I'm Goin’ to Miami, Welcome to Miami

Categorized as: Author: Patrick, Fantasy Basketball, Fantasy Draft Cheatsheet 2007, Free Agency, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, NBA Teams
Posted on: September 18th, 2007

UPDATE: Well, well, well, it looks like I got a little too lathered up about Charlie Bell heading to the Miami Heat. According to a Bucks’ press release, they have decided to match the Heat’s 18.5 million offer to Charlie Bell. After the Yi Jianlian situation, it’s apparent that the Milwaukee Bucks are ready to play hardball with their players. Bell was a potential sleeper candidate in Miami, but on the Bucks he’ll return to backing up both Williams and Michael Redd. He can still average close to 30 minutes a game off the bench for the Bucks, but he’ll be a secondary offensive option on this Bucks team instead of becoming a focal point of the Miami offense.

Charlie Bell is on his way to Miami, hopefully in a speedboat driven by Will Smith. On Monday, the Heat signed restricted free-agent Charlie Bell to an $18.5 million five-year offer sheet. The Milwaukee Bucks can still choose to match that deal, but here’s what Charlie has to say about the situation:

I hope they don’t match it. The Bucks said they didn’t have this kind of money and didn’t want to give me a long-term deal, so I would hope they stick to what they said and let me go… I’m really thankful Miami stepped up.

Wow, tell us what you’re really thinking Charlie… Bell has already said he’ll go and play in Greece rather than return to the Bucks. No disrespect to Milwaukee here, but he’s a great fit on the Miami Heat. Bell will likely compete with Jason Williams and Smush Parker for the starting point guard spot. Even if J-Will wins out at the point to start the season, 1) Williams gets hurt a lot and 2) Bell can still earn some decent playing time off the bench on a Heat team that is not particularly deep, and 3) the Heat really, really… really need someone other than Wade and Shaq who can score.

Last season, Bell started 64 games for the Bucks and took advantage of the situation, averaging 14.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.6 threes, and 1.2 steals a game in his starts. If he does end up playing for the Heat, expect his scoring to get even better. If he ends up starting, well, expect even better things. I hate the term sleeper, but it’s the easiest way to describe how I feel about Charlie in Miami.

Charlie Bell, making friends in Milwaukee

In other news about people who like to speak their mind, it looks like Dikembe Mutombo will be back with the Rockets for one final year. Mutombo told KRIV-TV in Houston, “It’s a great organization. I have a great relationship with the owner. I have a great relationship with the mayor and I love the city. I have been blessed.”

Even at 40 years old, Mutombo was a decent backup center last season when Yao Ming was injured, grabbing rebounds and blocking shots with little regard for something we like to call “offense”. If Ming gets hurt again – and that’s not the craziest idea in the world – there’s no reason to think Mutombo can’t duplicate what he did last year. In 32 starts, he averaged 5 points, 11 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks a game. Plus, it gives me the chance to break out this picture again.

I want to make that into a poster.

Other Stuff Like This:

• No Related Post