GP reunited with Shaq

[Vince]

Re: GP reunited with Shaq

Does Miami have like 25 players on their roster?

And GP will be starting by the 20th game.

[BigTigLSU]

Re: GP reunited with Shaq

49 Shandon Anderson SG/SF
0 Earl Barron C
51 Michael Doleac C
14 Andre Emmett SG
0 Gerald Fitch G
40 Udonis Haslem PF
33 Alonzo Mourning C
32 Shaquille O'Neal C
42 James Posey GF
25 Wayne Simien F
3 Dwyane Wade G
8 Antoine Walker F
0 Matt Walsh GF
55 Jason Williams PG
1 Dorell Wright GF
20 Gary Payton PG


16 Deep I see a few guys that will be NBDL bound

[EWRMETS]

Re: GP reunited with Shaq

Anybody think that Heat will get off to a bad start, and Heat will move to make Payton the starter?

[videobastard]

Re: GP reunited with Shaq

Gp wants that ring before he retires. He might just get what he wishes for this year.

[Sarah]

Re: GP reunited with Shaq

Anybody think that Heat will get off to a bad start, and Heat will move to make Payton the starter?

Since it is thier first year together I beleive it will be a rough start with Jason Williams starting with them. Williams had no experience playing with a Shaq and Wade caliber kind of players before so he would struggle distributing the ball to the point of having a lot of turnovers and forced shots.

GP on the other hand has experience playing with Kobe and Shaq, so I believed he won't have a hard time playing alongside Wade. Most likely, Williams will be taken out in the middle of the season and learn from GP, otherwise it will really jeopardize Stan Gundy's career in MIA. I know Riley would not mind coaching the team until the end of this season and the next.

[Sarah]

Re: GP reunited with Shaq

Anybody think that Heat will get off to a bad start, and Heat will move to make Payton the starter?

You forgot the mighty San Antonio Spurs. They are more united and thier core has a lot of experienced in playoffs and championship caliber kind of games together. MIA will have to revert back to the style that made Lakers a successful team, but I believed Popovich may finally have an answer to it after 5 years of playing against them. But still, MIA has a fighting chance against SA and DET, that is if Saunders can pick them up where Larry left.

[EZ Snappin]

Re: GP reunited with Shaq

Since it is thier first year together I beleive it will be a rough start with Jason Williams starting with them. Williams had no experience playing with a Shaq and Wade caliber kind of players before so he would struggle distributing the ball to the point of having a lot of turnovers and forced shots.

GP on the other hand has experience playing with Kobe and Shaq, so I believed he won't have a hard time playing alongside Wade. Most likely, Williams will be taken out in the middle of the season and learn from GP, otherwise it will really jeopardize Stan Gundy's career in MIA. I know Riley would not mind coaching the team until the end of this season and the next.

JWill played with Webber, Peja and Vlade in Sacramento. He's played with star quality players before and done fine. It's just a matter of not trying to do too much - "keep it simple, stupid" has never quite sunk in. And when Gasol went down last year (and Posey was out, etc.) he tried to carry Memphis and reverted to out-of-control mode. He should be fine. He can't guard anyone, but neither could Damon Jones.

Last year, when he was trying to do too much, he still had a very impressive assist/turnover ratio - over 5/2. One of the best in the league, hands down.

If Payton is logging any major minutes the Heat are in trouble. He slows down the game and is even worse defensively than JWill. The only plus is his handles - Damon Jones' inability to handle the Detroit press directly may have cost the Heat a trip to the Finals last year.

[Sarah]

Re: GP reunited with Shaq

JWill played with Webber, Peja and Vlade in Sacramento. He's played with star quality players before and done fine. It's just a matter of not trying to do too much - "keep it simple, stupid" has never quite sunk in. And when Gasol went down last year (and Posey was out, etc.) he tried to carry Memphis and reverted to out-of-control mode. He should be fine. He can't guard anyone, but neither could Damon Jones.

Last year, when he was trying to do too much, he still had a very impressive assist/turnover ratio - over 5/2. One of the best in the league, hands down.

If Payton is logging any major minutes the Heat are in trouble. He slows down the game and is even worse defensively than JWill. The only plus is his handles - Damon Jones' inability to handle the Detroit press directly may have cost the Heat a trip to the Finals last year.

It is not a question of the stars he played with before, Shaq cannot dribble the ball as good as Webber or Divac (I could be mistaken). He is the kind of player that needs to be setup deep in the low post to be effective because he is a power player. Webber is a power player too, but not as strong or as big as Shaq. If Shaq is setup wrong, backing down his guard alone will risk offensive foul plus the hustle he will recieve from the other players.

Wade is not a spot up shooter like Peja, although he can shoot. But I have not seen him playing SG so I cannot comment comment anything about his style.

Alonzo and Walker will work well with Williams since Zo is close to Webber in terms of style and Walker likes to shoot and miss just like Peja except that he is way more, more dangerous in the open field than Walker.

[toneloc99]

Re: GP reunited with Shaq

JWill will start no doubt. Payton will likely close games since JWill tends to be erratic at times. Although I could see a lineup of JWill/Patyon/Wade/Walker/Shaq finishing a lot of games as well. Miami is going to be a beast.

[702]

Re: GP reunited with Shaq

Whats with washed up point gaurds? I mean, I thought the Nick Van Exel signing was bad....