Putting a Dampier on Things

Miami was supposed to be head and shoulders above all the other teams. Yet, all they’ve managed to do is bump heads - and now shoulders - with their coach. Eric Spoelstra is the easy scapegoat, but he’s not the source of the early season struggles. The simple truth is the Heat are incomplete. Three of the best players in the league can’t compensate for the weakness in the remainder of the roster. Miami, to clear cap space to sign free agents, was a shell of a squad last year and for the mounds of money spent, they’ve only upgraded (albeit significantly) at two positions. Translation: the Heat are about as deep as an Ashton Kutcher tweet.

Now the Heat will be without Udonis Haslem, their toughest, most physical interior player, presumably for the season, after tearing a ligament in his foot. Although Haslem is more of a role player, this is a significant setback for the Heat. Haslem, a co-captain, was a leader, the team’s best rebounder and a guy willing to do the dirty work that’s required to win, such as taking charges and playing out of position, which he often did. Perhaps an even bigger problem than losing Haslem is who the Heat have added to replace him: Erick Dampier. Dampier, by virtue of his size, can clog a lane, but he doesn’t do much to defend it. Dampier’s big, but soft, like a stuffed animal at FAO Schwartz. Dampier’s last team, the Bobcats waived him before he’d even played a game, deciding they’d be better off with Kwame Brown in the middle. If that isn’t the ultimate slap in the face in the NBA, we’re not sure what is.

Losing a linchpin like Haslem and substituting someone who’s never been very inspired on a team that requires motivation – possibly the kind only Pat Riley can deliver (or that only he thinks he can deliver) – is the equivalent of putting a band-aid over a cut that requires stitches. And an off-brand band-aid at that. The “Big Three” are a big deal, but the Heat’s record might depend as much on another, average-to-atrocious trio: Dampier, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Joel Anthony. The Heat need to find a center to find their center.