Okay, so now that I have your attention…

Team Name: Miami Heat
Last Year’s Record: 43-39
Key Losses: Jamario Moon, Mark Blount
Key Additions: Carlos Arroyo, Shavlik Randolph, John Lucas, Quentin Richardson

1. What significant moves were made during the offseason?

Unfortunately for the Heat, the biggest move was acquiring Quentin Richardson from the Minnesota for salary hound center, Mark Blount. This summer, the Heat missed out on acquiring swing-man forward, Lamar Odom from the defending champion Lakers, and the bruising Carlos Boozer from the Jazz. The good news for Richardson and the Heat is that he brings the long ball threat that Miami loves to utilize, and he is also a long time friend of Dwyane Wade, who the Heat hope to sign an extension with this year. The Heat’s addition of Carlos Arroyo to their roster adds a veteran guard to the backcourt.

2. What are the team’s biggest strengths?

The Miami Heat’s biggest strength is…Dwyane Wade, surprised?  After a strong comeback season where he finished top 3 in MVP votes, “Flash” is back and better than ever. If second year forward Michael Beasley can get past his offseason woes, Pat Riley’s dream of a great tag-team can come full circle. The development of Mario Chalmers allows the Heat to run a fast paced offense, and by this season’s end, Chalmers will most likely be a top tier guard in the league.

3. What are the team’s biggest weaknesses?

Since the departure of Shaq and the retiring of Alonzo Mourning, the Heat’s biggest hole is the center position. Year after year the Heat try to develop a young center, but the products have been Earl Barron and Joel Anthony…enough said. With the mid-season acquisition of Jermaine O’Neal, the soft spot of the defense was hopefully going to be filled, but it seems only temporary. Perhaps with a Magloire, Anthony, and O’Neal frontcourt, the Heat can contend with the size the East has to offer.

4. What are the goals for this team?

Every so often, a summer like the one upcoming brings such great free agents that a team wants all of them. The Heat are looking to sign the likes of Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudamire, and/or put a bid in for LeBron James. The main goal is to sign Dwyane Wade to a multi-year deal in order to keep him from testing the free agent waters. The Heat are looking to add another big name to play along side Wade to not only keep him happy, but to keep the people of Miami interested.

5. Don’t count out Daequan Cook.

The third year guard out of Ohio State has shown significant improvement after each summer, including winning the 3-point shooting contest last All-Star break.  The 6-5 guard gives the Heat different looks at the guard position, and Cook has proved to be a good defender, and will only get better with experience. Look for big things from him this year.

Predicted Record: 44- 38. Due to the lack of free agent signings, the Miami Heat will improve only slightly this season and will enter the playoffs at a 4-6 seed.

Since Brandon Jennings (the Arizona recruit) signed with Roma of Italy, decided to pass up college and play professionally in Europe, many have followed in his shoes.  Jennings was setting an example for many others to skip college and play overseas.  The NBA’s one and done rule would then be avoided and the athletes would be able to play in the NBA after one year.

While we have not seen any athletes other than Jennings skip college to play overseas, Arroyo is one of the many athletes continuing the trend of NBA players leaving America to play more serious roles and earn more money elsewhere.  The big international clubs are the ones who have the money and the connections to land these talented players and grant high paying contracts. It looks like the flood gates have opened this summer, as we have now witnessed a multitude of players leave the NBA and head overseas.

Maccabi Tel-Aviv is one of those big clubs with many foreign contacts. The Israeli league is well-respected around the world. Maccabi reached the Euro league title game last season and has won the European title five times since 1977.  They were also one of the teams to beat an NBA team on North American soil with a 105-103 victory over the Toronto Raptors during the 2005-06-exhibition season.  This gave them international exposure and attracted great American players and others to the Israeli league.

Maccabi is coming off a good season, but had an unfortunate ending, in which it inexplicably lost the Israeli championship to the lesser known Hapoel Holon team. Maccabi was looking to make some moves and some high priced signings this summer to forget about their disappointing performance in the finals.  The club was also talking to Miami Heat star Jason Williams before they acquired Arroyo from the Magic.

Jennings might be the first and only one from High School that is headed overseas for now, but I believe that many more will follow. Here is a list of the other players who have decided to leave America and sign with European teams.  Serbia’s Nenad Krstic, Spain’s Juan Carlos Navarro and Jorge Garbajosa, Argentina’s Carlos Delfino and Slovenia’s Bostjan Nachbar and Primoz Brezec. All these individuals have decided to throw away their current NBA contracts and sign with European teams.  Their agents did negotiate a most important opt out clause in their contracts, which will allow them to reevaluate their decision and permit them to head back to the NBA after the season if they wish.