This clip from The Matrix Revolutions sums up how I feel about the Miami HEAT's decision to pursue old ass veterans instead of young ones this offseason.
Behind the Scenes
In that Matrix video clip, Riley, Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis represent Morpheus and the captains, this blog represents Commander Locke, the dock to Zion represents a future NBA dynasty and the machines represent the OKC Thunder.
Signing Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis doesn't seem to align with LeBron James and Pat Riley goal of building a dynasty to win #Not5Not6Not7 championships.
Dwyane Wade said in interviews after winning the 2012 championship that he thought the team was better suited to repeat than the 2007 HEAT because that team had veterans at the end of their careers that were just chasing that 1 ring while that won't be the case for the 2013 HEAT.
"A lot of those guys played their career just to win a championship," said Wade, a member of that [2006] team. "When they got it, guys checked out a little. This is a different group with guys in their prime." -Wade quote from SunSentinel
Ok... Then Riley goes after Rashard Lewis and Marcus Camby, two players that fit the same profile as the ring-chasing vets from the 2006 team. Let's say they're hungry enough for the first title, which would be the franchise's 3rd, what happens in 2014?
The goal isn't supposed to be winning just 2 titles with Wade, LeBron and Chris Bosh, it's supposed to be 8 or more. Re-stocking the team with old veterans seems to be out-of-whack with that goal. It would seem to be easier to build a dynasty with younger players over time than searching for older players every 1-2 seasons.
The HEAT already had enough talent on the roster to repeat next season, they didn't need Ray Allen or Rashard Lewis for that. The goal should've been filling out the bottom of the roster with young players that can compete for playing time and be ready to make major contributions as regular players in the rotation as the older players on the team start to fade, i.e. Mike Miller, James Jones, Udonis Haslem, Dwyane Wade, etc.
See the links below for more free agency & off-season analysis:
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