LeBron James' Departure Showing Clear, Obvious Flaws of Miami Heat Roster | Bleacher Report LeBron James' Departure Showing Clear, Obvious Flaws of Miami Heat Roster Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories Issac Baldizon/Getty Images Seems like a long time ago, doesn't it? 14.4K 92 Comments A lot of inches of column space were devoted, in the preceding four seasons, to celebrating the Miami Heat ’s Big Three. A once-in-a-generation stable of selfishly selfless hardwood maestros—they took less money in salary to make more in endorsements; they accepted downticks in their counting stats to raise their profiles within the sport— LeBron James , Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade owned the Association. Though James was always the greater among equals—he won the MVPs and earned the GOAT talk—there was always a notion that he needed the Heat nearly as much as the organization relied on him. Miami, after all, is where he won his first two titles and appeared in four of his five NBA Finals. The events of this season, however, have called that narrative into question. James and his Cleveland Cavaliers are coasting after an early-season swoon.

Before losing three of their last four, LeBron and Co. ripped off an eight-game winning streak that quieted concerns that the King’s new Big Three were an ill-fitting bunch. While James himself is still off his game—per Basketball-Reference.com , he’s posting the lowest total win shares per 48 minutes since his rookie season, and his 58.5 true shooting percentage is his worst since 2007-08—his teammates are beginning to jell. Kyrie Irving is having a career season, and every day, Kevin Love looks more like the sweet-shooting double-double machine he’s been throughout his career. The 2014-15 Cavs, the hoops world has conceded, will be just fine. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images After a rocky start to his return to Cleveland, LeBron and his new superfriends seem to have righted the ship. But the Heat likely won’t be. Chris Bosh has been a solid, steadying force in Miami’s lineup, but the expectation that he would considerably raise his game in James' absence now feels foolish.

Bosh has been productive—the addition of a three-point shot to his repertoire was huge—but, while he’s doubtless Miami’s best player, he’s a bit overmatched as a No. 1. Bosh’s Heat-leading 2.2 win shares are good for just 41st in the NBA, according to Basketball-Reference.com . In short, if your best player is the 41st-best player in the NBA, you’ll be hard-pressed to win unless you have exceptional depth, which Miami doesn’t. Beyond Dwyane Wade, who’s fought through injury to have a fine season, Miami is wafer thin. Chris Andersen, at 36, has collapsed. Danny Granger has made no impact whatsoever for the Heat. Big-ticket—well, as big-ticket as it got for Miami this summer—offseason acquisition Josh McRoberts has been at turns injured and ineffective since he came to Miami from the Charlotte Hornets . He's now out indefinitely with a torn meniscus . Meanwhile, Mario Chalmers has never been anything more than an average basketball player, and Norris Cole would have to improve by leaps and bounds to even sniff average.

The pair play, combined, more than 55 minutes per game for Miami. There are some interesting young pieces on the team—Shabazz Napier and James Ennis are chief among them—but they’re secondary pieces. They’re not players, not yet anyway, who can carry a team. Melissa Majchrzak/Getty Images Bosh hasn't necessarily disappointed, but nor has he elevated his game since ascending to the role of Miami's No. 1. Consequently, the once-mighty Miami offense is now 16th in the league in efficiency, per ESPN.com . A defense that was on a downward slope the last few seasons has slipped further. The Heat are just 25th in the league in points allowed per 100 possessions. Help is likely on the way, in the form of a free-agent splurge in the summer of 2016 or even this offseason. But for the time being, Miami just doesn’t have a roster that’s capable of making noise in even the enfeebled Eastern Conference. The Heat’s struggles in 2014-15 also raise an interesting question: Absent LeBron, was this ever a particularly strong roster to begin with?

At first blush, it’s a silly, even blasphemous thing to question. Last season, Miami had three sure-fire Hall of Famers on its roster—James, Wade and Ray Allen—and a potential fourth in Chris Bosh. But if you look a little deeper, problems were apparent long before this year. Miami, for a long time, has been old. Last season, according to Deadspin , the Heat had the oldest roster in the NBA. And even at the top, minus LeBron, it wasn’t that productive. Outside of James, the most productive member of the Heat in 2013-14 was Bosh, who checked in with eight win shares, according to Basketball-Reference.com . This placed him at No. 26 in the NBA. This wasn’t the exception, either. The only season during the Big Three era in which the Heat placed three players in the league’s top 20 in win shares was 2012-13 —when James (No. 1), Wade (No. 13) and Bosh (No. 20) each made the cut.

