The Miami Heat's supporting cast now looks anything but second-rate. After signing Udonis Haslem, Mike Miller, Joel Anthony, Carlos Arroyo, Jamaal Magloire, Dexter Pittman, James Jones, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Juwan Howard to the Miami Thrice, Heat President Pat Riley made another ingenious move with the signing of Eddie House.

House will receive a two-year deal worth $2.8 million, with the second year being a player option. The one-time NBA champion was a key contributor off the bench for the 2007-08 Boston Celtics team that defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals. House has shot 40 percent from downtown for his career, and joins Miller and Jones as three-point specialists on the team. The 32-year-old shooter played his first three seasons in Miami and became a fan favorite as the team transitioned from the Alonzo Mourning Era to the Dwyane Wade Era.

The 11-year NBA veteran figures to receive minutes at both guard spots. Knowing how having Arroyo, Mario Chalmers and Rafer Alston on the Heat last year turned into a failure, Riley may have spoken to House about his role on the team. I still see Chalmers as the starting point guard because House is a defensive liability; Chalmers can at least deflect some passes and be disruptive to a team's offensive schemes. Arroyo will come in as a distributor, and House will be able to spell Wade and also play some of the point if Miami needs some three-point shooting.

House also adds versatility to this team. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra can have a lineup of either Wade or LeBron James with House, Miller, Jones and Bosh. It gives two of Miami's stars three dead-eye shooters to pass out to, and it also surrounds Bosh with four perimeter players. It could cause a lot of problems for teams with two post players and could also be the Heat's designated “zone-busting” lineup.

Moreover, the Heat is also at least three men deep at each position, even though it only has given 14 guaranteed contracts. Chalmers, Arroyo, House, James and Wade can all play the point; Wade, Miller, James and House can all play the two; James, Miller and Jones can play the three; Bosh, Haslem, Howard and James can play the four; and Anthony, Ilgauskas, Magloire, Pittman and Haslem can all play the five. This multifaceted roster can produce a myriad of lineups that can exploit advantages and expose the opponent's weaknesses.

Unfortunately, this move also probably dashes the hopes of 2009 second-round pick Pat Beverley for making the final 15-man roster, although he could receive a contract similar to the ones that fellow summer league players Shavlik Randolph and Kenny Hasbrouck received earlier this week. Beverley is a point guard, and a need for another small guard doesn't exist. Miami may go with a bigger guard who can swing to the small forward position like Da'Sean Butler to fill out its remaining roster spot.

One downfall could potentially emerge in this whole process. Although the Three Kings are all young, as well as Chalmers and Anthony, the rest of the team is not. Arroyo will turn 31 tomorrow, Miller and Haslem are 30 and House, as mentioned earlier, is 32 years old. Jones will turn 30 in October and Ilgauskas, Magloire and Howard all may retire if the Heat wins the 2011 championship. Nonetheless, aside from those three big men, the rest of Miami's supporting cast has at least two or three solid years left. If one member of the Big Three suffers an injury, the veterans on the roster can easily fill the void.

I still like the idea of adding Butler to the team for the final spot. It will be easier for the coaching staff to monitor Butler's progress from his torn ACL if he stays in Miami as opposed to sending him overseas. A part of the logic to sign Pittman to a guaranteed contract could have been that it would be easier for the team to monitor his weight loss and conditioning if he stays with the team.

Just two months ago, I would not have thought that this great of an off-season could occur. Sure, Riley talked of building a dynasty, but I wouldn't have thought that he could sign the three most coveted free agents in the League along with the most suitable role players to fit in with this team in Miller, Haslem and now House. And now, to all of those people who said that Riley couldn't build a good supporting cast around these three, Riley continues to silence the doubters.

Although Miami Heat President Pat Riley said that he envisions LeBron James taking on a Magic Johnson role, Dwyane Wade a Kobe Bryant role and Chris Bosh a Kevin Garnett role in Heat uniforms, those three players have never played together; as a result, it may be hard for some to truly see how this team can mesh. I've heard a lot of theories over the past three weeks, and the most ridiculous one was that Wade and James will play like Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony when they played with the Denver Nuggets.

No, it won't be like that. Riley coached the Showtime Los Angeles Lakers during the 1980s to four championships with Johnson as its best player. Once the opposing team missed a shot, Johnson received the ball and led the fast-break. Despite the fact that this team should run with all of its offensive firepower, the Heat will take on an identity of its own separate from the Lakers' one. Riley broke the mold of building teams with this current roster because he always centered his teams around a dominant center, whether it be Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning or Shaquille O'Neal. Miami doesn't have a dominant center, so it will take on a style distinct from the Showtime Lakers or any Riley-built team, for that matter.

