1. Arn Tellem (Pau Gasol, Joe Johnson, Brandon Roy)
2. Dan Fegan (Dwight Howard, Jason Richardson, Troy Murphy)
3. Jeff Schwartz (Paul Pierce, Al Jefferson, Tyson Chandler)
4. Rob Pelinka (Kobe Bryant, Carlos Boozer, Andre Iguodala)
5. Bill Duffy (Tayshaun Prince, Steve Nash, Rajon Rondo)
6. Leon Rose (Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, LeBron James)
7. Mark Bartelstein (Danny Granger, David Lee, Mo Williams)
8. Andy Miller (Kevin Garnett, Chauncey Billups, Andre Miller)
9. Bob Myers (Brandon Roy, TJ Ford, JJ Reddick)
10. Jim Tanner (Tim Duncan, Ray Allen, Hedo Turkoglu)
11. Henry Thomas (Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Devin Harris)
12. Raymond Brothers (Zach Randolph, Ben Gordon, Caron Butler)

My only comment is that the author might want to change the photo for Andy Miller.  Instead of displaying Miller, the list displays Keith Glass.  Miller can’t be pleased with the error; Miller had to pay Glass $40,000 in damages earlier this year after an arbitrator found that Miller recruited Glass’ client.

A Top 10 Agent List Has A Notable Error from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Team Name: Miami Heat
This Year’s Predicted Record: 64-18
Last Year’s Record: 47-35
Key Losses: Quentin Richardson, Jermaine O’Neal, Michael Beasley, Dorell Wright, Daequan Cook
Key Additions: LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Juwan Howard, Mike Miller, Eddie House

1. What significant moves were made during the off-season?

The real question is, what significant moves were NOT made during this past year’s off-season? This summer was hyped up for the past three years, with several teams completely clearing all players from their roster in an attempt to land one of the big three available (Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade). The Heat cleared their roster of every player except one, Mario Chalmers, and succeeded in landing not just one of the big three, but all three. In addition to bringing in LeBron James and Chris Bosh and retaining Dwyane Wade, the Heat were able to bring back Udonis Haslem, Joel Anthony, James Jones, Carlos Arroyo, and Jamal Magloire. Much to every other team’s chagrin, the mastermind behind the whole operation, Pat Riley, was able to find a way to fill the rest of the roster and turn the Heat’s bench into one of the best benches in the NBA. The remaining roster includes Mike Miller, Eddie House, Juwan Howard, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and draft picks Da’Sean Butler and Dexter Pittman. Pat Riley and the Miami Heat have succeeded in putting together one of the most feared teams ever assembled in the NBA.

2. What are the team’s biggest strengths?

With this team, the answer is always going to be the Big Three, especially on the offensive side. In the past 6 years, each of the Big Three have demanded double teams when handling the ball. The strength isn’t necessarily just the ability for these three to score, but the ability for them to open the floor for spot up shooters in the corners, which is something the Heat, for the first time since Jason Kapono, is not lacking with Mike Miller, James Jones, and Eddie House on the outside. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are going to demand double teams on the perimeter, and many times Chris Bosh is going to demand a double team down low. With Wade and James’ ability to penetrate and dish, the corners are going to be wide open. A man-to-man defense with back-side help is not going to work against this team. This year’s Miami Heat may cause the zone defense to make a major comeback in the NBA, as it may be the only way to put multiple defenders on the Big Three while not taking defenders out of position.

3. What are the team’s biggest weaknesses?

The Heat’s biggest weaknesses are point guard and center play, but this weakness has been blown out of proportion in recent weeks. Most likely Mario Chalmers will starting at point guard, and while he is not a pure point guard, he is a serviceable guard who can spot up from the outside. His main job is going to be to bring the ball past half court, hand it off to Wade or James, and spot up from the outside, something he can do very well. Also, even though he is a starter, he is going to play role player minutes, as this team is not really in need of a primary ball-handler other than Wade and James. Chalmers is going to share a significant amount of minutes with Mike Miller and Eddie House. The same goes for Joel Anthony as the starting center. He is most likely going to be playing role player minutes as well, with Big Z being the first center off the bench, and Chris Bosh playing significant minutes at center with the warrior, Udonis Haslem, at the power forward position. The one thing that Joel Anthony does provide is great backside help. The Heat do lack overbearing skill at both of these positions, but this weakness is not going to cause the team to lose games. Most likely the Heat’s end of game line-up and the lineup that will play significant minutes throughout the game will be Dwyane Wade, Mike Miller, LeBron James, Udonis Haslem, and Chris Bosh, which, as can be seen, does not include a pure point guard or center.