Now, the fact that Miami failed to place three guys in the top 20 in win shares every season is no great indictment of the team. That’s a pretty incredible accomplishment. It’s simply to underscore the fact that there was a gulf between the conventional wisdom of how productive Miami’s non-James players were and how much they actually offered. The moral of the story: As good as life is with LeBron James, it can be that difficult without him. The best player in basketball makes a fine deodorant. Miami Heat center Chris Bosh beig treated for clot on lung - Sun Sentinel Ira Winderman Contact Reporter South Florida Sun Sentinel Chris Bosh away from team amid concern Privacy Policy Amid concern of Chris Bosh being treated for blood clots in his lungs, the focus Friday with the ailing Miami Heat center moved well beyond the court. "It's not about basketball," teammate Dwyane Wade said in advance of Friday night's game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. "It's bigger than that. "We just want the best for him. He's heavily in our minds and our hearts." Coach Erik Spoelstra stressed that the team had yet to receive a definitive diagnosis.

"For everybody to speculate, right now, at this stage, it's very premature," he said. "My biggest thought last night and tonight, 'Is C.B. OK? Is his family OK?' " According to a source familiar with Bosh's treatment, there initially were conflicting diagnoses, which led to further testing Friday. The source, however, also said the situation was serious, with concern beyond Bosh missing the rest of the season. Erik Spoelstra discusses Chris Bosh's situation Heat coach says team's thoughts with Chris Bosh. Heat coach says team's thoughts with Chris Bosh. See more videos Spoelstra said the situation is not life threatening. "It's too early for any speculation," Spoelstra said. "Our main thoughts are with Chris and his health. He's in great care right now in South Miami Hospital. "The main thing right now is for us to be there for Chris. He is in good spirits." Bosh's wife, Adrienne, offered an update on Twitter. "We are just staying focused on positivity and keeping him healthy," she wrote, adding a heart icon. "We appreciate all the Love and Support we have received from our Friends, Family and Fans.

Just a quick update that [Chris] is doing OK." (Ira Winderman) The Heat could make a formal announcement regarding Bosh as soon as Saturday. Free-agent center Andray Blatche is one potential short-term option, a move the Heat could make with the $2.65 million disabled-player salary-cap exception the team holds for the knee injury sustained by Josh McRoberts. Amid word of Bosh, 30, being treated, the NBA fraternity rallied around the All-Star. As the Cleveland Cavaliers prepared for Friday night's game against the Washington Wizards, former Heat forward LeBron James spoke of his concern. "Hopefully he'll be all right," James told media in Washington. "My prayers are up, my hands are open, my fingers are crossed for sure." James and Bosh advanced to the NBA Finals each of the past four seasons as Heat teammates, winning championships in 2012 and '13. "Basketball is a small thing when it comes to health and family," James said."He's so connected to me, I feel it for sure. Every minute I'm checking to see if he's OK." The latest developments particularly weighed on Wade.

"It's one of my best friends, one of my closest friends," Wade said. "We got very close over the last year and a half. For me, it's not even about this sport, just to make sure that Chris is doing good, that this family is doing good." Just days after Spoelstra downplayed Bosh's absence from practice, saying he hoped his team's All-Star did not have the flu, the concern turned to the blood clots in Bosh's lungs, with further tests conducted for even more serious issues. Bosh participated in Sunday's All-Star Game in New York and then made a two-day trip to Haiti with his wife, along with Wade and Wade's wife. He then reported to practice Wednesday at AmericanAirlines Arena but was sent home by the team. At the time, Spoelstra downplayed the issue, with it not announced until Thursday afternoon that Bosh would not travel. Late Thursday, the team confirmed to the Sun Sentinel that Bosh was hospitalized and undergoing tests. "He's in great care and good spirits now," Spoelstra said.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao and Brooklyn Nets forward Mirza Teletovic have been forced to sit out the balance of seasons upon being diagnosed with blot clots in their lungs, with Teletovic missing the balance of this season. Earlier this week, former Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerome Kersey died at 52 from a pulmonary embolism. With rest and treatment with blood thinners, athletes in such instances have been able to resume their careers, including Florida Panthers forward Tomas Fleischmann. Bosh had struggled with his play prior to the nine-day NBA All-Star break, but then was in good spirits Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn when he won the NBA's Shooting Stars competition during All-Star Saturday for the third consecutive year. Wade was with Bosh during All-Star Weekend and also traveled with him to and from Haiti. "He wasn't feeling his best," Wade said of that trip. "And once we got to Haiti, he just kind of laid around and chilled. "As athletes, when something's wrong with us, we try to fight through it or we don't go to the hospital But [fortunately] you have your wife and your family to push you." iwinderman@tribpub.com.

