Re-Heat

I hate to keep writing about the Miami Heat. Believe me. But after speaking with Antoine Walker this week, I have to address the crew on South Beach one more time.
I bumped into Walker at an adidas promotional gathering in Las Vegas and asked him how good the Heat will be.

"Sky's the limit for us,'' he said. "With three or four new guys, the biggest thing for us will be team chemistry. They had good chemistry last year, so we're going to focus on jelling right away alongside Shaq and Dwyane Wade.''

Walker shot down the notion that he would not accept a secondary role to Shaq and Wade.

"We all have to understand that Shaq is the first option and Dwyane is the second option,'' Walker said. "Hopefully, I'll be in there somewhere as a third option. To be honest, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make the team successful.''

Walker said he did not know whether he would start at the four or the three, or even come off the bench.

"I don't have a clue,'' he said. "I've never come off the bench in my career, so I'm not even looking at that as a possible option. I haven't played the three in a while, but I could definitely go back there. Hopefully, my versatility will make a difference. They said they're going to allow me to use my versatility. This could be the most fun I've had as a pro because I've never come into a season on a team that's a title contender.''

I asked Walker if he would be open to coming off the bench.

"It depends on what my role was going to be,'' he said. "I want to be in the game when it's difference-making time. That's the situation I've always been in and that's the situation I want to be in. We'll have to wait until we get into camp. We'll see.''

I wrote previously that Walker should come off the bench, play 30-something minutes a game, and be on the floor during crunch time. But I'm going to amend that: Walker should start.

Front line: Shaq, Walker, James Posey. Backcourt: Wade and Jason Williams.

Destination: NBA Finals, losers in seven to San Antonio.

uhh. that blog was terrible. why all of a sudden should walker start, just because they had a good chat at some addidas promotion? They need rebounding and toughness at the 4, not walker playing around at the 3 point line and ball hogging and over dribbling.

Posted by nyk4ever:

Theres no way that I would start Walker at the 4 over Haslem, who is quietly becoming more and more solid every year. Just because Antoine is too much of a baby to take a bench role, he shouldn't be starting ahead of Udanis. I would start Toine at the 3 and use Posey off the bench, I think that would work.

[Edited by - nyk4ever on 09-15-2005 2:03 PM]

Haslem is a true dirty work guy. He plays like a young Horce Grant type. He is a good sidekick for Shaq up front.

I always pictured Walker in the same role that Mashburn played when he was in Miami.

J-Will is gonna be trouble because he is great in transition and if Shaq can get in his head J-Will should pick right up where Damon Jones left off from outside.

Posey is good but don't count Rasual Butler out! Miami will be exciting....the injury bug could haunt them though...all the potetial starters are injury prone.

Interesting read, but I definitely don't see Miami in the NBA Finals... Still praying for their downfall...