4. What are the goals for this team?

There is only one goal with a team like the Miami Heat…championship or bust! This team is already being labeled as one of the greatest to ever be put together, and it was put together to win championships. Plain and simple…the Heat need to win multiple championships with this team, or they will face a different kind of heat from all angles.

5. Will Eric Spoelstra make it through the entire season?

This is one question that has been on everybody’s mind since the Big Three came together. We all remember 2006, the last time the Heat won the NBA Championship…Stan Van Gundy started the year as the Heat’s head coach, and about a quarter of the way through the season, he “voluntarily” resigned as head coach. With this season approaching, there are speculations as to whether Spoelstra will make it through the entire season. Riley has been quoted saying he will do anything to make sure that this team wins, but does that mean he is returning to the bench? Most likely Spo will finish this season as the head coach of the Miami Heat, but if he does not deliver a championship, do not discount the idea of him returning back to Assistant Coach status, with possibly Doc Rivers at the helm.

The 2010/11 Miami Heat Preview – Championship Or Bust from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh are certainly three basketball players that come to mind when thinking about stars who are able to earn money through marketing based opportunities.  LeBron James’ one-hour ESPN show titled, “The Decision”, officially announced LBJ’s departure from Cleveland to play with Wade and Bosh in Miami.  The show affected not only LeBron’s image, but also what people think about Bosh and Wade – and they had no part in the entire ordeal.

A new nationwide survey from E-Poll Market Research shows that in the wake of “The Decision,” public sentiment towards LeBron James and fellow free agent Chris Bosh is down markedly, while attitudes towards Dwyane Wade are more favorable.

E-Poll’s E-Score® survey measured awareness, appeal and perceptions of the Miami Heat trio along numerous personality attributes. In addition to a plunge in appeal rating from 47 to 29 points, James’ ratings for such attributes as “Confident,” “Exciting,” “Good Energy,” and “Talented” were all down significantly, while negative attributes such as “Cold,” “Insincere” and “Over-Exposed” showed big increases.

In contrast to James, Wade’s appeal score rose from 51 to 55 points, and he saw increases in his attribute scores for “Confident,” “Exciting” and “Talented.” Chris Bosh experienced declines in appeal as well as most of his attribute scores. The survey was conducted July 17 – 29, 2010.

Besides the fact that Bosh and Wade might not have been in control over the change in sentiment, it is also important to point out that LeBron’s own advisors (CAA and LRMR) might not have had much control either.  We now know that Ari Emanuel, co-CEO of William Morris Endeavor, had a large roll in James deciding to go forward with “The Decision.”  That said, James’ right hand man, Maverick Carter, knew about it, and at a minimum gave his consent moving forward with the idea.

LeBron’s brand is not destroyed, but it seems as though it has taken a slight beating.  Meanwhile, D-Wade somehow benefited from LeBron’s poor decision.  Who is to blame for the consequences for a decision on “The Decision”, which was apparently influenced by a variety of individuals?

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh – All Affected By “The Decision” from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

It’s July 1st.  Basketball junkies have been waiting for this day for quite some time.  Their favorite teams can start talking to LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh…for the past year, we have been doing all the talking for those teams.  Those three players are getting the most hype out of this ridiculous class of free agents, and they are all represented by the same agency, Creative Artists Agency, for negotiations related to their NBA contracts.  The task of representation is split between Leon Rose and Henry Thomas, and we all know about the variety of others who will make their presence known.

But LeBron, Wade, and Bosh are not the only talented free agents available, and the other players are not represented by CAA.  Let’s take a look at some of the other big agencies and who they will be negotiating on behalf of in this exciting offseason.

• Wasserman Media Group – Arn Tellem is the primary agent at WMG, but he will have BJ Armstrong, Bob Meyers, Dan Tobin, et al. to help him with finding Joe Johnson, Jermaine O’Neal, Tracy McGrady, Jermaine O’Neal, and Mike Miller a home.  After LeBron, Wade, and Bosh, Johnson seems to be the name that journalists are focusing on.
• Priority Sports – Mark Bartelstein is to Priority as Tellem is to WMG, but Bartelstein also has very able agents in Brad Ames and Aaron Mintz.  They will be focusing on David Lee and Brad Miller.  I love to see what David Lee has become in the NBA after not really living up to his expectations at the University of Florida.
• Immortal Sports – Happy Walters is the owner of the agency now known as Immortal Sports.  His big client for this free agency period is Amare Stoudemire, who along with Boozer, could be interesting pick-ups for a contending team.
• Landmark Sports Agency – Speaking of Carlos Boozer, he is represented by Rob Pelinka.  Pelinka will also be busy working the phones for Channing Frye.