Follow him at twitter.com/iraheatbeat or facebook.com/ira.winderman. 2010 NBA free agency: LeBron James announces he'll sign with Miami Heat LeBron James put the NBA on notice Thursday night, joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. Ending weeks of will-he-or-won't-he speculation, the two-time MVP said Thursday night that he's decided to join the Heat and leave the Cavaliers after an unsuccessful seven-year quest for the ring he covets. "I can't say it was always in my plans, because I never thought it was possible," James said on a made-for-LeBron live show on ESPN. "But the things that the Miami Heat franchise have done, to free up cap space and be able to put themselves in a position this summer to have all three of us, it was hard to turn down. Those are two great players, two of the greatest players that we have in this game today." Olympic teammates in Beijing, James, Bosh and Wade all helped deliver the gold. This time, it'll be about a gold trophy: the NBA championship Wade got in 2006; the one that James and Bosh have yet to touch.

"Winning is a huge thing for me," James said from a studio in Greenwich, Conn., where an audience of kids from the Boys and Girls Club was present for the announcement. James said on ESPN he has yet to work out a contract with Miami. "Well, the numbers are not finalized. I think my agent, Leon Rose, will take care of that," James said. "But all three of us are ultimately going to take less money because we wanted to all play alongside each other, and we feel like we can be great together. And hopefully [Heat president] Pat [Riley] and the rest of those guys, [Heat owner] Micky [Arison], can bring some guys in to help us out, which we believe." Sources told ESPN.com that Toronto and Miami are expected to finalize a sign-and-trade for Bosh by week's end. The Raptors would receive draft picks and a trade exception and Bosh would be able to land a six-year deal instead of five years thanks to the deal, according to sources. It's a huge victory for the Heat, which got commitments from Wade and Bosh on Wednesday. That duo, along with James, formed the upper echelon of the most-celebrated free-agent period in league history.

Riley landed them all, a three-pack of stars to help shape his quest for a dynasty in Miami. "There's magic in the number 3," Wade said, a nod to his jersey number. One of the issues James faced was having the uniform No. 6 available to him in Miami. A source told ESPN.com Friday that wouldn't be a problem. James disclosed last season that he planned to switch his jersey number from No. 23 to No. 6 for the 2010-11 season as a tribute to Michael Jordan. A league source told ESPN.com that Heat guard Mario Chalmers has already submitted a request to the league office to switch his jersey from No. 6 to No. 15 for next season. No. 23 would not have been available to James in Miami, as the Heat have retired that number in honor of Jordan. James jokingly told ESPN he would "give Mario a call and see if we can work something out." Riley said in a statement the Heat were "thrilled" to add Bosh and James to a roster that already features Wade. "We are looking forward to the opportunity of building something that our fans in Miami will be proud of for a long, long time," Riley said.

"The journey is just beginning." And for Cleveland, a city scorned for generations by some of sports' biggest letdowns, James' long-awaited words represented a defeat perhaps unlike any other. "And I look at it as -- it's a relationship. It was a relationship that I had with the organization, with that city," James said Friday morning in an interview on ABC's "Good Morning America" regarding Cleveland. "You know, you built a lot and you've done some things, you've done great things. You had the ups and downs. It's almost like a relationship you may have with a lady where you've been with that person for seven years and you've seen it all. You've grown together. You've been through the ups and downs. And one day you guys just don't see it the same way. You have to move on for the better. And that's how I feel. It hurts. It definitely hurts. It hurts me to say that I'm moving on. But I have to do what's best." On Thursday James said he made the decision that morning and knew it wouldn't go over well in Ohio.

"They can have mixed emotions, of course," James said on ESPN, adding that Akron will "always be home for me." Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert, in a letter to fans on the Cavs' website , never mentions James by name, only referring to his nicknames in quotes and lambasting his former superstar for the way he announced his decision. "This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his 'decision' unlike anything ever 'witnessed' in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment. "Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us," Gilbert said in the letter. "The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you." Gilbert, who has owned the Cavs for five years, said James' decision was a "cowardly betrayal" and called James the "self-titled former 'King'" and promised the No. 1 pick in the 2003 draft would be "taking the [Cleveland] 'curse' with him down south." Despite James' departure, Gilbert guaranteed future success for his franchise.

"I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER 'KING' WINS ONE," Gilbert declared. "You can take it to the bank." James' new home -- part-time or otherwise -- wasted no time in beginning the celebration. Horns honked outside the arena and on Miami Beach, where Wade was watching the announcement with members of his inner circle. "It's going to be crazy," Wade said. Bosh used Twitter to show his excitement, posting "It's madness out here! I'm on cloud 9 right now! This is like a dream come true to play with @dwadeofficial [Dwyane Wade] and @kingjames [LeBron James]!" In Cleveland, the immediate reaction was predictably filled with outrage. "The Decision," the name of the prime-time, hour-long special James and his team of advisers brokered with ESPN, now joins "The Drive," "The Shot" and "The Fumble" in Cleveland's sports hall of shame. Cleveland fans, so accustomed to disappointment, have been let down again -- this time by one of their sons.

