Z signs with the Heat

[nadeau01_johnson48]

Now that means I have to actually pull for LeBenedict and all those other goons in Florida to actually win a title. Damn!

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index....ll_join_l.html

[GilbertArenas0]

Ouch, Sorry Cleveland fans. Z wants a ring, and I don't fault his decision, but dang, talk about an extra kick in the nuts.

[TechMan]

Great Addition, but i guess that also rules out Shaq's return to Miami. But either one isnt a center thats gonna go the distance with these guys, so sooner or later they need to bring in a younger big man

[GriffeyJr.FAN3]

Well this absolutely shakes every last bit of confidence in what I wanted in the NBA. I follow 2 teams, the Cavaliers and the Raptors. When I first started watching basketball it was a Cavaliers Pistons playoff game and I knew nothing about what I was looking at. I saw the big white dude with the beard and thought he was cool so he became my favorite player, and the cavs my favorite team. I watched the Raptors because I liked their international team, primarily bargnani. So this offseason comes around and Bosh leaves... then LeBron leaves. Okay, I think the Cavs are gonna suck, and the RAp;tors are gonna suck more, but at least I still have Z in Cleveland. Then this happens. I dont know what to do anymore honestly. Im just confused at who to cheer for. Of course ill still have my loyalty to cleveland because no other city deserves a win more than they do. This just sucks for me having my 2 teams get dismantled and my favorite players leave.

[REDANDGOLDPRIDE]

Ilgauskas is beyond worthless anyways.

The NBA is becoming a total joke.

[asujbl]

I know they haven't accounced exact figures or how they are going to be spread out to apply against the cap - but hypothentically

LeBron/Bosh/Wade - 17 million a year (51 million)
Haslem - $5 million a year (he signed for 4 years at 20 million)

Total so far of $56 million

Chalmers is at a $1 million - total so far of $57 million ballpark.

The cap is only $58 million

Color me bitter as a Cavs fan - but a team of Wade/LeBron/Haslem/Bosh/Z - with whoever off the bench still doesn't strike me as the best team in the NBA.

Those 3 guys are going to have to play 40 minutes a night - they'll be dead by the playoffs assuming they aren't already injured.

I'd still take Kobe/Odom/Gasol/Bynum/Fisher/Artest over what I see on the Heat.

[gladdyontherise]

I know they haven't accounced exact figures or how they are going to be spread out to apply against the cap - but hypothentically

LeBron/Bosh/Wade - 17 million a year (51 million)
Haslem - $5 million a year (he signed for 4 years at 20 million)

Total so far of $56 million

Chalmers is at a $1 million - total so far of $57 million ballpark.

The cap is only $58 million

Color me bitter as a Cavs fan - but a team of Wade/LeBron/Haslem/Bosh/Z - with whoever off the bench still doesn't strike me as the best team in the NBA.

Those 3 guys are going to have to play 40 minutes a night - they'll be dead by the playoffs assuming they aren't already injured.

I'd still take Kobe/Odom/Gasol/Bynum/Fisher/Artest over what I see on the Heat.

I'm confused on this, they signed Mike Miller as well, i think averages to 5 mil a year, arent they going over the cap? I'd assume they're paying luxury tax

[REDANDGOLDPRIDE]

I know they haven't accounced exact figures or how they are going to be spread out to apply against the cap - but hypothentically

LeBron/Bosh/Wade - 17 million a year (51 million)
Haslem - $5 million a year (he signed for 4 years at 20 million)

Total so far of $56 million

Chalmers is at a $1 million - total so far of $57 million ballpark.

The cap is only $58 million

Color me bitter as a Cavs fan - but a team of Wade/LeBron/Haslem/Bosh/Z - with whoever off the bench still doesn't strike me as the best team in the NBA.

Those 3 guys are going to have to play 40 minutes a night - they'll be dead by the playoffs assuming they aren't already injured.

I'd still take Kobe/Odom/Gasol/Bynum/Fisher/Artest over what I see on the Heat.

This.

There are some dangerous young teams that can kick the Heat square in the teeth come playoffs (when the Heat are worn down..) like the Bulls for example.. Or an older and well prepared team like the Celts..

You just can't have three franchise players on the same team nowadays.. Doesn't work. They'll clash. The last team with a true Big 3 to win a title was the Celtics, and those guys aren't/weren't the same caliber.

[jeebus86]

I think the Heat have spent $56-$57 million of the cap space with the addition of Wade/Lebron/Bosh (roughly $45 million) Chalmers/Haslem/Miller/Z (roughly $11 million)

Leaving around $2 million left to spend on 5 more players. And since they had cap space heading into free agency, i don't think they are allowed to go over cap.

[asujbl]

I'm confused on this, they signed Mike Miller as well, i think averages to 5 mil a year, arent they going over the cap? I'd assume they're paying luxury tax

That's a very valid question - I haven't seen Mike Miller "officially" announced - but I forgot they seemed to be on the verge of getting him...

I'm not sure how they pulled it off. They can't go over the cap and just pay luxury tax because they aren't their "own" free agents.

I'm not sure the "Bird rights" rules in detail (I know the basic premise, but not the specifics) - so I assume they somehow were able to use those on Haslem and perhaps Wade?

I'm not sure all the details without running all the numbers - but if they did sign Miller/Haslem then I think they are basically done except for league minimum guys.

That's my understanding at least.