There are other free agents who will gather interest, including Al Harrington, who is represented by Dan Fegan of Lagardere Unlimited.  And there are also some interesting restricted free agent names.  July should be a fun month.

It’s July 1st, Do You Know Where Your Favorite NBA Free Agent Is? from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Before this NBA season started, and even now, before the playoffs is even finished, LeBron has been the big story in basketball.  More people cared day-to-day about where he will be playing next year instead of what his line was in his current team’s match-ups.

I can’t imagine how many clippings Leon Rose has stored regarding LeBron James in the past year.  Leon Rose is an agent at CAA.  CAA not only represents LeBron, but also Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh (both of whom came to CAA through CAA’s acquisition of former CSMG agent, Henry Thomas), who will also receive max contract.  And they also happen to represent coach Calipari and Pat Riley.  But LeBron’s decision is not only in the hands of Leon Rose at CAA.  Worldwide Wes (William Wesley) is also officially a part of the crew at CAA, and it is well known that LeBron has gone to Wes for advice plenty of times throughout LeBron’s life.

Beyond his people at CAA, LeBron will undoubtedly be receiving advice from his team at LRMR, those at the large companies he endorses (with an emphasis on the big guys at Nike), and others that he respects and trusts.

People Involved In/Affected By LeBron James’ Decision from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Odell McCants is representing Cousins’ former teammate at Kentucky, Patrick Patterson.  While Odell doesn’t have a huge Twitter presence, at least he is following myself and SportsAgentBlog.com (the small things that put a smile on my face).  McCants also doesn’t have much of a website.  McCants Sports Management looks like it will be powered by WordPress, but thats all I can gather from the blank page.  Patterson is McCants’ first NBA client – it’s not bad when your first professional client is a projected lottery pick.  McCants has Patterson working out at St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis.  Hopefully, for McCants’ sake, he keeps Patterson as far away from other hawking agents as possible.  I find it very interesting how Coach Cal’s boys have all gone in different directions with agents, and that none of them signed with Leon Rose (Daniel Orton signed with Raymond Brothers).

Kim Grillier works for a large company in Blue Equity Sports Television.  It’s easy to find yourself hidden when you are working with Dan Fegan, Donald Dell, and Bill Strickland.  That said, Grillier is about to make a name for himself.  Along with serving as the secondary agent for Corey Brewer, Grillier will now be the primary agent for Willie Warren, who is a player that would have been a sure-fire lottery pick had he left Oklahoma last year, after his freshman season.  I still believe that Willie will be a first round pick, but probably not in the lottery selections.  Jonathan Blue (Chairman and Managing Director of Blue Equity) has been quoted in the past saying that Kim Grillier is one of the great young up-and-coming agents.  Prior to joining BEST, Grillier had plenty of experience working for Fred Slaughter Management Group and the former powerhouse named CSMG Sports.  With Henry Thomas (who is now at CAA) at CSMG, Grillier was instrumental in recruiting decent players named Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.  Grillier did not easily part ways with Thomas, however.  In 2008, Grillier  filed a lawsuit against Henry Thomas, claiming that he was never paid commissions for helping Thomas recruit players like Wade and Bosh.  In June 2009, the judge in the case ordered that the case go to arbitration.  That order, which is an interesting read in itself, is embedded below.

Grillier v. CSMG Sports

NBA Draft Virgins: Odell McCants & Kim Grillier from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

As the doors close, ending another anti-climactic Miami Heat season , we are all left in wonder of what will become of the franchise in the next few months. After just finishing a series where the Celtics pummeled the Heat like a school yard bully, we feel chills that those games could be the last Dwyane Wade played in with a Heat uniform on. But before we discuss that large elephant in the room, we will give this year’s team their fifteen minutes.

The Heat finished 47-35 (one game better than SportsAgentBlog.com predicted) this season, playing exceptional ball after the All-Star break that landed them in the number five seed in the playoffs. There were some minor bright spots over the course of the season. For example, Dorrell Wright could almost be mistaken for a first round draft pick. We were reminded just how good Dwyane Wade is, who carried this team himself with an under-achieving Michael Beasley and some garbage formally known as Jermaine O’Neal, who gave Wade the least help they could in order to make it to the post-season. Overall, this season left us with a lot of holes to fill over the summer, including one that could possibly be in the Head Coach position.