Not long after James' decision was announced, one of his jerseys was shown being burned in the city's streets. "I can't get involved in that," he said. "I wanted to do what was best for LeBron James . ... At the end of the day, I feel awful. I feel even worse that I wasn't able to bring an NBA championship to that city. I never wanted to leave Cleveland. My heart will always be around that area. But I also felt like this is the greatest challenge for me." Even one of James' former teammates was distraught. "I feel like my heart has been pulled out," Cavs guard Mo Williams posted on his Twitter account. "But I'm happy for my friend." Perhaps some of the outrage stems from James' final games in a Cleveland uniform. The Boston Celtics eliminated the Cavs in the second round of the playoffs, with some questioning Cleveland's -- and James' -- effort as Boston rallied from a 2-1 hole to win the series. Gilbert, in a phone interview with the Associated Press, said James quit on his team. "He quit," Gilbert declared to the AP. "Not just in Game 5, but in Games 2, 4 and 6. Watch the tape.

The Boston series was unlike anything in the history of sports for a superstar." The Cavaliers were beaten by 32 points in Game 5. During the game, James appeared distracted and uninterested, often glaring at Cleveland's coaches as the Cavs tried to foul to get back into the game in the second half. James also made some puzzling postgame comments, saying he had "spoiled" people with his play over seven seasons. Gilbert also said he believes James quit on the Cavs in Game 6 of their series in 2009 against Orlando. "Go back and look at the tape," he told the AP. "How many shots did he take?" Gilbert said James had gotten a "free pass" and that people had covered for him his entire career. "LeBron James needs to go to another team with two superstars already so he can win a championship," Gilbert said to the AP. "We will win a championship before [the Heat] do." The owner said James never returned a single phone message or text since the end of the season and that the Cavs were not informed of James' decision until he went on the air. Gilbert said Rich Paul, one of James' business partners, called the Cavs moments before the announcement.

In Miami, Wade said he was stunned by Gilbert's comments. "I think I'm happy that I have the owner that I have here in Miami," Wade told the Associated Press. "I'm happy Micky Arison is my owner. I couldn't believe it. I'm speechless. It's very unfortunate and I think it makes LeBron that much better about his decision. "We knew Bron would take some backlash," Wade added in his interview with AP. "I told him he's a strong man for it." James' decision ends nearly two years of posturing and positioning by teams hoping to add the 6-foot-8, 260-pound physical force of nature to their roster. He famously announced at New York's Madison Square Garden in November 2008 that "July 1, 2010, is going to be a big day." He wasn't kidding. When the clock struck 12:01 a.m. last Thursday, a free-agent frenzy unlike any before it -- in any professional sport -- began with the enough speculation, rumor and second-by-second intrigue to last a lifetime.

Last week, the Heat, Cavaliers, New Jersey Nets , New York Knicks , Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls converged on Cleveland to make their sales pitch to the league's most wanted man. The Cavs only had to drive across town to meet in the business offices of the local superstar, who grew up in a single-parent home in the Akron projects and has known no other pro basketball home. The Cavs appealed to James' loyalty, his Buckeye roots and the fact this is where he is raising his two young sons. They hired Byron Scott as their new coach last week. None of it worked. "We believe in this team, this organization, this community, and what we will do to compete at the highest level," Cavs general manager Chris Grant said in a statement that did not mention James. "We believe in the new coach and leader we have in Byron Scott, and the world class basketball organization and positive and strong culture we've established." New York devoted two years to trying to snare James. "We are disappointed that LeBron James did not pick the New York Knicks, but we respect his decision," Knicks president Donnie Walsh said. New Jersey couldn't land him despite having rapper Jay-Z, a good friend of James, as a part-owner.