These Three Kings could be the best and most cohesive trio the League has seen in recent memory. James was compared to Johnson when he was still a high school senior, and will finally be able to fulfill those comparisons. I see him having the ball in his hands a lot; Mario Chalmers and Carlos Arroyo will primarily be spot-up shooters. I could see James running the ball up-court with a head of steam, taking his man off the dribble at the three-point line and having the option to either pass to a three-point shooter in the corner like Mike Miller or finish at the rim. James has also scored 15,251 points, so he can also turn into a scorer when Wade is not on the court.

The Heat's best player in franchise history will play similar to how he played in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He can make a lot of nice cuts to the basket with James in the game and can come off of screens to shoot jumpers. Wade also has a killer crossover that can take him to the rim, and he could also take on some of the ball-handling duties if James is out of the game. I'd like to see Miami have at least James or Wade on the court at all times so the Heat can have an All-NBA First Team player on the court for all 48 minutes. But to start games and end games, those two will be on the court together, and Wade should be focused on scoring. I'd even like to see him continue to go to his developing post-up game.

With Wade and James slashing to the hoop and rising up for jump-shots, the Heat also has a very good player in Chris Bosh, who many people underrate right now. He mainly shoots jumpers, which spaces the floor well when Wade or James are driving to the hoop. Bosh can also run the floor like a deer, so I could see Miami running up the court and Bosh finding his sweet spot to shoot a jumper if he beats his man down the court. The Heat can really begin to scorch teams if Miller beats his man down the court, but Bosh will be very effective even in a half-court setting. He can set screens, and could either take jumpers or go to the hoop and draw fouls. The 6-foot-10 forward out of Georgia Tech can also rebound the ball very well, and he will find a lot of buckets off of second-chance opportunities.

A player who most NBA fans may have never even heard of but could really contribute is Joel Anthony. He may only be 6-foot-9, but he gives a lot for the Heat: interior defense, athleticism, hustle plays, rebounding and a humble personality that will not demand touches. Anthony is a shot-blocker and will be a key catalyst in a lot of Miami's fast-break points. He also hustles for loose balls and sets strong screens for perimeter players.

Anthony has made significant strides offensively since coming to the Heat. Two common misconceptions about Miami are that it doesn't evaluate young talent well and it doesn't develop players well. Sure, Riley could have taken some better draft prospects recently and Dorell Wright and Daequan Cook did not show a lot of growth in their games, but this same Heat coaching staff took a Dwyane Wade whose jump-shot was very shaky to a player who now isn't afraid to step out to the three-point line to make big buckets. Moreover, two of Miami's rotation players this season – Udonis Haslem and Anthony – were first discovered by this Heat coaching staff. Anthony has come a long way with his game; when he first came to Miami he could barely catch a ball. Now, he can dunk lob passes from Wade. He still can develop, but he has come a long way and should continue to improve.

The only player in Miami's projected nine-man rotation who can't run the floor well is Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and I don't expect him to play a lot with Anthony and Haslem receiving minutes in the middle. With such an athletic core, it would be foolish for Heat coach Erik Spoelstra not to exploit his advantages and orchestrate a run-and-gun style. Even Anthony, Haslem and Bosh can get down the floor quickly and sets screens, putting Miami's offense in motion instantly.

So many more angles and players can still be dissected, and I will continue to analyze the team as its season approaches.

Heat Re-Signs Randolph

The Miami Heat re-signed power forward Shavlik Randolph to a non-guaranteed contract today. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel's said that the contract was more of a courtesy move. His chances of making the team seem unlikely since the Heat already has three veterans at Randolph's position – Bosh, Haslem and Juwan Howard.

The Associated Press' Tim Reynolds said that Miami will sign guard Kenny Hasbrouck tomorrow, filling out with several young prospects who will compete for the final two roster spots, something I expected to happen.

When Miami Heat President Pat Riley said that he would consider a return to the sidelines if a free agent asked him to, people – including me – began to speculate about whether or not the Hall-of-Fame coach would come downstairs. When Riley pulled off arguably the biggest free agency coup in NBA history by acquiring LeBron James and Chris Bosh while retaining Dwyane Wade, the speculation only increased. Yet Riley remains steadfast in asserting that he will not return.

I actually wrote on this Web site that Riley will be back to coach Miami this season. And although James may have been the only free agent with the clout and credentials to ask Riley to coach the Heat, I would be shocked if Riley forces current coach Erik Spoelstra to resign, what some think he did to Stan Van Gundy five years ago.