So if Dwyane Wade is this good when it’s so bad, just imagine the possibilities! This summer has become the most talked about thing in the NBA since the 2003 draft. Let’s look at it in the only way we care…how can the Heat get better? Well here is the menu: Notable Free Agents Chris Bosh, Ray Allen, LeBron James, Josh Howard, Dirk Nowitzki, David Lee, Carlos Boozer, Joe Johnson, and Yao Ming.

Best-case scenario: The Heat have a chance to make the biggest moves the NBA has ever seen, but only if Pat Reilly gets a little aggressive. First, the critical move: we need to ship Daequan Cook and Michael Beasley somewhere far away – a team with enough room under the cap to simply just give them to. What does this do except leave us with zero players on our roster? It allows the Heat the room to sign not only Dwyane Wade back, but to add two other max contracts. Yes, that math was right; the possibility of having LeBron James and Chris Bosh in Heat uniforms next fall.  Epic.

Worst Case Scenario: In the darkest of days, Dwyane would leave, but the thoughts of what the worst could actually be makes a Heat fan feel like it’s a nightmare on Elm street.

Likely Scenario: Wade returns, the Heat sign Bosh, and Beasley gets his second chance and gets to play as a terrific third scorer. Miami will replace the Celtics as one of the top tier Eastern powers. The results will come soon enough.

The Dimming HEAT from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

However, the NBA plans to cut the salary cap for the 2010-2011 season. This could have a huge impact on who championship contending teams are able to pursue. The current 2009-2010 salary cap is set at $57.7 million, and many teams expect a $3 million to $6 million cut. The New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets, and Miami Heat plan to have the most money to spend in free agency. Many playoff contending teams could look to smaller names to get them into better contention. Names such as Carlos Boozer and Joe Johnson will also be available. The Heat may look at keeping Wade and adding a couple of pieces through the draft and a smaller contract in free agency.

With less room to operate under the cap, it is tough to imagine LeBron, Bosh, or Wade going to another playoff contending team. Look for teams to add less expensive players and improve for the draft in the 2010 off-season. Many big-name players will likely remain with their teams on a smaller term deal until the cap situation improves. The amount of salary cap that the NBA cuts will have a huge impact on whether or not these stars switch jerseys in 2010-2011.

What The 2010 NBA Salary Cap Means For Free Agency from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

There are some phrases an NBA organization never wants to hear, and “It’s time to clean house” is one of the worst. Unfortunately, the Chicago Bulls are dangerously approaching this breaking point. After an incredible postseason fight in last year’s playoffs against the Boston Celtics, many saw the Bulls as a young group ready to play on the main stage. Many believed they could be a successful team within the Eastern Conference, who, most likely would not win their division (seeing as how they play in the same division as the Cavs), but could compete with any team in the conference – sort of what the Atlanta Hawks are doing now. In reality, the Bulls are doing exactly the opposite. In the first quarter or so of the NBA season, they have fallen to a poor 11-17 record. Granted they have secured wins against some of the elite teams in the NBA, but they have also fallen to the worst of the worst. The team took another step towards the depths of damnation on December 21^st, when they blew a 35-point lead in the 3^rd quarter to the Sacramento Kings. The Kings ended the game on a 58-19 run to win by four. That kind of occurrence is not supposed to happen in the NBA. Teams are supposed to be able to coast on a 35-point lead, but obviously the Bulls are not the team they, the media, and fans thought they were. For that reason, it seems as if it’s time for the Bulls to clean house.

Luckily for the Bulls, they have a few key pieces to the puzzle of success. The most obvious of those pieces: Derrick Rose. Derrick Rose has the skill, the vision, the tenacity to be a superstar in this league, and it’s only a matter of time before he realizes his full potential. He reminds me of a young Dwyane Wade, only he possesses the court vision and passing ability of a Chris Paul type player. For Derrick Rose to truly become the superstar he is capable of being, he must work on his game. First off, he must become more aggressive on the offensive end. Too many times, Rose gets comfortable in his sets, and does not use his incredible explosiveness and quickness to get to the rim. From watching a mere 2 minutes of an NBA game in which Rose plays, it’s easy to see that he can get to the rim at will, but for him to truly be an unstoppable force, he needs to develop a jump shot. Like Dwyane Wade, Rose did not enter the NBA with a pure shot, but with the development of an outside shot, Rose will be virtually unguardable. Rose is obviously a keeper in the rebuilding process of the Chicago Bulls.