"We have a vision of a championship team and need to invest wisely and for the long term," Nets billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov said. "Fortunately, we have more than one plan to reach success, and, as I have found in all areas of my business, that is key to achieving it." And Bulls general manager Gar Forman said he was convinced his organization "made the strongest of bids to acquire LeBron James during this free-agency period." James, Bosh and Wade entered the pros in the same year, the respective Nos. 1, 4 and 5 picks in the 2003 draft. They went their separate ways: James to Cleveland, Bosh to Toronto and Wade to Miami, where he won a championship partnered with center Shaquille O'Neal in 2006. That year, James, Bosh and Wade signed matching contracts to make sure they were unrestricted free agents at the same time. Season-ticket sales for the Heat's coming 41-game home slate were suspended Thursday afternoon after the entire supply of available seats was sold out. Not every seat has been released for sale yet and some will be held back for single-game purchases at the 19,600-capacity arena.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Louisville coach Rick Pitino said of a James-Wade-Bosh partnership while attending a tournament of high school stars at Cleveland State University, co-sponsored by James and Nike, one of the 25-year-old's corporate partners. Believe it. The Cavs, a franchise that was in ruins before winning a lottery drawing and bringing James up Interstate 77 from his Akron home, have had the upper hand -- until now. They were able to offer him more money -- $30 million more -- than any other team. But James told ESPN it wasn't about the money. "I easily could have taken the money, or I could have asked Cleveland to do a sign-and-trade and I could have got the six years and got the money," James said. "It wasn't about the money. It was about uniting with two guys, uniting with a franchise that I believe we can compete for not one year, but like I said, for these five years and maybe so on after that. So it had nothing to do with money." Wade and Bosh both said they would take fewer dollars to make this happen.

And that, combined with what Riley and Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said to James on the recruiting tour, was enough to pull off the stunner. "I am thrilled to welcome LeBron James to the Heat family," Wade said in a statement. "I look forward to playing alongside LeBron, Chris Bosh and our teammates, and together representing the great city of Miami. There's magic in the number 3. This is the beginning of [a] new chapter in Heat history and very exciting for both fans of the Miami Heat and the NBA." Because they have overspent while trying to please James and win the first title by any of Cleveland's three pro sports teams since 1964, the Cavs are strapped with a few big contracts that have eaten up cap space and prevented them from making roster moves to improve. They've come close to winning it all with James. With the possible exception of Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant , James is the NBA's premier player, but his legacy cannot be fulfilled until he wins a championship. If it's going to happen soon, it'll happen in Miami. Wade has shared the spotlight in the Heat locker room before, doing so when O'Neal was there for the 2006 title run.

And James said that if Wade wasn't willing to make this megadeal happen, the trio wouldn't be together. "D-Wade, he's the unselfish guy here," James said. "To be able to have Chris Bosh and LeBron James, to welcome us to his team, it's not about an individual here. It's about a team." Now, it's up to Riley to build around his three superstars. With just two players under contract, Miami retained room to sign Bosh, Wade and James but lacks significant salary-cap space to fill out the remaining roster. The Heat need seven more players to fill out their roster. They took De'Sean Butler , Jarvis Varnado and Dexter Pittman in the second round of June's NBA draft. A source close to the situation told ESPN.com late Thursday the Heat agreed to trade Michael Beasley to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a 2011 second-round pick. Beasley was slated to make $5 million in 2010-11. The Boston Celtics were able to supplement Kevin Garnett , Paul Pierce and Ray Allen three years ago by finding veterans such as P.J.

Brown and Sam Cassell who were interested in signing on cheaply for a shot at a title, and that's likely what Miami will have to do. Said the Knicks' Walsh: "I'd tell you what I would have done. My intention would be to go out and find out who wants to win a championship, a proven player at the end of his career, wants to be on a championship team and would take the minimum." James was clear not to short his potential future teammates, telling ESPN that the Heat are far from a finished product. "I feel like it's not a super team right now because the team -- we don't even have enough players to fill the roster. And a team is not built on just three guys or two guys or one guy," James said after making one of the most analyzed decisions in the history of free agency. "A team is built on all the way to the top and the owner and the gym, and the guys that's in the film room to make sure the guys are prepared, to the guys on the floor, to the guys, the custodian or the people in ticket sales. A team and a championship team is not built on just three guys or just one superstar.

It's built on the whole organization and everybody having the same goal and the same goal in mind." James said he was donating all the advertising proceeds from the televised show to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Akron, Cleveland, New York, Chicago and Miami. Gilbert, however, lampooned the example James was setting for children with his choice. "This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown 'chosen one' sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn. And 'who' we would want them to grow up to become," Gilbert said. Information from ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan, Marc Stein and Chad Ford, and The Associated Press was used in this report. Miami Heat move on from LeBron James - Sun Sentinel Privacy Policy Five months after being run off the court by San Antonio, four months after LeBron James took his talents to Cleveland, the Heat aren't looking to have a representative little season, just give it a good effort, the way people talk about them. They're not wired like that. They don't act like The Leftovers. And let's be thankful for that in a town where the bar is so low for every other pro franchise just making the playoffs is discussed like the Holy Grail.