During the 2005-06 season, the Heat got off on the wrong foot, winning just 11 of its first 21 games. Riley stepped in as the coach after Van Gundy resigned to spend more time with his family. Two years later, Van Gundy agreed to coach the Orlando Magic, fueling speculation that Riley forced Van Gundy out, especially considering that former Heat center Shaquille O'Neal called Van Gundy “the master of panic.”

Riley gave Van Gundy the entire 2004-05 year to win a title. After Riley drastically retooled the roster during the '05 summer, Riley knew that the Heat wouldn't have a long championship run. O'Neal, Gary Payton and Alonzo Mourning were all in their mid-30s; meanwhile, Antoine Walker and Jason Williams faced criticism throughout their entire careers due to their dubious shot-selection. Riley took over as coach because he felt a sense of urgency that his team would not have a long championship-contending run; conversely, the Los Angeles Lakers have now made three consecutive trips to the NBA Finals.

Every member of the Heat's projected starting lineup of Mario Chalmers, Wade, James, Bosh and Joel Anthony have not celebrated their 30^th birthday yet. Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem – the team's two most valuable assets off the bench – are just 30 and still have a few solid seasons left in them. This core could stay roughly intact for the next six years if Miami wins championships. With this squad, no sense of urgency exists for Riley to go back to the sidelines. Wade, James and Bosh each have early termination options after the fourth year of their contracts; as long as the Heat wins at least two of the next four championships, they should stay.

Riley staying upstairs does not necessarily mean that Spoelstra's job is safe. If he makes some crucial mistakes during the playoffs and doesn't deliver a championship by the second year, Spo could go. He could bring in someone like Doc Rivers, who played for Riley when he was a New York Knick. Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski even said that Riley envisions Rivers coaching the Heat one day. Rivers certainly has the qualifications, considering he managed to win a title with the Boston Celtics' own Big Three two years ago and defeated the Lakers, the team to beat this year. Spoelstra may be fired, but Riley won't think that he has to return to the sidelines with such a young nucleus. He came down because the 2006 team had one chance to win a roster, and he was the man for the job.

Keep in mind that Riley is also 65 years old. Phil Jackson is just six months younger than Riley and called this season his “last stand.” Riley already won five rings as a coach and one as an assistant coach; his coaching legacy is already cemented. The man who took the helm of the Heat in the summer of 1995 went all-in during the 2010 free agency bonanza because this moment could be his last stand. Coach Slick probably sees himself constructing one more dynasty and then retiring for good on a high note. He was truly the only winner of the off-season; Chicago and New York only got consolation prices. Riley now has a chance to end his long, illustrious basketball career as one of the greatest coaches and one of the greatest executives in the history of the NBA.

If Wade, James and Bosh all stay for six years, Riley may retire before they play their last games in Heat uniforms. He most likely won't retire if Miami wins the 2011 championship, but if the Heat wins in, say, 2013, he just might. My guesses as to who he will leave with the job as President? He'll either give it to Senior Vice President and Assistant General Manager Andy Elisburg, who was a part of the Heat's contingency when it met with free agents in July, Vice President of Basketball Operations Nick Arison or Vice President of Player Programs Alonzo Mourning.

Even if Miami struggles early in the regular season, I expect Riley to only play a larger behind-the-scenes role and mentor Spoelstra more. If he makes late-game mistakes in the playoffs that amount to detestable offenses, he could bring in Rivers. But Riley won't coach.

Haslem's Mother Dies

Recently re-signed power forward Udonis Haslem currently mourns the death of her mother, Debra, after a long battle with cancer. I'd like to send out my thoughts and condolences to Haslem and his family, and hope you do too.

Three weeks after LeBron James announced “The Decision,” the biggest signing of the day was Matt Barnes agreeing to join the Lakers for a one-year deal worth $1.7 million. Not exactly a headline-grabber right? But hold on – Chris Paul apparently wants out of New Orleans, and his supposed ideal scenario is to join the New York Knicks with Amar'e Stoudemire already in tow and Carmelo Anthony possibly on the way.

Although Paul wants to play for a championship contender, the Hornets have some good pieces. Point guard Darren Collison played well last season in Paul's absence, and Marcus Thornton emerged as a good shooter for New Orleans last season. Since both of those players are rookies, it will take them a few years to reach the peaks of their respective careers. The Hornets are not in a position to compete for a championship anytime soon, and perhaps rebuilding the team would be in New Orleans' best interest.

