NBA Miami Heat

Predicting the Miami Heat’s Final 2014-15 Roster

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By @blackirishpr

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As time ticks closer to cut down day in the NBA, the Miami Heat‘s roster has become subject to many inquiries. Partially because certain slots are set in stone, and partially because the refurbished lineup still has too many specialists fighting for the few spots that are open.

Let’s start with what we do know.

Big money and legacies have certain players locked into guarantees. That’s a given. The team captains – Udonis Haslem and Dwyane Wade – are the only players still around since the 2003-04 season. Heat lifers, if you will. So although their minutes and productivity are likely to be scarce, at times, their incumbent status gives them two automatic spots.

The hefty new free agent contracts of Chris Bosh, Danny Granger, Josh McRoberts, Luol Dang, Chris Andersen and Mario Chalmers bring the list to eight. And the cheap rookie scale contracts of fourth-year guard Norris Cole and Shabazz Napier help round out the roster at 10.

Now this is where it gets tricky.

Of the nine remaining players, only five will have jerseys laid out for them in the organization’s locker room. With the first being given to power forward Shawne Williams, who has seen most of his time filling in as a starter for the injured McRoberts. It also helps that Pat Riley and coach Erik Spoelstra both see his stretch-four capabilities as a skill that fits Miami’s “style of play.”

Next up is rookie James Ennis.

After being drafted in the second round of the 2013 NBA Draft and going on to average 21 PPG in Australia, he is getting his chance to prove that he could be a spark plug for the Heat bench with his 10 PPG average during the preseason.

Like Ennis, center Josh Hamilton will also get an opportunity to join the roster for a full season after a past of being stashed overseas. Plus, I cannot really see Miami cutting him after recently having minor heart surgery.

And if you listen to Riley, Shannon Brown will make the team because he is “athletic, strong [and] defensive.” Leaving the No. 15 spot as a fight between sharp shooters, athletes and a few big men.

So who wins out? A center who has been getting a long look from the coaching staff, Khem Birch.

The 6-foot-10 Joel Anthony clone has had games of seven and 13 rebounds and at least one block in four of the five preseason games he has appeared in. And those are the exact spots that the Heat have been weak in.

For everyone else, these games have been nothing more than a showcase for joining Miami’s Sioux Falls D-League team and getting acclimated with their culture.

It could be worse.

Richard Nurse is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @blackirishpr or add him to your network on Google.

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