"Maybe shock some people,'' Chris Bosh says of his hopes. "Play some great basketball,'' Dwyane Wade said. It's all changed this year, of course. The Show has moved on, and the season won't be measured by June readiness and championships rings. If you won't miss that, you're kidding yourself. But the Heat will prove again this year why they're the best-run franchise in town and among the best handful in sports. Even in a down year, they won't be down. Even with a team that will struggle to score points, they'll score enough to matter. Miami Heat 2014-15 schedule Open link If directing a franchise to three titles is Pat Riley's great Heat achievement, making the playoffs in 16 of his 19 seasons here isn't far behind. Sport is about the moment, about now, today, and while the other South Florida have sputtered for a decade the Heat keep delivering seasons worth the price of admission. This year won't be different even if everything about it is. The questions go across the roster. They're all obvious. "Can Dwayne Wade play 65 games?" ESPN 's Jalen Rose asked on a conference call.

A look at the Miami Heat's 15-man roster, with salary status and season outlook for each player. (Ira Winderman) "How will Chris Bosh go from being the third guy, a spacer and shooting 3's, to being the No.1 guy, being in the paint more, scoring inside more?'' ESPN's Doug Collins asked. We can keep going, if you want: Can Luol Deng impact a game? Is Norris Cole a starter? Does this roster have a proven 3-point shooter? When will Josh McRoberts be healthy? The expectations are lower to the point that winning the Eastern Conference isn't in the conversation. "Winning the division is – that's what it's called, right? The division?" Bosh said. This is how foreign this idea, how much they've won the past few years, that Bosh had to refresh his mind on the involved terms. He was asked if he could name the teams in the division. "Washington, Orlando, Atlanta …" he said. He stood there and thought a moment. "Charlotte." Bosh knows this season isn't about lining up May and June. It's about winning enough to get a good playoff seed and draw a preferred first-round matchup.

"I'll have to bring out the animal in me every night out,'' Bosh said. They all will. That's the challenge of this year. One of Heat coach Erik Spoelstra 's strengths is thinking outside the box. He's the one who imagined and then convinced LeBron to play all five positions, remember. Spoelstra's bold move this year is seeing Cole as a starter and Chalmers capable of providing some shooting-guard minutes off the bench. It's a hope. Maybe it's this roster's best option. That's where ths Heat is right now. In a season where LeBron is gone and the Heat has an eye toward the expanded salary cap in 2016, you could argue the Heat is treading water between the past and the future. But the greatness of this franchise always is staying relevant even as they plot for their next championship. In 2009 as they strategized to get LeBron, Spoestra coached a team where every player was on the last year of a contract. That comes with its own difficulties. They still won 43 games. Finished fifth in the East. Lost in the opening round of the playoffs to Boston.

"I'm not going to put a number on anything this year,'' Spoelstra said. "That's up to you to do." Let's try this: Fourth in the Eastern Conference. Second round of the playoffs. It's all new this year for the Heat, all different. What hasn't changed is the Heat being the gold standard in how to operate. They don't waste seasons being awful to build something big. They'll be good today even as they plot to be great tomorrow. Death of a dynasty: the avoidable end of Miami Heat’s Big Three era | Sport | The Guardian Miami Heat Death of a dynasty: the avoidable end of Miami Heat’s Big Three era Dwyane Wade is a Chicago Bull, leaving the Miami Heat after 13-years. But like LeBron James’ decision to head home in 2014, it did not have to end this way Dwyane Wade and LeBron James: two-thirds of the Big Three are no longer in Miami. Photograph: Nam Y.

Huh/AP Friday 8 July 2016 06.00 EDT Last modified on Tuesday 12 July 2016 08.27 EDT Share on Messenger Close Successful eras come and go in sports, and with the promise of free agency riches, soaring salary caps and the clash of egos when it comes to contracts, dynasties are harder than ever to maintain. With the shock departure of franchise cornerstone Dwyane Wade, who has agreed a two-year deal with his hometown Chicago Bulls, Miami’s fabled Big Three of Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh has been reduced to one, with serious doubts over whether the latter will ever play professionally again. Four consecutive finals trips and two titles were not enough to keep LeBron James, but they perhaps should have been. The chance to see out his glorious career and secure a legacy as a one-club man wasn’t enough for Dwyane Wade either, but there’s no doubt it should have been. Kevin Durant's exit hurts an Oklahoma mourning much more than basketball Read more So what went wrong? Unfortunately, Miami will find it hard to blame anyone but itself for the dismantling of this championship empire well before its time.

Wade’s decision to turn his back on the team that drafted him after a glittering 13 year career yielding all three of the Heat’s titles is no snap decision; it is the culmination of multiple years of free agency friction and unrequited sacrifice. It was Wade, who agreed to lighten his wallet to bring LeBron James to Miami in the first place, who did more than anyone to broker the deal with his friend. He was the lowest paid member of that Big Three. When James high-tailed back to Cleveland, Wade again gave ground to accommodate the retention of Chris Bosh and the recruitment necessary to keep Miami competitive. This summer, as tempestuous, immature and still largely unproven centre Hassan Whiteside walked away with a four-year, $98m max contract, Wade was asked to do it again, all while Miami fixed to cast him aside in its damaging, Hail Mary pursuit of Kevin Durant. However, in a free agency period gratuitously inflated following a salary cap rise, the man who’d never topped the Heat’s salary chart wanted his market value. He wanted Miami to finally make good on the years assurances he’d be looked after.