The Hornets want to unload Emeka Okafor's unpalatable contract in a Paul trade, though, and all New York has to offer is Eddy Curry's expiring contract. No Knick outside of Stoudemire and Curry will receive more than $4 million this year. Moreover, Anthony bypassing on a standing contract extension offer from the Denver Nuggets would also be a huge risk. The collective bargaining agreement will expire after this season, and it is fairly safe to say that regardless of what changes will be made, one of them will be that the players won't receive as much money as they are accumulating now. The Knicks just don't have enough pieces to accommodate Paul and Okafor.

The Orlando Magic are also said to be on Paul's short list, and that could cause problems for the Heat. A trade consisting of Paul and Okafor in exchange for Vince Carter and Jameer Nelson could conceivably work, and Magic coach Stan Van Gundy would have a couple of options when dealing with the starting lineup. He could bring in either J.J. Redick or Quentin Richardson to start at the two, shift Rashard Lewis to the three and start Okafor at the four. Van Gundy could also start Redick and Richardson at the wing positions and leave Lewis at the four. A back-up front-line of Mickael Pietrus, Okafor and Marcin Gortat could start for some teams.

More broadly, Paul would thrive in the Magic's offensive system that relies on the pick-and-roll offense and features a plethora of shooters. Paul turned Tyson Chandler into a pretty good big man; imagine what he could do for Dwight Howard. Redick, Richardson, Lewis and Pietrus are all lethal three-point shooters, and everything compounds on itself because Orlando is strongest in the Miami Heat's two weak spots – point guard and center. The Magic could cause some problems for Miami this year.

The problem from a New Orleans point of view is that it already has Collison; why would it need Nelson? Both of those guards are 6-feet tall, so neither of them could move to the two. Dallas and Portland were also mentioned on Paul's short list, and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has a lot of contracts he'd be willing to unload in a Paul trade. I actually want to see Paul go to the Mavericks because besides a Lakers vs. Heat Finals match-up, I would love to see Dwyane Wade annihilate Dallas again. Portland may trade away one of its big men, but it also needs to know that Greg Oden has played in just 82 games for his entire career.

Heat fans should hope that Paul ends up anywhere but Orlando or Los Angeles. Conflicting reports have surfaced that the Lakers could pursue Paul, and even if Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak gives up Andrew Bynum, it would be a formidable team. Paul and Kobe Bryant would form the best back-court in the League with Ron Artest, Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol making up the front-line. Los Angeles also bolstered its front-line with recent acquisitions of Barnes and Theo Ratliff, and Okafor could also be included in the deal. It is important to note that Bynum alone could not get Paul to the City of Angels. The losses of Odom and Bynum would mitigate the influx of talent for the Lakers in a Paul trade.

Aside from Orlando and the Lakers, Heat fans should not worry. As I said, I want him to go to Dallas. He and Jason Kidd would start (the Mavs started Devin Harris and Jason Terry in 2006). Either Caron Butler or Shawn Marion would be included in the trade, but both of them are dynamic players. Dirk Nowitzki would be the starting power forward and Brendan Haywood would stay at the five. Second only to the chance to dethrone to the two-time champs, what Heat fan wouldn't want to see a Heat vs. Mavs Finals encore?

With yesterday's announcement that Juwan Howard signed a one-year deal at the $1.4 veteran's minimum and today's confirmation that Carlos Arroyo will re-sign with the Miami Heat, Miami now has 13 players under contract, the league minimum. While we may see Heat President Pat Riley sign another veteran, he would be better served to give training camp invites to several neophytes with such a complete team.

Although Arroyo won the starting point guard job over Mario Chalmers last year, Dwyane Wade said that the starting point guard is Chalmers' job to lose. If the Heat goes with a traditional lineup to begin games and opts not to start LeBron James at the point, Chalmers should be the starter because he can spread the floor with his shooting. Arroyo only attempted 25 three-pointers last season, and Chalmers has shot 34.6 percent from downtown for his career. When James, Wade and Bosh are all on the floor, Miami needs a shooter who can space the floor.

The Heat coaching staff may still be hopeful that Chalmers can develop into a defensive pest, and he may be able to. Derrick Rose and Rajon Rondo are not good jump-shooters; Kobe Bryant gave Rondo lots of space while he guarded him in the NBA Finals. If Chalmers forces Rose and Rondo into jumpers, he does his job. Jameer Nelson can shoot, though, so Chalmers should work on his foot-speed and his shooting before training camp.

Arroyo figures to be Chalmers' primary back-up, and I expect their minutes to be kept relatively close. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra could even have a back-court of Arroyo and Chalmers, similar to how Miami occasionally had a back-court of Jason Williams and Gary Payton when they played in South Beach. Arroyo will be a ball-handler when he is on the court, and James and Wade both have shown that they can play well off-the-ball.

