending, however, is his ability to win and redirect headers. Standing 6ft tall, Seagrist can use his height and decent jumping ability to his advantage by winning headers from long balls or clearances from the opposition. He did so on the collegiate level.

At 22, there’s no need to rush to have him as a starter. His situation is a lot like Dylan Nealis’, except Nealis NEEDED to play after Powell proved he wasn’t the guy. Both Nealis and Seagrist as defenders are about on the same level, but the newly acquired left-back has much more upside in attacking play.

Trade Grade: B+

Seagrist, depending on who Inter Miami can bring in, likely won’t be a full-time starter, but look for him to make some appearances in the side, especially if Alonso uses wing-backs from time to time this year. That role probably suits him best.

But a low risk, high upside trade for the Herons is a good way to start their offseason heading into 2021. After the departure of their only two left-backs, to bring in a younger one whos a true left-footed player with a ton of potential is a quality transaction.

Tyler Herro’s Season Opener: A Quick Preview

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The Miami Heat begin their season tonight against the Orlando Magic, which is why I thought I’d discuss Tyler Herro in a basketball manner.

For the last few weeks, his name has only seemed to come up when discussing possible deals for James Harden, but now it’s time to think impact when hearing his name.

After a very unique rookie year, he will be starting his second season tonight, which is odd since it feels he has been in the league for like 4 years.

The reason I’m bringing up Tyler heading into this game is because he will look very different tonight then he did in the preseason. He played very good in both games, with limited minutes, but now the leap will be made.

He continues to show these flashes, but hitting the floor tonight with Jimmy Butler once again means we get to see a more polished Herro from the preseason.

This game tonight will be a quick preview of what we should expect for the rest of the season. Will we see a scoring mindset from Tyler tonight or an eagerness to show off his improved point guard skills?

Well, there’s a chance we may see both, but ultimately the passing will come after the scoring gets going. Although Bam Adebayo is the entire offense, the keys will be handed to Tyler Herro for him to do what he does best: Put the ball in the bucket.

And as I’ve mentioned with Jimmy and Bam in the past, Butler will be in Tyler’s ear to continue to shoot and attack as much as possible.

Coach Spo won’t be afraid to utilize him in a bunch of lineups tonight, but one of them will most likely be in the starting lineup at the point guard position.

Tyler Herro is a very intriguing name heading into the season, mostly since it doesn’t seem like he will be hitting a wall anytime soon with the amount of confidence he has. And the work he has put in behind the scenes will be on full display tonight, once again, as a preview of the future.

Heat trade

5 Most Important Trade Days in Heat History

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The Miami Heat have never been shy about pulling the trigger on a big trade. Throughout franchise history, the Heat have targeted and secured some of the most important and talented players in the league. These days, trade rumors link the Heat to James Harden, an eight-time All-Star, three-time scoring champ and one-time league MVP.

Although recent reports indicate talks between the Heat and Houston may have stalled, Miami may pounce at any time. The Heat have a long history of trading for disgruntled stars in their prime. For Miami, it’s a matter of leverage, and rarely have the Heat lost this type of trade.

Blockbuster deals litter Miami’s history and each has seen the franchise vault into championship contention. Here’s a look at the five most important trade days in Heat history.

Heat Trade History: November 7, 1994

Arguably the most consequential trade in Miami Heat history came on November 7, 1994. On this date, the Heat dealt a young, future All-Star, Steve Smith, and a franchise cornerstone, Grant Long, with a 1996 second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for All-Star forward Kevin Willis and a 1996 first-round pick.

The Heat were coming off their first winning season and second playoff berth. They sported a talented young core and seemed to be on the rise in the Eastern Conference. But things soured with managing partners Lewis Schaffel and Billy Cunningham as the two embarked on a sudden roster retooling.

They traded Rony Seikaly to Golden State for Sasha Danilović and Billy Owens on November 2nd, then followed that with the Willis deal.

“I think there’s not one person in this world that has had any relationship with Lewis Schaffel that has continued to stay friends with Lewis,” Seikaly said after the trade.

Smith, then 25, was coming off a 17.3 points-, 5.1 assists- and 4.5 rebounds-per-game season and a summer appearance with “Dream Team II.” Smith criticized the Seikaly trade, only to find himself shipped off two games into the season.

This would be the last trade Schaffel and Cunningham would make for Miami.

The ’94-95 Heat flopped and the two would sell their club interest to franchise patriarch Ted Arison’s son, Micky, before the season even ended.

As the new managing partner, Arison hired Dave Wohl as GM. Wohl fired head coach Kevin Loughery and replaced him with Alvin Gentry on an interim basis to try to shake up the 17–30 Heat.

Heat fans may barely remember Willis’ tenure with the club. He averaged 14.2 points and 10 rebounds-per-game over parts of two seasons before being dealt away.

But this is one of the most important trades in Heat history because not only did it lead to Micky Arison acquiring controlling interest in the club, it also directly led to two other integral moves.

Enter Pat Riley

Following a disappointing ’94-95 season, new Heat management sought to reshape the franchise and looked to bring in Pat Riley. The former New York Knicks head coach had suddenly resigned after the ’94-95 season, reportedly rejecting a five-year, $15 million contract extension to stay in the Big Apple. Riley had one year left on his deal, but sought more control of the roster in New York, something team president Dave Checketts and GM Ernie Grunfeld weren’t willing to cede.

Riley reportedly negotiated a $40 million deal that included a 10 percent ownership stake with Micky Arison secretly. As a result, tampering charges were filed and the Heat were forced to surrender $1 million and a first-round pick to the Knicks.

The pick they sent? The one they’d landed in the Willis deal, Atlanta’s 1996 first round pick.

The “trade” officially posted on September 1, 1995, then Riley came on board in Miami. The city celebrated his arrival with a parade and shortly thereafter, Riley remolded the roster in his own image.

The Knicks, meanwhile, selected Walter McCarty with the No. 19 overall pick in 1996. McCarty played one season in New York, 35 games, averaging 1.8 points-per-game. He was traded to Boston ahead of the ’97-98 season. He played 10 seasons in the NBA, mostly as a reserve, and averaged 5.2 points and 2.6 rebounds-per-game for his career.

Heat Trade History: November 3, 1995

Pat Riley entered his Heat tenure aiming to make Miami a contender. So he did, for the first time, what would become his pattern: Riley targeted a disgruntled All-Star in his prime.

Alonzo Mourning had rejected a seven-year, $70 million contract extension in Charlotte earlier that offseason and things seemed destined for a breakup with the Hornets. Mourning reportedly wanted $13 million-per-year, but Charlotte couldn’t afford that after signing forward Larry Johnson to a 12-year, $84 million contract extension in 1993. (That deal made Johnson the richest athlete in the history of team sports at that point in time, and Zo wanted more.)

Riley identified Mourning as the centerpiece for his rebuild, a player in the mold of Patrick Ewing, his center in New York. Mourning came to Miami as a two-time All-Star and a someone who’d averaged over 21 points, 10 rebound and three blocks-per-game. So he flipped the final piece of Miami’s initial young core for the future Hall-of-Famer.

On November 3, 1995, the Heat sent Glen Rice, Matt Geiger, Khalid Reeves and a 1996 first-round pick to Charlotte for Mourning, Pete Myers and LeRon Ellis. Mourning immediately agreed to a four-year, $44 million contract extension and the rest is history.

Rice, meanwhile, left Miami as the franchise leader in points and games played. He’d won Miami’s first 3-Point Shootout crown the year prior and remained on an upward trajectory. Rice would go on to be a three-time All-Star for the Hornets and a two-time All-NBA performer. Rice would win a championship before Mourning, getting his lone title as part of the 2000 LA Lakers squad.

Deadline Day, 1996

Zo needed a running mate and Riley found him one later in that first season with Miami. On deadline day in 1996, Riley and the Heat made three separate trades to bolster the roster. The biggest deal landed Miami Tim Hardaway and Chris Gatling from Golden State for Bimbo Coles and Kevin Willis.

The Heat had started that season well, going 11-3 through the first 14 games. But they languished after that, heading into the deadline at 24-29. Riley then reached for another disgruntled star Hardaway. He also landed veterans Gatling, as well as Tyrone Corbin, Tony Smith and Walt Williams in separate deals.

With a depleted roster after the deadline, the Heat faced Michael Jordan and the (eventual) 72-10 Chicago Bulls with just nine active players. The Heat upset Chicago 113-104 in what marked most memorable victory in franchise history at that time. Rex Chapman led the Heat that night, going for 39 points including 9-of-10 shooting from three.

Hardaway arrived soon thereafter and promised Mourning a playoff berth. He and Zo turned the season around and helped Miami make its third playoff appearance. The two would develop into one of the most potent tandems in the league and helped get the Heat to the top of the Eastern Conference over the next several seasons.

Heat Trade History: July 14, 2004

The course of Miami Heat history would change trajectory again in July of 2004 when Riley set his sights on yet another disgruntled star. Shaquille O’Neal’s falling out with the Lakers led to Riley pouncing on the future Hall-of-Famer. O’Neal and Bryant’s relationship soured, and the Lakers elected to appease their bright young star instead of the aging big man in the wake of the 2004 NBA Finals loss to Detroit.

The Heat featured an intriguing young core led by Dwyane Wade and were coming off a Conference Semifinal appearance. Miami flipped much of that young core to get their hands on Shaq. The Heat sent Caron Butler, Brian Grant and Lamar Odom (three starters), plus a 2006 first-round pick and a 2007 second-round pick to LA for O’Neal.

This seemed like a steep price for a player many felt was on the back end of his prime. But this trade led directly to Miami’s first NBA Championship. O’Neal should have been the league MVP in 2004-05 and had Wade not injured his ribs, this group may have hoisted two titles.

Interestingly, the Heat reacquired Steve Smith and Alonzo Mourning that season as well. Smith would retire after the ’04-05 season, but Mourning stayed around to help the Heat win the title in ’06. That ’06 title team took shape after Riley engaged in the largest trade in NBA history, a five-team trade that saw Miami land James Posey, Antoine Walker and Jason Williams.

