The line-up of the future

While most people have given up hope on the Heat for this season (rightfully so), there are still some things to be optimistic about: the Future.

This 2007-2008 Miami Heat season is long gone. The Heat are 8-28, last place in the Eastern Conference, lost nine in a row, and have dug a hole that's too deep to climb out of. To make matters worse, they have a worse record than the lowly New York Knicks. Finally, they have been hit by the injury bug again for the 4th season in a row. Shaquille O'Neal, Dwyane Wade, Jason Williams, Dorell Wright, and Chris Quinn have all been or are on the injury list this season. Surprisingly, some good things have come from their injuries: Discovering the line-up of the future.

With all the injuries, Pat Riley has been forced to look for new line-ups and experiment with the young players on the roster. And what Riley and all Heat fans have discovered is that almost every player on the roster can play ball. While in the past, The Heat were forced to use a 8 or 9 man rotation- this year they have been able to use a 13-man rotation. Not only has Riley discovered his young players can play, he has discovered they work well together. Chris Quinn, Daequan Cook, Dorell Wright, and Earl Barron have all proven to be impactful players that can form a serious line-up in the future. While you hate to see the veteran players go down with injury, it is refreshing to see that the Heat has some hope for the future.

Quinn, Cook, Wright, and Barron are all young players and they are all different positions. Chris Quinn, who has been filling in for the oft-injured Jason Williams, has been a valuable 2nd year point guard that can shoot 3's and play good defense. Daequan Cook has proven to be an excellent draft pick for the Miami Heat. The former Ohio State guard has been lights out scoring recently and most importantly he has been unbelievably clutch for a rookie. He has been hitting clutch three pointer after clutch three pointer in many games this season. His development is crucial for the future of this squad. As for Dorell Wright, its nice to see him finally find his role in the Miami rotation. He has cracked the starting line-up and been making an impact. Before he went down with his recent ankle injury, Wright had been a rebound and block machine. Some of the players are calling him "Little Zo." That is quite a complement for someone who was lucky to get garbage time 2 years ago. Wright is averaging 7 points, 4 boards, and 1 block a game. He has gained weight, grown into his body, and is playing at a high defensive level. Finally, Earl Barron has been making strides to becoming the center of the future. He has finally made his way into the rotation and has been able to score a little and has been a good post player.

While this season has been ugly and very forgettable, the future looks bright for the 2006 NBA champions. While right now, it might not sound good- think 2-3 years from now. Just picture this line-up:

PG- Chris Quinn
SG- Dwyane Wade, Daequan Cook
SF- Dorell Wright (Ricky Davis if he stays)
PF- Udonis Haslem
C- Mark Blount, Earl Barron

Doesn't seem too bad.. and with a high draft pick on the way, the Heat's future is looking up.

Tell me what you think...