At 4-13 the Heat should look to the future, which is its next game, and start rookie guard Daequan Cook in a three-guard lineup.

Nothing against veteran forward Penny Hardaway, but he doesn’t shoot the ball and isn’t much of a scoirng threat. Daequan Cook is the exact opposite on both counts. Plus, he hustles and is athletic, both things Miami needs.

And even if he makes mistakes it’s largely been because of inexperience and not because he’s lazy or doesn’t give good effort.

Daequan Cook won’t solve the free throw shooting problems or make up for all of the blown defensive assignments, and there will definitely be some matchup problems. But he gets you closer to what you want to be, which is a winning team.

Daequan Cook needs to start Thursday at Portland.

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