More broadly, the Heat will likely have a nine-man rotation: a starting lineup of Chalmers, Wade, James, Chris Bosh and Joel Anthony with Arroyo, Mike Miller, Udonis Haslem and Zydrunas Ilgauskas receiving significant minutes off the bench. Howard, James Jones and Jamaal Magloire will be ready when called upon, and 2010 second-round pick Dexter Pittman may have to show up to most games in a suit and tie.

With two roster spots left, should Riley sign another veteran? I say no. Miami had Arroyo, Chalmers and Rafer Alston under contract last season, but Spoelstra could not please everybody. Eventually, Alston made life easier for Spoelstra when he missed a practice and a game without communicating his absence besides via text message. When the team has Chalmers and Arroyo under contract along with Wade and James, who can both play the point, it can invest in a project at that position.

Wade is the only shooting guard on the roster, although I expect Miller to be a swingman on the Heat. It could sign a veteran like Jerry Stackhouse, Michael Finley or Tracy McGrady, but I would just sign another young, inexperienced player. Miami already has Howard and Magloire as veteran voices in the locker-room; it doesn't need another.

Teams can carry as many as 20 players during training camp, although they must cut their rosters to 15 players by the time the season starts. Riley should not make any more moves and just send invites to seven players from the Heat's summer league team to compete for the final two spots. Jarvis Varnado and Da'Sean Butler -- Miami's two remaining 2010 second-round picks who remain unsigned -- should receive invites, as well as 2009 second-round picks Pat Beverley and Robert Dozier. Kenny Hasbrouck and Shavlik Randolph, who played for the Heat last season, also should receive call-ups. Jon Scheyer, the marksman out of Duke who was injured during a summer league game, could be the final guy to receive an invite.

In the end, I see the two spots going to Beverley and Butler, though. Miami needs defense at the point guard spot, and Riley has lauded Beverley's defensive skills, even comparing him to All-NBA Defensive Team player Rajon Rondo. By keeping Butler in Miami, the Heat coaching staff could help rehabilitate Butler's torn ACL much better than if the swingman out of West Virginia was stashed overseas.

Riley has quickly silenced the doubters who thought he could not surround Wade, James and Bosh with a competent supporting cast. He convinced the Three Kings to take less-than-maximum-level deals and signed Miller and Haslem, who will be perfect role players. He then surrounded a nucleus of Chalmers, Wade, James, Bosh, Miller and Haslem with Ilgauskas, Magloire, Anthony, Pittman, Jones, Howard and now Arroyo. Who knew this team could come together in July?

About three weeks ago, the Miami Heat bought out the remainder of James Jones' contract, making him an unrestricted free agent. The aspect of the buyout that surprised some is that Jones restructured the payment, reducing his salary cap hit from $1.86 million to $1.5 million. Now he said that he will re-sign with the Heat.

Tampering? Nah, the NBA is just investigating who Miami will play this Christmas.

Jones, a Miami native, said that he will sign a contract worth the veteran's minimum of $1.4 million, and will also receive the payment from his buyout last month. The way he amortized his buyout gave Heat President Pat Riley the opportunity to sign Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem to a nucleus that includes Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

After starting for Miami during the 2009 playoffs, Jones fell out of the rotation with the emergence of Quentin Richardson and Dorell Wright. He only played in 36 games last year, but he adds needed three-point shooting to this team. Jones is a 39.5 percent career three-point shooter, and I could see him getting more playing time than he did last year. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra could even go with a small lineup of James, Wade, Miller, Jones and Bosh; Jones and Miller would take their positions around the three-point line while the Miami Thrice would operate within the perimeter. That lineup could also have four men on the perimeter and Bosh with the entire paint to himself, reminiscent of the Phoenix Suns lineup of four perimeter players with Amar'e Stoudemire.

Carlos Arroyo, Jamaal Magloire and Juwan Howard are expected to re-sign as well in the coming days. In my last post, I disagreed with the decision to bring Arroyo back, but I now see that it could possibly work. Perhaps Spoelstra could start Chalmers, who has shot 34.6 percent from beyond the arc for his career, with the Big Three and Joel Anthony. Arroyo and three-point specialist Mike Miller could then come with the second unit. We could also see Arroyo play alongside Wade and James sometimes; perhaps Riley saw how well those two played alongside a play-making point guard like Deron Williams, Chris Paul or Jason Kidd in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The return of Jones brings Miami's roster up to 13 players -- Chalmers and Arroyo at the point, Wade and Miller at the two, James, Miller and Jones at the three, Bosh, Haslem and Howard at the four and Anthony, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Magloire and Dexter Pittman at the five. The Heat still lacks depth in the back-court, and it may be better if Riley does not sign another veteran point guard. Last year, Spoelstra shuffled his lineup, giving Chalmers, Arroyo and Rafer Alston the starting job at some point. That type of searching wouldn't be good for the continuity of a team that has championship aspirations. I would rather see 2009 second round pick Pat Beverley take one of those two last spots.

