<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Keyon Dooling started to say what everyone on the Miami Heat already believed. ''I don't want to take away anything from Detroit, but I do honestly think if we were a healthy team . . .'' Dooling began, before softening his stance to say only, ``we would have had a better chance of winning.'' What Dooling wanted to say was that a healthy Heat would be playing Game 1 of the NBA Finals tonight. To make many changes to a team so close to the prize would be a mistake, and Heat coach Stan Van Gundy implied as much when he emphasized Tuesday the importance of keeping a core together in winning championships. So don't expect major adjustments on the Heat roster to be made this offseason. Among the first orders of business would be to re-sign Udonis Haslem, who nearly averaged a double double, was arguably the most consistent role player on the team and was effective defensively at power forward despite being 6-8. Haslem is a restricted free agent whom the Heat could pay up to the average salary (roughly $5.5 million) for as many years as the new collective bargaining agreement will dictate. The Heat can match any outside team's offer to Haslem up to the average salary. Any offer greater than that the Heat will be, by rule, unable to match. Van Gundy included Haslem as a key member of the team's core but stopped short of requesting he return, leaving that decision to Heat president Pat Riley. ''I think it's obvious he's part of our core right now,'' Van Gundy said. ``What goes on there is a business thing. It's nothing that I have any say about, but if you look at our team this year, it's pretty clear he's part of our core.'' FRONTCOURT ISSUES There also is some uncertainty in the team's frontcourt beyond Haslem. Alonzo Mourning is still deciding whether he will play next season. Even if Christian Laettner re-signs with the Heat, his recurring foot injuries could require him to miss time. That means the Heat likely will be looking to fortify the front court with another quality big man, preferably an athletic big man who rebounds well. The Heat will only have a midlevel salary-cap exception with which to sign free agents and a $1.9 million trade exception at its disposal this offseason. Among the likely options that could land in the Heat's price range are Stromile Swift, Donyell Marshall, Kwame Brown and Othella Harrington. The team also has question marks at point guard, with Damon Jones and Dooling holding player options for next season. Dooling is a near lock to opt out, while Jones could be on the fence. If the Heat chooses to use a lot, if not all, of its midlevel exception on a free agent point guard with starting potential, there are a few intriguing options. Seattle's Antonio Daniels has a $2.2 million player option he can opt out of to become a free agent, and he is a complete point guard who can play the half-court and full-court styles. Damon Stoudamire, Tyronn Lue and Steve Blake, who is restricted, also are free agents. With Shaquille O'Neal and Eddie Jones getting older, the Heat also might look to get more athletic, which would help with rebounding, defense and scoring easy baskets. IN-HOUSE OPTIONS But the team might not have to go outside the organization to do so. Players and coaches have been raving about the ability of small forward Qyntel Woods, whom the Heat holds an option on for next season, and shooting guard Dorell Wright will be entering his second season after a year of shaping his game to the NBA style. ''Both of them are very, very good players,'' Dooling said of Woods and Wright. ``This league is about opportunities in these situations. You put them in the right situations, both of them can really be successful. I think with [Woods], defensively he'll really be a positive for us. But he's also a guy who can get out and run, is very athletic and also can make shots. Dorell has T-Mac-like potential. Whether he reaches that or not will depend on him. As long as he continues to work . . . I think he can be a special player in this league. ``I'm looking forward to seeing how they play in summer league. Hopefully there won't be a lockout that deters that too much.''</div> Source
Player Age Position Contract status Shandon Anderson 31 G/F Unrestricted free agent Rasual Butler 26 F Signed through 2006 Michael Doleac 27 C Signed through 2008 Keyon Dooling 25 G Unrestricted free agent Udonis Haslem 24 F Restricted free agent Damon Jones 28 G Player option for next season Eddie Jones 33 G/F Signed through 2007 Christian Laettner 35 F-C Unrestricted free agent Alonzo Mourning 35 C Unrestricted free agent Shaquille O'Neal 33 C Player option for next season Steve Smith 36 G-F Unrestricted free agent Dwyane Wade 23 G Signed through 2006 with team option for 2007 Qyntel Woods 27 F Team option for next season Dorell Wright 20 F Signed through 2007 with team option for 2008 Wang Zhi-Zhi 24 C Unrestricted free agent
A major roster move isn't really needed for the Heat. What we may see is a tune-up. The Heat are supposedly looking to sign some free agents this off season such as Stromile Swift, Kwame Brown, and a couple of other players. They do have to worry about resigning players of their own such as Haslem and Dooling who were a very important part of the Heat throughout this season.
