Miami Heat Preseason Conference 2007

[logpmess]

Welcome everybody. We are going to go over our previous season, take a look at this offseason, and then have a look at this upcoming season.

Last year, we ended up getting the 7th seed in the playoffs with a .500 record. We were able to win one game against the Bucks, but we couldn't keep up with their big three. We felt we were still a couple of years from making a playoff push, but we were happy that we were able to even make it there.

This offseason, we decided to not exercise the options on both Jalen Rose and Shawn Kemp. Although we appreciate their contribution, we decided as an organization it was best for both sides to go our separate ways. We are excited to see that they each landed with a team, although Shawn had to go to that hell hole of an organization in Arizona. In the draft, we decided to look to the future of our post position and drafted Spencer Hawes. We like his defensive prowess to pair up with Al Jefferson's offensive ability down low. In RFA, we gave Lebron the supermax. He is our future and we are building a team around him. We had a lot of cap space and made offers to different players, but none of them took our offers. In free agency, we through around a lot of money, but no one took our offers except for a few. We got our center of the present with Shaq. We returned our impact bench player in Tierre Brown. Training camp went better than expected. Our big guy lost some stamina. We expected that from our 15 year veteran. Al is getting up to his potential, but we still see some more room for growth. Monta is a year or two from reaching is potential. The big point is our rookie. His potential increased dramatically. He is fixing to be a really good all around player.

This upcoming year is still a year in the process. We have team options on both Shaq and AI after this season. Our big weakness is PG. We are going to put a lot more pressure on our young guys to contribute. Our starting five is going to look like this:

C - Shaq
PF - Al
SF - Lebron
SG - Monta
PG - Allen

We could see another playoff birth ahead of us this year, but we will be scrapping if we get there.

What questions do you have for me?

[78#]

Though you were a playoff team last season, you have a very young core. Has the goals of making the playoffs changed despite letting Jalen and Kemp go? You're team is currently projected to have the 6th pick in the draft. Do you feel long-term it would be better for your team to stay the course with the young group or will you add pieces to make a playoff push, especially strengthening the bench?

[logpmess]

Though you were a playoff team last season, you have a very young core. Has the goals of making the playoffs changed despite letting Jalen and Kemp go? You're team is currently projected to have the 6th pick in the draft. Do you feel long-term it would be better for your team to stay the course with the young group or will you add pieces to make a playoff push, especially strengthening the bench?

I see this current team as a better team than falling that low in the draft. I could see us contending for a bottom four playoff spot. I am currently going to ride this team as it goes. If we see a better start to the season, we will make a push to fill out our roster. We have all of our picks and a decent amount of cap space to allow us to make trades a possibility. If we could upgrade our PG spot (especially a starter), I think that would be the ideal for being a contender.

[NOLa.]

Just looking at this team, it feels like your once piece away from being a bottom-4 playoff seed, in your words, to a top-4. Do you feel the same way, and if so does this make you more motivated to make a move before the trade deadline?

Sent via Morse code

[logpmess]

Just looking at this team, it feels like your once piece away from being a bottom-4 playoff seed, in your words, to a top-4. Do you feel the same way, and if so does this make you more motivated to make a move before the trade deadline?

Sent via Morse code

My main core is extremely young. With all of my key players less than 25 years old. I have a few aging veterans mixed in with these players, but I believe in the process. With the right offer, I would have to consider a drastic move, but I don't see a drop off of my team in the years to come, so I am playing the waiting game and letting this core develop together and hope to get that one extra piece through either free agency or the draft.

[JNR]

GWR: Are you afraid that Al Jefferson won't be fast enough to guard the quick PFs in the league?

[IamQuailman]

Jefferson and Shaq are quite the scary duo down low, however, as noted in the previous question, quickness isn't a forte. Will you even attempt running a quick-ish offense with them?

[logpmess]

GWR: Are you afraid that Al Jefferson won't be fast enough to guard the quick PFs in the league?

It has been a concern. Through free agency, we sought out more traditional PFs. However we were unsuccessful. We will have to adjust our game planning accordingly and hope to figure it out with the team we have.

[logpmess]

Jefferson and Shaq are quite the scary duo down low, however, as noted in the previous question, quickness isn't a forte. Will you even attempt running a quick-ish offense with them?

Our speed remains with out perimeter players. We will have to figure out through game planning what exactly is our best course of action with these two different groups of players.

[TrayWithAnA]

I think this is a fun question and a chance for others to get creative. So pardon if repetitive...

Do you have any special giveaways on the docket this season? There are only so many times we as fans can receive a white tshirt with the local ambulance chaser's logo on the back. How do you plan on mixing it up for your fanbase?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[logpmess]

I think this is a fun question and a chance for others to get creative. So pardon if repetitive...

Do you have any special giveaways on the docket this season? There are only so many times we as fans can receive a white tshirt with the local ambulance chaser's logo on the back. How do you plan on mixing it up for your fanbase?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

On opening night, we are welcoming the big deisel Shaq to south beach with a bobblehead giveaway to the first 500 fans.



On our December 22 showdown against the powerhouse kings, the first 750 fans get a free Christmas sweater tuxedo tee in the design of our newest young guy Spencer Hawes' suit game.



On the last day of the regular season, we are bringing the bobblehead all the way around to our superstar with the first 1000 fans recieiving a Lebron James bobblehead.



We have a standing sponsership agreement with Miami Ink. If Monta Ellis is leading scorer, all tattoos the next day are 20% off with a game ticket. Subject to terms and agreement. Limited availability. Maximum $100 value.

Miami Ink
1360 Washington Ave
Miami Beach, FL 33139