What he got was an insulting offer of $10m for the 2016-17 season (via the Vertical ), a 50% pay cut, during a week when players in his position scored unfathomably huge deals. Portland paid Evan Turner $70m over four years and Evan Fournier received $85m over five years from Orlando. Meanwhile, rival Dirk Nowitzki, three years older than Wade, nabbed two years and $40m to finish out his career where he belonged, in Dallas. After it was dismissed by Durant, Miami upped its offer leaving little difference between it and the $48m, two-year salary he’ll receive in Chicago (when Florida tax benefits are factored) but by this point it was too late. The damage had been done. Wade, seemingly grossly offended, was going back to his home state just like LeBron. A 13-year relationship, which saw Wade become the team’s record holder for games played, points, field goals, free-throws, assists and steals, was over in unnecessarily acrimonious fashion.

Speaking to the Miami Herald’s Dan LeBatard, all Pat Riley could muster was a text message reading: “ SADDDDDDD!!!! SO saddddddd! ” Wade himself, admitted on Thursday he was “still numb” at leaving a franchise and city where he’s bona fide royalty. Breaking up, as they say, is hard to do. DWade (@DwyaneWade) I wanna say THANK YOU to #HeatNation ... I've read and felt you guys love from afar. thank you for appreciating my 13 years. #FamilyAlways July 7, 2016 Riley, the Heat’s so-called Godfather, of course, is more obsessed with snaring whales than Captain Ahab. However, for the second time in three years, Riley has overcast his line. As such, the two best players in franchise history have swum away to much cooler waters. It was Riley who practically dared LeBron to leave in the aftermath of the 2014 finals dismantling at the hands of San Antonio. “This stuff is hard. And you got to stay together, if you’ve got the guts,” he said in a memorable news conference that June.

“And you don’t find the first door and run out of it.” Although there were other factors in play, this is known to have irked James, who is now a championship richer, his achievements in Miami now over shadowed by finally snapping the Cleveland hoodoo, while coming from 3-1 down against that Warriors team in arguably the greatest finals performance in NBA history. Back than Riley was blindsided by LeBron’s decision, just as he is reportedly surprised by Wade’s. However, according to the Miami Herald, 13 years of service did not merit a call during the recruitment process. Instead, Riley left it to owner Mickey Arison, who was on one of his cruise ships shortly after the meeting with Wade. Ethan J. Skolnick (@EthanJSkolnick) While you're watching Kelly Ripa, one more nugget: Pat Riley never called Dwyane Wade during the entire process. July 7, 2016 Many Heat fans have argued Wade should have received the Kobe deal; the last big pay-out, partially as a reward for what is unquestionably the finest career in south Florida sports history, partially to make good on his years of sacrifice and also because he was just, you know, worth it.

While Kobe picked up $48m in two years of hobbling around in a legacy diminishing farewell tour, Wade still had the advantage of being Miami’s best player, performing at a genuine All-Star level. Seemingly beyond the injury concerns of recent years after revamping his diet and workout regimen, he missed just eight games of the 2015-16 season, averaging 19 points while carrying an injury-hit Heat to within one game of the Eastern Conference finals and a mouth-watering shot at LeBron a nation was hoping for. Wade’s move may end up benefitting Miami on the court as it gears up for another run at a stacked free agent class in 2017 containing Russell Westbrook, Steph Curry, Chris Paul, Kyle Lowry, Kevin Durant and perhaps Blake Griffin. Riley gets another shot at those ‘whales’ he covets so dearly. However, like Kobe Bryant, Wade was worth far more to the Miami Heat franchise than wins and losses on the basketball court. For an entire generation of fans, who grew up watching him and that fabled Euro-step and step-back angled jump shot, Wade was the Miami Heat .

Without #3 in Miami-Wade County, the Heat and a crestfallen fanbase has lost its identity, leaving a void truly impossible to fill. As a team that has often labelled itself as a “family,” that placed Wade front and centre of a defiant #HeatLifer marketing campaign after LeBron left, it’s a blow to the team’s reputation and its chances of recruiting future big name free agents. But what of Chris Bosh, the last surviving member of the Big Three era? Well that doesn’t look good either. Issues related to blood clots have ended the forward’s last two seasons at the All Star Break. His relationship with his team is also strained, to put it kindly. Bosh and the Heat clashed last season over his desire to return for the play-offs. Miami stood firm in denying it. Amid suspicions he may be forced into retirement , Bosh will be paid $23.5m by Miami next season. Medical retirement is a scenario the Heat front office may not be adverse to, given the three years remaining on his deal and the requisite salary cap hits moving forward.

The Heat’s looming demise in the wake of the Big Three era is perhaps a cautionary tale for the prospective dynasty that threatens to make Miami’s four-year finals streak look like a mere blip. For the Golden State Warriors, newly acquired mega-star Kevin Durant will be a free agent again next summer, alongside two-time league MVP Steph Curry and franchise mainstay Andre Iguodala. Can both be retained with Draymond Green and Klay Thompson also on big money? Perhaps the Warriors’ softer approach will succeed where Pat Riley’s challenges and bravado failed? Or maybe today’s sacrifices will once again manifest themselves as tomorrow’s brooding resentment? The rest of the NBA will likely be hoping for the latter. In fact, it looks like their only hope. For the Miami Heat, an uncertain future awaits without “not one, not two …” Well, you know the rest. Miami Heat: Who Should Be Traded, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh? | Bleacher Report Miami Heat: Who Should Be Traded, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh? Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images The Miami Heat are falling apart.

After losing four games in a row and five-of-six, including a humiliating 30-point beat-down by the San Antonio Spurs and close defeats to Eastern Conference rivals the New York Knicks , the Orlando Magic and the Chicago Bulls , who beat them twice in the six-game span, the Heat are experiencing a melt-down. "I told the team I'm not going to continue to fail them late in games," a rare humble and defeated LeBron told reporters after again missing another potential game-winning shot. "I put a lot of blame on myself." Coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters that two players on the Heat were crying in the locker room after the loss to the Bulls . Dwyane Wade was fishing for sympathy in saying, "The Miami Heat are exactly what everyone wanted, losing games. The world is better now because the Heat is losing." Despite Wade's attempt at sarcasm, he was right. The world does hate the Heat . It's hard to imagine a NBA team in history that has been more despised than Miami is today, or any team in any professional sport even. LeBron might pretend to embrace his role as villain, but deep down inside he absolutely hates it. Who should the Miami Heat trade away?

LeBron James Total votes: 1,290 LeBron loves to be loved. Those years in Cleveland where everyone kissed the ground that he walked on and blew kisses up his derrière were the best times of his life. Nothing brought him more joy than believing that he was actually a king, no matter how silly that sounded. He truly thought he was the King of Akron, the King of Cleveland , the King of Ohio. In his deluded sense of self-worth, he still believes he is the King of Cleveland , despite having betrayed the city with his "Decision," so much so that he took offense upon hearing that former teammate and still Cleveland Cavalier, Daniel "Boobie" Gibson, had the audacity to declare himself the "new" King of Cleveland at his own private birthday party. But LeBron is no longer a "king," nor was he ever really one. The citizens of Cleveland didn't mind humoring him when they believed he could bring them that elusive national championship, when they could practically taste it year after year.

But LeBron is now property of Miami , where the more sophisticated population don't believe in "kings" or "royalty." They hardly believe in sports, arriving late at home games always, and just like the idea of having a great local sports team without really caring about the actual games. And now with LeBron's sensitive soul aching, one that cannot find the will to win without being loved, one that truly fits the protagonist of the song, "Tears of a Clown," the Miami Heat are doomed, wasting the talents of superstar Dwyane Wade and even marginal star, Chris Bosh . Who should the Miami Heat trade for? Another max-salary superstar Submit Vote vote to see results Who should the Miami Heat trade for? Another max-salary superstar 83.5% Total votes: 746 The only solution, if the Heat are ever to win another NBA Championship with Wade or one of these "superstars," is to break up this unholy trinity. The "Heatles" must die and before forever sent back to the burning pits of Hell where it was conceived. But that raises the question, "who must go?" Should it be Wade, the Heat 's franchise player who lead the team to its only NBA title?

Should it be Bosh, the alleged "cryer" among the team who shed tears over a regular season loss despite not even touching the ball in the critical final minute of play? Or should it be James, the ultimate "evil force" in NBA basketball, the most despised and hated athlete not just in America, but arguably the whole world? This self-proclaimed "king" that the whole world considers a "queen" and "jester" instead. Pat Riley has a difficult decision to make. One thing that he shouldn't be worried about, though, is finding takers for this trade, except possibly if it was for Bosh. But for Wade or James, getting a Carmelo Anthony -type deal from a team like the Knicks should be relatively easy. So NBA fans, who should go, Wade or James or Bosh? Which of these NBA superstars would you want in the Heatles? Blake Griffin

Question: LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade play what sport professionally for the Miami Heat?
Answer: Basketball