At the culmination of the current NBA season, other than Derrick Rose, the Bulls will have six players under guaranteed contracts, one of which is Tyrus Thomas, who is a restricted free agent. Thomas is owed just over $6.2 million next season, and it seems as if he will most likely stay with the Bulls. In addition, John Salmons has a player option for the 2010/2011 season worth $5.8 million. Assuming Salmons and Thomas return to the Bulls, the Bulls will have $43,915,782 of committed contracts. NBA executives project the NBA salary cap to be around $54 million and the luxury tax threshold to be somewhere around $67 million, leaving the Bulls around $20 million or so to play the free agency game, in what looks to be the best free agent class in the history of basketball.

Of the players under contract, the Bulls will be retaining some key players, such as Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, and Kirk Hinrich. Joakim Noah is player who can be a key part of the future of the Chicago Bulls. Noah’s relentless attitude on the court combined with his size makes him a hot commodity to any NBA team. He is player who can comfortably play the center position, and do it with relative success. He is a monster rebounder, a decent scorer, and a great defender. Luol Deng is an athletic small forward who is owed over $11 million in the coming season. Deng is playing at a relatively high and efficient level this season, averaging 18 pts and 8 reb per contest. Kirk Hinrich is a different story. Don’t get me wrong, I am a Hinrich fan, but he is not worth the $9.5 million he is being paid this year and the $9 million he is owed next year, especially coming off the bench as he is now. Hinrich is averaging a mere 8 pts and 3 assists this season while shooting an abysmal 36% from the field and 32% from long range. The Bulls are definitely not going to be able to restructure Hinrich’s contract, so their best bet would be to unload his contract to a team in need of a smart point guard who is usually a good shooter and is always a pesky defender. Ideally, they would love to get back an expiring contract, but with so many teams looking to play the free agency game this coming summer, I find it hard to believe they would be able to get something worthwhile.

If the season continues the way it is going now for the Chicago Bulls, it will be a fun time for fans this coming summer. As of now, the Bulls would be fighting for an 8 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, but let’s assume they do not make the playoffs and end up in the NBA lottery. The coming year’s lottery picks feature many NBA ready players that could make an impact sooner rather than later, but where the real fun comes in is the free agent market. As stated earlier, the Bulls are looking to have a significant amount of spending money this summer, and hope to be able to lure a top tier free agent. Sadly, seeing as how I am a die-hard Heat fan, it seems as if the Bulls most likely choice in the free agent market would be Dwyane Wade. To fathom a team of Wade, Rose, Deng, and Noah, with a supporting cast of Hinrich, Thomas, and Salmons is amazing. That team could do great things very quickly, but I do not think it’s going to happen. The Bulls, though, do need to lure in a big name to continue being successful. Ideally, the Bulls would want to pair Rose in the backcourt with an athletic 2-guard that can shoot from the outside; somebody like Joe Johnson or Tracy McGrady or even a Manu Ginobili. This will space out the court, allowing Rose more flexibility to penetrate the lane and kick out to shooters. In addition, the Bulls need to add somebody to fill in the starting role as a power forward. Tyrus Thomas, although an athletic freak, is not fit to start in the NBA. He is a great energy burst off the bench and could best be utilized in that capacity. One option would be to pursue the likes of Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer, or Dirk Nowitzki (if Nowitzki decides to use his Early Termination Option). All are big names that will be unrestricted free agents in the coming summer, and as stated before, the Bulls have the money to sign a free agent of that caliber. To fill out the roster, the Bulls should acquire a veteran point guard to teach Derrick Rose the ins and outs of the NBA game, preferably at the veteran’s minimum salary. Some players that fit this description would be Jason Williams, Steve Blake, or even Derek Fisher (if they could ever coax him to leave the Lakers).

Although the Bulls are going through tough times at the moment, they are not far from becoming a successful team. They have some key pieces needed to be successful, and with the addition of just a few more, they could be a dangerous team in the Eastern Conference. The last thing the Bulls would need to do to really get over the hump would be to fire Vinny Del Negro and bring in a coach capable to teaching a young team to play together offensively and, most importantly, defensively, in an attempt towards reaching the ultimate goal. The capability is there; it is simply a question as to whether the organization can make it happen.

Is It Time For The Chicago Bulls To Clean House? from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

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.

The Heat Is On: 2009-10 Miami Heat Preview from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules