Key Additions
Quentin Richardson via trade, Patrick Beverly via draft
Key Losses
Jamario Moon via free agency, Mark Blount via trade
Dwyane Wade is used to being the leader of the Miami Heat, but he is not used to carrying an entire team of rookies and aging veterans on his back to the playoffs.
He does not want to get used to it.
Wade demanded a move be made; to assure a chance at the championship in the coming years, and a sidekick to help him ease the load. They tried for Carlos Boozer: it failed for at least this off season.
They tried for Lamar Odom: it failed. With minimal offseason moves being made, Wade leaving the team in 2010 could be a reality that Pat Riley and the organization are going to have to face.
Wade has no problem leading the league in scoring and being one of the top shot blockers in the league as a guard. But willing your team to victory on a nightly basis takes a lot out of a man. You can tell by some of his games late in the regular season—and postseason—that Dwyane was physically and emotionally tired.
Wade had the best year of his career last year when he led the league in scoring and became the best shot-blocker under 6'4". Wade averaged a career high 30 points, seven assists, five rebounds, two steals, and a block per game.
Wade also played in a career-high 79 games, which means a lot for the Heat as his downfall since his inception into the league has been fighting with injuries. He finished third in both MVP and defensive player of the year voting.
For the Heat to be successful this year, and get a legitimate spot in the playoffs, Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers need to emerge as superstars. Beasley was selected at No. 2 in last year's draft and is expected to become one of the premiere scorers and rebounders of the league. He averaged 14 points and five rebounds last year coming off the bench.
B-Easy did show flashes of what's to come, including a game six performance where he had 22 points and 15 rebounds. His shooting touch is consistent at times and could come easily to Beasley—who could string a number of jump shots together. He does have the ability to drive as well, but did not use it to his advantage as much as he should have.
With every rookie comes rookie mistakes, and even Michael Beasley had some. His defense was poor as he got beat off the dribble too many times, and his ability to move without the ball was minimal. He appeared lost at times when he didn't have the ball in his possession.
He has the potential to become one of the next great talents of this league, with the possibility to start at the small forward spot this year, he will be able to prove it.
When Mario Chalmers was taken in the second round, not many people anticipated the impact that he would make for this team. Chalmers averaged 10 points, five assists, and two steals per game last year. He led all rookies in steals, including a nine-steal performance early in the 2008-'09 season.
