Sure, a Dwyane Wade-less Miami Heat team will struggle to score, defend and win on a nightly basis, but this current lineup has a deeper flaw that’s too big for even “Flash” to handle. Ranked dead last in rebounding (37.4 per game) this season, it’s been Chris Bosh or bust on the boards as the Heat have looked small and inefficient in the frontcourt early on. A large part of that problem rests on injuries and ineptitude at the power forward position, while the remaining chunk of blame goes towards a collection of small forwards and undersized power forwards that are being bullied by bigger studs in the paint. At 6-5 on the year, the Heat either need a 6’10” and up, or a talent that plays like it. Teams that control the boards usually win in the NBA. As evidenced in the Heat’s mediocre start to the season, that control in the paint isn’t seen on a consistent basis. Perhaps having Josh McRoberts (out with a foot injury) healthy and competitive for this lineup makes this team bigger, but that doesn't mean the team will be formidable against frontcourt tandems like Joakim Noah/Pau Gasol of the Chicago Bulls, Marcin Gortat/Nene of the Washington Wizards and Al Horford/Paul Millsap of the Atlanta Hawks. The aforementioned teams will be in the hunt for the Eastern Conference crown, and so will the Heat if they can give Bosh some help on the interior. It can’t be done from within this smallish roster, so all eyes of Heat Nation should be paying attention to these potential big men throughout the league that could be on the move: 1. Kenneth Faried (PF) - Denver Nuggets Rumblings are aplenty in the Mile High City, and none of them are in favor of the undersized, yet ultra-competitive Faried remaining a Denver Nugget. The “Manimal” has reportedly lost love in the locker room and with Nuggets Head Coach Brian Shaw due to attitude issues, despite the franchise reaching a four-year, $50 million extension with the fourth-year forward. Denver’s no sinking ship, but it’s no moving ship, either. It has reportedly expressed desire to move Faried, so why not to South Beach? Faried’s combined athleticism and toughness in the paint (70 career double-doubles) compliments Bosh’s All-Star prowess to near perfection. Sure, there would be critical assets to be moved from Miami to make this deal possible (draft picks, possibly Luol Deng), but it’d be well worth it. Faried has the ability to push the Heat not only to the middle of the pack in rebounding, but definitely among the top four slots in the East. (Continue on next page!) [xyz-ihs snippet="Responsive-Ad"] 2. Brook Lopez (C) - Brooklyn Nets Slowed by foot injuries over the past few seasons, Lopez is a top-five center when healthy, averaging at least 19 points and six rebounds per game over the previous two seasons, despite his slow start to begin this season (15 points, 4.8 rebounds per game in eight contests). Lopez, 26, is set to earn over $16 million next season in the final year of his contract with the Nets, but management is willing to move him to acquire picks in order to revamp an aging and seemingly declining lineup led by veterans Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Kevin Garnett (all in their 30's). Lopez may not be the rebounding machine that Faried is, but he can still clean up the paint and form an intimidating twin-tower duo with Bosh. The Heat already possess a top-10 scoring defense, however, establishing an All-Star frontcourt would frustrate opposing teams who look to penetrate and bang the boards. Lopez’ arrival spells immediate headaches for the rest of the Eastern Conference. The given hurdle in acquiring Lopez would be the Nets’ craving for draft picks and young talents like James Ennis and Shabazz Napier, but that’s the nature of the business when going for better days with an All-Star center. [xyz-ihs snippet="Responsive-Ad"] 3. Greg Monroe (PF/C) - Detroit Pistons Of all the potential trade bait for the Heat, Monroe appears to be the safest long-term move of all prospects. He’s a great rebounder, solid post player and an excellent complementary player for the established leaders of the Heat in Wade and Bosh. The Pistons seem to have a love-hate-love relationship with Monroe, as they refuse to sign him to a long-term extension, yet play coy when he’s brought up in trade talks. Pistons Head Coach Stan Van Gundy wants to continue pairing Monroe with fellow big Andre Drummond, but Monroe – who signed his qualifying offer to remain with the team – has free agency ahead of him and no sense of commitment to this franchise after this season. Detroit would be foolish not to trade or sign him to a bigger deal. Monroe would bring about seven to eight rebounds more per game to South Beach, while also solidifying himself as the enforcer in the paint alongside any Heat big man. He has the skill and post play to draw double teams in the paint on many nights, opening up second and third chances for bench players like Chris Andersen and Udonis Haslem to grab easy boards and deliver easier buckets. Much like a deal for Lopez, demands for draft picks and young talent would behoove the Heat to think hard about a potential deal, considering the fact that Monroe has been a productive player on a losing team throughout his career. Would he influence a winning culture in South Beach? That’s up to Heat President Pat Riley to ponder on. [xyz-ihs snippet="Responsive-Ad"] 4. Enes Kanter (PF/C) - Utah Jazz Similar in nature to Monroe, Kanter also enters an offseason of free agency, but has a world of potential that may just need a new destination for it to be fully reached. At only 22 years of age, Kanter has seen his scoring and rebounding increase each of his first three years, averaging a career-high 12.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game last season. However, his role in the frontcourt has gotten more crowded along the way, as the franchise has shown more faith in fellow prodigy Derrick Favors (13.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per game last season) and 7’2” international product Rudy Gobert moving forward. The result has drained minutes and possibly patience from Kanter, who is surely going to entice a lot of recruiters during the offseason – unless Utah wishes to get some bang for its buck before losing him. Acquiring Kanter would be a solid half-year rental for the Heat, who would have more championship credibility and financial flexibility to retain a player with the likes of Kanter. A pairing with Bosh makes life difficult for opposing frontcourts, who can’t afford to foul either one of these players, as both shoot at least 81 percent from the line this season. A young team like Utah would look for veterans in return for Kanter, but his upside can make the gamble a compelling one. [xyz-ihs snippet="Responsive-Ad"] 5. Brandon Bass (PF/C) - Boston Celtics We complete the list with yet another productive player in a losing situation. The Celtics appear to have half of its roster in trade talks, including Bass, who enters unrestricted free agency after this season. Bass is no spring chicken at 29 years of age, but he has averaged five-plus rebounds per game over the past four seasons (three with Boston). Whether he comes off the bench (like this season) or earns a starting role alongside Bosh, Bass has a motor that excites his head coach and keeps opposing forwards on their toes. He’s slightly undersized at the power forward spot (6’8”), but he makes up for it with energy and hustle. Bass would already be an upgrade over journeyman Shawne Williams in the paint and could come cheap (possibly a second-round pick or two). Shooting 49 percent from the field and 83 percent from the line for his career, Bass will make a mark on the stat sheet, especially in the rebounding column as a true power forward and frontcourt presence. [xyz-ihs snippet="Responsive-Ad"]
