Miami wants Miller, Fernandez, and Haslem
Things are heating up in the NBA’s frantic free agency period, with the Heat expressing their desire to land the services of Andre Miller and Rudy Fernandez. However, a package deal for the two basketball players is out of the question according to agent Andy Miller.
The two Trail Blazers are reportedly linked to the Heat after rumours started to circulate that LeBron may opt not to sign with Miami. Fernandez' name was thrown into the equation as the player is said to be somewhat disgruntled in Portland and is seeking a team that plays in a big city, can either start him or play him more, and can win.
Also, should the Heat fail to land LeBron James, It is said that Miami would send Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers to Portland in exchange for Miller and Fernandez respectively. The Chalmers deal does not come as a surprise since the Trail Blazers have been tracking the point guard for quite some time now. The Blazers have long valued Chalmers and have made repeated inquiries over the past year, including before the draft and into May.
According to observers, the Fernandez/Chalmers deal makes the most sense. Chalmers’ style is tailored fit for Portland, while Fernandez could really make it big in Miami which boasts of a predominant Spanish market.
Fernandez’ second season with the Blazers was a step down from his debut. His playing time dipped significantly, with Martell Webster healthy and playing full-time. And to top it all off, Fernandez missed most of December due to nagging injuries.
It’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that Fernandez would not be donning a Blazers jersey next season. The 6-5 shooting guard is mired in a bona fide slump, but alongside Wade, the Spaniard could see his form revitalized. Wade is a playmaking shooting guard, so he would essentially be the one to create lots of opportunities for Fernandez.
He has been a good soldier for the Blazers but it’s time for Fernandez to take his fight in Miami.
For the Trail Blazers, losing Fernandez will not exactly leave them out in the cold. Besides, shipping Fernandez to Miami could help the Blazers fill some gaps while clearing up a potential logjam on the wing. However, it would be difficult for them to let go of Miller. Nevertheless, it would ultimately make room for another younger point guard and clear some cap space for the team.
So far, the NBA free agency has been a win-win situation for Pat Riley. With Dwayne Wade re-signing with the Miami Heat, the team got its man in the All-Star guard, and several other men that will bolster its hopes for a title run. Aside from Miller and Fernandez, the hot topic for the Heat is that Toronto Raptors free-agent power forward Chris Bosh will also join the fold.
Speaking from his youth camp at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Wade says: "I'm back in Miami. I'm back in Wade County."
"This decision is about winning," Wade added. "It's about winning multiple championships."
Meanwhile, Miami has also made their intentions clear regarding veteran forward Udonis Haslem. However, Haslem’s fate will be decided depending on how much money is left over from their front running deals with the likes of Miller and Fernandez.
The 30-year old NBA vet averages 9.9 point per game, 8.1 rebounds, and 0.7 assists. With Haslem back on board, Miami has certainly beefed up its frontline to aid the team in potential fire fights in the East coast.
Now if only Miami can get LeBron to sign, then the Heat could definitely scorch the best teams in the league.
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