Heat Trade History: July 10, 2010

The Heat shocked the sports world in 2010 with the arrival of the Big 3. While most tab these moves free agent signings, the acquisitions of LeBron James and Chris Bosh were technically sign-and-trade deals.

For James, the Heat shipped out a 2013 first-round pick, a 2016 first-round pick, and second rounders in 2011 and 2012, as well as the rights to a pick-swap in 2012. Of those four draft picks, Milan Mačvan, Jae Crowder, Nemanja Nedović and Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot, only Crowder played for Cleveland, but that wasn’t until 2017, several years into his NBA career. Luwawu-Cabarrot pick, though, helped facilitate the Cavaliers trade for Kevin Love in 2014.

The Bosh deal featured a pair of 2011 first-round picks going to Toronto, one which the Heat eventually reacquired and one which originally belonged to the Raptors.

The pick that eventually became Jonas Valančiūnas, the 2011 fifth overall selection, landed in Miami as part of a deadline deal 2009. That trade saw the Heat ship Shawn Marion, Marcus Banks and cash to Toronto for Jermaine O’Neal, Jamario Moon, a 2011 first- and a 2010 second-round pick.

The pick that eventually became Norris Cole made its way through three other franchises before returning to Miami. The Heat sent to Toronto in the Bosh sign-and-trade, then the Raptors sent it to Chicago for future Heat player James Johnson in February of 2011. The Bulls picked Cole in 2011, then traded him to Minnesota with Malcolm Lee for Nikola Mirotić.

The Heat acquired Cole from Minnesota on draft night in 2011. Miami picked Bojan Bogdanović with the No. 31 overall pick (second round) and used that to land Cole. Interestingly, the Heat had the choice of Cole or Jimmy Butler at that point in 2011.

The Big 3 Era Pays Off

The Heat floundered in the wake of their 2006 championship. O’Neal’s relationship in Miami deteriorated and saw the big man moved to Phoenix in a trade. Riley retooled the roster around Wade and O’Neal but never found the right combination before trading Shaq away in 2008.

The pieces he landed in that deal were Marion and Banks. Those two were integral in later trades for Jermaine O’Neal and the 2011 first-rounder which helped facilitate the Bosh sign-and-trade.

The Heat won two NBA titles and made four straight Finals appearances before seeing James walk in free agency. It took some time, but the lean years post-Big 3 era led to another interesting young core. Riley then used it as trade assets yet again.

Heat Trade History: July 6, 2019

The Miami Heat’s long history of targeting disgruntled stars led to the trade acquisition of another such All-Star in July of 2019. After engaging the Minnesota Timberwolves in trade talks for Jimmy Butler in 2018, the Heat got their man nearly a year later in a four-team deal with Philadelphia, Portland and the LA Clippers.

The Heat shipped off their own malcontent in Hassan Whiteside to the Blazers and Josh Richardson to the 76ers. They also sent a 2023 first-round pick to the Clippers to help facilitate the deal. In return, Miami landed Butler and Meyers Leonard. Also involved in that deal was current Heat forward Maurice Harkless, who almost came to Miami then but went from Portland to the Clippers instead.

On that same day, the Heat sent three future second-round picks (2022, 2025 and 2026) to Indiana as part of a three-team trade. The Pacers landed TJ Warren from Phoenix, while Miami received KZ Okpala from the Suns.

This trade helped solidify the young core in Miami and the Heat went on to a surprise NBA Finals run in 2020. Led by Butler, the Heat won the Eastern Conference Championship and took the LA Lakers to six games in the Finals.

There’s no telling when the next big trade will happen. But if there’s a disgruntled star out there, rest assured that Pat Riley will be engaged in trade talks. And if the Godfather is involved, the outcome always comes out in Miami’s favor.

Andre Iguodala: The Key Piece for this Season

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The one word that seems to describe this Heat team heading into the season is depth.

When going down the line, many begin to pick out the youth at the end of the roster, but there’s plenty of veterans as well.

The one player that will hold major importance this season is Andre Iguodala. For starters, the departure of Jae Crowder made this evident automatically, since losing a quality wing with size could be troublesome.

To that point, that’s a main reason Coach Spo will slowly help him adapt in the regular season, since veterans will need rest on this team after the quick turnaround.

Although he will be key in the postseason, what makes him so essential in the regular season?

Well, I believe they balance him with the playing time of Jimmy Butler. There may be some nights, especially on a back to back, where Jimmy will get more breaks than usual. And that is where Andre will come into play.

Last season in the playoffs, Iguodala was most effective on that second unit when Butler exited, since he’s able to replicate the things he does from the perspective of running the offense.

They will utilize him in a similar way through this regular season, especially with all of the youth on this roster, a guy like him is necessary for the other guys to strive.

Heading into the season, Andre Iguodala’s name doesn’t get thrown around much, mostly since he’s one of those silent impact guys who’s play doesn’t show up in the stat sheet at times.

And with the relationship of Coach Spo and Iguodala building over time, it’s clear that these two high IQ guys will come up with an efficient plan for him to be worked in.

Andre Iguodala may not be in many discussions right now, but he will be pretty soon.