For the final spot, Riley may go ahead and sign 2010 second round pick Da'Sean Butler. He could also go with someone with more NBA experience, like Jerry Stackhouse or Rashad McCants. Whoever Riley signs, those two spots must be filled by a point guard and a shooting guard/swingman.

Riley will bring back seven players from the Heat's 47-win 2009-10 season: Wade, Haslem, Anthony, Arroyo, Magloire, Chalmers and Jones. Just substitute James for Richardson, Bosh for Michael Beasley and Miller for Wright. Need I say more?

Miami Heat President Pat Riley has wasted no time since luring Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh to South Beach; since that time, he traded Michael Beasley for two second round picks, re-signed Udonis Haslem and Joel Anthony, brought in Mike Miller and signed 2010 second round draft pick Dexter Pittman. Today, Zydrunas Ilgauskas officially signed a two-year deal at the veteran's minimum with the Heat. The second year is a player option, and this contract could be the last deal of Ilgauskas' career.

Riley is far from done, though; he plans to sign Juwan Howard in the coming days. Moreover, Riley's loyalty to the 2009-10 Heat team may extend beyond Wade, Haslem and Anthony. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Ira Winderman reported that Carlos Arroyo and Jamaal Magloire are closing in on contracts with Miami. Arroyo will likely fill in the starting point guard role for the team while Magloire will bolster the Heat's center rotation.

As much as I like Arroyo, I don't see him fitting with his team. While Heat coach Erik Spoelstra shuffled through Mario Chalmers and Rafer Alston last year, Arroyo emerged as the starting point guard for the team. He directed the offense well, developed chemistry with Wade and was a reliable jump-shooter from mid-range. Unfortunately, his defensive liabilities were exposed against Rajon Rondo in Miami's first round match-up against the Boston Celtics.

In addition to the Heat, I see the Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic and Chicago Bulls as the cream of the Eastern Conference's crop. Boston has Rondo, Orlando has Jameer Nelson and Chicago has Derrick Rose; all are young point guards who have each made at least one All-Star team. Arroyo is not much of a defender, and Spoelstra may have to play James or Wade on the speedy point guards for a playoff series. Moreover, if Spoelstra starts game with a traditional lineup of Arroyo, Wade, James, Bosh and Anthony, no three-point shooter exists. I would have preferred for Riley to sign Keyon Dooling or Earl Watson, both of whom can defend and hit three-point shots.

Magloire is a good addition to the team, however. Although he is not the All-Star player he was in 2004, he provides plenty of toughness and rebounding in the middle, as he is one of the most hard-nosed players in the NBA. He also could mentor and guide Pittman into a good rebounder and low-post scorer. More broadly, it is important to carry significant bulk in the middle because the Los Angeles Lakers' size could stand in Miami's way.

With the expected signings of Magloire, Arroyo and Howard, the Heat's roster would consist of Arroyo and Chalmers at the point, Wade and Miller at the two, James and Miller at the three, Bosh, Haslem and Howard at the four and Anthony, Ilgauskas, Magloire and Pittman at the five. That's 12 players (I expect Miller to play minutes at the two and the three), three short of the League maximum.

Clearly, Miami needs some help on the perimeter. We could see 2009 second round pick Pat Beverley make the team as a point guard, as he made a strong showing defensively last night in a 78-58 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. It may also be wise for Riley to keep and develop Da'Sean Butler considering that although each member of the Miami Thrice has not celebrated his 30th birthday yet, Miller and Haslem are 30 and Ilgauskas is 35. For the final roster spot, Riley could invite Jon Scheyer to training camp, sign a past-his-prime swingman like Jerry Stackhouse or ink a deal with James Jones or Rasual Butler, both of whom are former Heat sharpshooters.

Just eight days ago, James announced that he would join Miami. It is amazing to think how quickly this solid supporting cast has formed. The key was that James, Wade and Bosh each took less-than-maximum deals to accomodate the signings of Miller and Haslem, two key role players. Riley has effectively silenced all the critics who said that this team wouldn't have a supporting cast; the Miami Heat will be a championship contender once more.

Although the 39-year-old Penny Hardaway said that he wants to play for Miami, Heat President Pat Riley spent much of today completing deals with two young centers.

