Path to playoffs just got a little harder.

[mrhonline]

Heat trades Antoine Walker, others to Minnesota for Ricky Davis and Mark Blount

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The Heat acquired Davis and center Mark Blount from the Timberwolves in a five-player deal that sends center Michael Doleac, forwards Antoine Walker and Wayne Simien as well as a future conditional first-round pick to Minnesota.

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[gutz]

I don't think so really. Blount is a bum and average NBA player at best. Davis is a ballhog and will just take shots away from Wade which is a good thing. So I don't see this move really hurting us IMO. Were still a better team overall when healthy.

[mrhonline]

Ricky Davis is one of the more efficient ballhogs in the league then. (This guy has an unwarranted reputation. He's not the same "ballhog" or "cancer" people make him out to be. If he's a cancer, then Josh Smith is as well).

Don't be silly. Blount is a great 3rd string center, and Davis fills a HUGE void on that team. It hurts the Heat in the long-term, but barring a season-ending injury to Shaq or Wade, I expect them to be in the playoffs.

I had my doubts before this trade.

[capstone21]

THis is a great trade for Miami. They got a lot of talent for nothing. Getting rid of Walker and two players that have not contributed was a great move by Riley. Minn is definetely trying for the worst record in the NBA.

[exodus]

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Heat trades Antoine Walker, others to Minnesota for Ricky Davis and Mark Blount

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The Heat acquired Davis and center Mark Blount from the Timberwolves in a five-player deal that sends center Michael Doleac, forwards Antoine Walker and Wayne Simien as well as a future conditional first-round pick to Minnesota.

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I don't get what you are saying. As long as Wade and Shaq are healthy they are going to be in the playoffs regardless of who else is on the roster.

[frosgrim]

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Ricky Davis is one of the more efficient ballhogs in the league then. (This guy has an unwarranted reputation. He's not the same "ballhog" or "cancer" people make him out to be. If he's a cancer, then Josh Smith is as well).

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While in Boston Davis was horrible. Ball movement stopped when the ball got in his hands. He took shots away from Pierce and didn't keep others involved in the offense. He makes more bone-headed plays than anyone I have watched regularly. Showboats anytime he gets a chance, to the detriment of his team.

I imagine the Heat will not have him on the floor at the same time as Wade. Ricky is there to take up the scoring for Wade during rests and at the beginning of the season as Wade recovers from surgery.

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Don't be silly. Blount is a great 3rd string center, and Davis fills a HUGE void on that team. It hurts the Heat in the long-term, but barring a season-ending injury to Shaq or Wade, I expect them to be in the playoffs.

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Blount had ONE good year. He got paid and then returned to the hands of stone, no lateral movement, slow to get back on defense player that he was before he got paid.

That all said. Miami still gets the better of the deal since Walker is an out-of-shape chucker who doesn't get team basketball, and the other guys are just filler.

[mrhonline]

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I don't get what you are saying. As long as Wade and Shaq are healthy they are going to be in the playoffs regardless of who else is on the roster.

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Oh, sure. But Shaq is practically guaranteed to miss 20 games, and Wade at least 10. Before this trade, they had next to nothing at SF, and were counting on Zo as their backup center.

[Traceman]

He has been traded quite a few times and I can't think of a single team that he made better one he got there. In fact, most of the teams that traded him got better after he left.

I think he will give the Heat some desperately needed scoring in Wade's absence but I don't think he is a good fit at all playing alongside Wade once Wade comes back. Davis needs the ball in his hands a lot to be effective and he won't get the ball very much with Wade on the floor. He is more of a scorer than a spot up shooter so he won't be consistently knocking down the jumper when Shaq and/or Wade gets doubled. He doesn't defend much either.

We beat Minnesota twice last year (once without JJ) and they had KG, Davis and Blount both times. Davis doesn't worry me. The key to Miami's success is the health of Wade and Shaq. If either of those guys are hurt, they are not going to be very good.

[Nicholasp27]

they are losing haslem as well, tho

i thought he was an under-rated pf for them

[AHF]

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they are losing haslem as well, tho

i thought he was an under-rated pf for them

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Why are they losing Haslem?

[TheDude]

with the scoring ability that ricky davis has, there's a reason he keeps getting traded. so his addition to miami doesnt worry me....shaq and wade worry me.

[Nicholasp27]

my bad, wayne simien

not as bad then

[Duff_Man]

Ricky Davis is not a good answer to anything. They were desperate to get rid of Antoine, and the Twolves were desperate to get rid of Davis.

[mrhonline]

Even if that were true (and it's not), Davis is the better player AND has the better contract. That part of the trade is a win for Miami. Doleac/Simien -for- Blout is a win in Minnesota's favor.

[Duff_Man]

He's so good, he's been traded 5 times since he's been in the league.

It is an improvement in talent and youth, yes. In results? Whole other question.

[mrhonline]

I don't think exchanging Walker for Davis has ANY chance of making them a worse team. While Davis has struggled recently to help his team get to the playoffs, Walker has a far worse record.

'Toine may in fact have been the worst player in the NBA at times last year.

[jerrywest]

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Heat trades Antoine Walker, others to Minnesota for Ricky Davis and Mark Blount

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The Heat acquired Davis and center Mark Blount from the Timberwolves in a five-player deal that sends center Michael Doleac, forwards Antoine Walker and Wayne Simien as well as a future conditional first-round pick to Minnesota.

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I don't get what you are saying. As long as Wade and Shaq are healthy they are going to be in the playoffs regardless of who else is on the roster.

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and if they miss significant games, Davis won't carry them to playoffs.

[tmac13]

The Heat will likly follow a similar path to last season. Start slow with all the injuries, get healthy and make a run to the 5th or 6th seed the go to the 2nd round of the playoffs.