Third-year center Joel Anthony re-signed with Miami, and 2010 second-round pick Dexter Pittman put his pen to the paper as well. Pittman received a three-year deal with the third year being a team option. Anthony's deal was a five-year, $18 million contract. I said a couple of days ago that Anthony should be the Heat's starting center and I stand by that assertion. I know that he is just 6-foot-9 and is not an offensive threat, but he also provides interior defense with his shot-blocking. The Canadian out of UNLV finished 18th in blocks per game and tied for 15th in total blocks. He has the timing, anticipation and intelligence every shot-blocker needs to possess. This guy also dives for sets good screens and plays with a lot of effort, diving for loose balls and running down rebounds. I'm not saying he is like Ben Wallace, who won four Defensive Player of the Year Awards, but he will silence a lot of critics once the season starts.

I've also said that he may only play 25 minutes per game. Even at 35, Zydrunas Ilgauskas can space the floor with his shooting and his length allows him to grab rebounds without even jumping. Ilgauskas could play 15 minutes per night. And Miami's crunch-time lineup could be LeBron James at the point, Dwyane Wade at the two, Mike Miller at the three, Chris Bosh at the four and Udonis Haslem at the five. The fact that his offensive game is limited should not be too much of a concern. Additionally, Anthony has improved since he came to Miami, the most notable developing coming during last season. During the 2008-09 season, Anthony shared some of the back-up center minutes with Jamaal Magloire, but his progress made Magloire a seldom-used reserve in 09-10. We can at least expect him to improve his skills in catching the ball and finishing at the rim.

Riley made a common-sense move and signed Pittman. Despite the fact that he has not played well in the summer league, his conditioning can be monitored better in Miami with the coaching staff than overseas. Riley said that Pittman can be a very productive player over the long run, so it makes sense for him to be with the team and develop chemistry and friendships with the players. He probably won't receive much playing time with Anthony and Ilgauskas ahead of him on the depth chart, but he is a big body at Heat coach Erik Spoelstra's disposal.

I still feel that Riley could sign four centers onto his 15-man roster due to the fact that the Los Angeles Lakers have the best front-court in the League with Ron Artest, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Gasol and Bynum are both seven-footers, and Miami's one weakness is its center position (no, the Heat's doesn't need a point guard with James and Wade). Riley may add Magloire to a center rotation that already includes Anthony, Ilgauskas and Pittman. The Heat's architect could then add another center next year with the mid-level exception if Miami doesn't win the title.

The signings of Anthony and Pittman put the Heat's roster count to eight: Chalmers, Wade, James, Bosh, Haslem and Miller and the two newcomers. Ilgauskas and Juwan Howard will raise that number to 10, and Riley could sign Magloire, a veteran point guard and perhaps three more project players to finish up the roster. The team is truly coming together better than anyone had expected.

The latest free agent trying to join the Miami Heat bandwagon and win a ring? Penny Hardaway.

Yes, the same Hardaway who entered the League in 1993, teamed with Shaquille O'Neal and led the Orlando Magic to the 1995 NBA Finals, became riddled with injuries after O'Neal left the team in 1996 and was never the same player thereafter. He last played on the Heat's atrocious 2007-08 team and started eight of his 16 games before he was released to make room for Luke Jackson.

Hardaway, 39, told ESPN that he can fit well into the Heat system based on Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh. To his credit, the former two-time All-NBA First Team player said that he envisions himself  having a very minimal role on the court and making his presence felt in the locker-room and on the team plane. Juwan Howard is reportedly on the verge of signing with the Miami Heat and he is 37 years old. If signed, Hardaway would join Howard and as the veteran leaders in the timeout huddles.

The four-time NBA All-Star actually had his moments with Miami; he even scored 16 points on six-of-six shooting from the field in one game. The one reservation I have about Hardaway being on this team is whether he will be able to step up if injuries forced him to enter the game. The two most legitimate reasons why this Heat team might not dominate the NBA for the next six years are the alpha-dog syndrome -- which is highly unlikely -- and injuries. Wade has been healthy for the past two seasons, but he has also missed 31 games twice -- in 2006-07 and 07-08. If Wade goes down, I'm not comfortable giving substantial minutes to a 39-year-old who hasn't played in an NBA game since 2007.

Howard's case is a bit different. He proved just last season with the Portland Trail Blazers that he can step up if injuries occur. Howard shot 51 percent from the field last season with Portland and grabbed almost five rebounds per game. Moreover, while Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla were injured in one game, Howard logged 33 minutes and registered 16 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field and grabbed seven rebounds. If Bosh or Udonis Haslem were to sustain an injury, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra should feel comfortable with Howard.

That is why I'd feel far more comfortable with a guy like Jerry Stackhouse being the 10th man on the roster. He contributed on a Milwaukee Bucks team that made the playoffs and could provide some outside shooting. Matt Barnes could come and in that case, Riley might not even sign a veteran point guard and simply start James, Wade and Miller to give Barnes ample minutes. I'd even feel more comfortable if Heat President Pat Riley completed his roster with projects like Da'Sean Butler and Jon Scheyer. Although Scheyer suffered a lacerated eyelid in a summer league game and will miss the remainder of the schedule, a team can hold as many as 20 players during training camp.

With Butler and Scheyer, at least Miami's coaching staff could develop them; Hardaway will be a one-and-done deal. I know Riley has not had any recent success with his draft picks, but some of his diamond-in-the-rough types have come to fruition. Bruce Bowen, Udonis Haslem and Joel Anthony all received their NBA starts with calls from Riley. Besides, James, Wade and Bosh will improve any of the Heat's youngsters.

This summer is not 2007, when the last impression free agents had of the Heat was an injured Wade and a collection of flamed-out veterans. Hardaway signed with Miami that off-season; now however, several better options are ready to play with the Heat. As far as Riley and Heat owner Micky Arison are concerned, Hardaway isn't worth a penny.

No, I'm not talking about the possibility of Mike Miller playing the point guard position now that Mario Chalmers sprained his ankle and will be in a cast for two to four weeks.

Miller truly pushed the ball up the court in the sense that he finally signed a five-year deal worth in the $25 to $30 million range, utilizing the last portion of the Miami Heat's salary cap and opening the door for Miami to exceed the cap to sign minimum-salary veterans. Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Juwan Howard will soon be able to come aboard, and Heat President Pat Riley can also re-sign restricted free agent Joel Anthony. Anthony is the only player from Miami's 2009-10 season still with his Larry Bird rights, which allow teams to surpass the cap to re-sign players. If Anthony asked for a deal with a starting salary of $2 or $3 million, Riley could oblige him, for example.

Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh all signed less-than-maximum-level deals to give Riley the opportunity to sign Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller. While I expect Heat coach Erik Spoelstra to start games with a traditional lineup, he could play the decisive stages of the game with James at the point, Wade at the shooting guard, Miller at the three, Bosh at the four and Haslem at the five. Bosh may end up defending the opposing team's tallest player, though; the notion of keeping Bosh away from the center position is merely a matter of semantics. Tim Duncan has played the center position for a good portion of the past decade, but he has always been listen as a power forward.

The 10-year NBA veteran out of Florida is a very good complementary piece to this team. He has shot 40.5 percent from the three-point line, and will receive a myriad of open looks with the Heat. He may even lead the League in three-point shooting; Wade and Shaquille O'Neal did that for Damon Jones and Jason Kapono. Miller offers much more than three-point shooting, though. He is very athletic and can slash to the rim; he can handle the ball; his long arms and athleticism allowed him to grab an average of six or more rebounds per game for each of the past three seasons.

More broadly, Riley envisions a team built on mutual respect and friendship. We all know that Bosh, Wade and James are all good friends, and decided to come down to South Beach to play together. Riley then brought back Udonis Haslem, who is one of Wade's best friends, while he was still in talks with Mike Miller. Miller and Haslem roomed at Florida together, and Haslem even said of Miller, "He's like [what] Dwyane is to me, just a different color."

James and Ilgauskas have played together for the past seven seasons, and James lured his friend to Miami as well. Don't discount the possibility of Riley signing some players from last year's team, either. Aside from Anthony, Carlos Arroyo, Jamaal Magloire and James Jones could come for an encore. This team figures to be a very-tight knit group, and the phrase "15 Strong" from the Heat's 2006 championship season may even make a comeback.

"The locker room has to be right," Wade said. "Everyone might not have the right personality to deal with this. We don't want any wrong links on this team."

These players have emphasized sacrifice, and Raja Bell showed none of it when he signed a three-year deal worth $10 million with the Utah Jazz. Bell may not have the right personality for this team, as Wade said. We could see Miami add another shooting guard for depth, perhaps Jerry Stackhouse. Riley still has to add a veteran point guard to the roster, with Arroyo, Jason Williams, Keyon Dooling and Earl Watson among those being considered.

Miami already has a very strong team, and it will be tough for any team to beat this team. Nonetheless, everyone must allow themselves for plausibility. James shouldn't have said the Heat will win "not five, not six, not seven" championships. Miami isn't a lock to win the championship this year, or even come out of the East. It will prove that over the course of several months.