Pages.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Miami Heat Leadership Solution.

Hey readers and hoop lovers. Welcome to my blog. My name is Richard Modeste. Don't you envy Erik Spoelstra's job? Okay, let's just say you are the Miami Heat's head coach. I guarantee you that you can solve their chemistry problem with a little role playing. Easy.
First and foremost, there must be one team with one leader. The head coach is the leader of the team off the floor. The players leader or the franchise player is the leader on the floor. For an NBA team to be successful, this has to be established first. If the franchise player is not the undisputed leader on the floor over time , say a year or two, then he has to be traded. Business as usual. For example, Kobe is the Lakers team leader on the floor. Tim Duncan is the guy for the Spurs. Steve Nash is for the Suns; Chris Paul is for the Hornets & Derron Williams is for the Jazz, etc., etc. The team leader should be an extension of the Head Coach on the floor. There must be an absolutely strong bond (functional relationship) between the team leader and the Head Coach, the absence of which can be detrimental to the team.
Therefore whose team should Miami Heat be? LeBron James of course. Here's why. He's the back-to -back 2-time reigning league MVP. He has averaged higher in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and team wins from since entering the league than Dwayne Wade. He sells more t-shirts and arena tickets than Dwayne Wade and therefore can make your franchise richer. He is Coach K's & USA basketball director Jerry Colangelo's top pick for the US National Team. He is all NBA's franchises top pick to build on for the next 5 years.
Some of you may argue that he never won a ring while Dwayne did; that it's Dwayne's team to begin with and that Wade is a better closer than LeBron. This is the conventional way of thinking. This is Erik Spoelstra's way of thinking. If Erik Spoelstra's thinking is correct then why isn't Miami playing well? We know that they are small on the inside, but the chemistry (or lack of it thereof) is the bigger and more critical problem.
My next question to you is, "Is LeBron James a conventional player"? Ah. There's your answer. He is obviously not. Sports writers and analysts refer to him as a unique and extraordinary physical prototype for an athlete; as a perfectly engineered genetic specimen, etc., etc.
Wake up Coach Erik. LeBron James is not an effective player without the ball in his hands. Didn't you notice that in his early Cavaliers days under Coach Paul Silas he just stood around (on the wing) when he wasn't playing his favorite (dominant role), a la, point-forward/everything? He will always be your point-forward as long he remains fit and healthy. However players don't remain young forever.Okay enough said.
Here is where you went wrong Erik. Remember what Pat Riley said during the pre-season about adressing Lebron?: "Yes Sir LeBron; no Sir, Lebron". In this extrordinary yet unique situation (of acquiring LeBron & Bosh to team up with Wade), you need a strong head coach that can pick a team leader. Erik Spoelstra did not do that and look at the effect it has on the Heat.
Instead he deferred to conventional thinking. Okay so you did not want to step on Dwayne Wade's ego. Well, let Dwayne Wade worry about that. Wade knew from the get go that LeBron is a mega star, second to none(his age). For this trio (and team) to have one leader, Wade and Chris Bosh will have to sacrifice further (more than just salaries): their egos. Coach K and Colangelo gave LeBron a greater role on the US 2008 Olympic team than they did Wade and were successful.
My question to Coach Erik Spoelsra is 'Why shouldn't you?' You should have made this decision from since Pat Riley inked this deal in July 2010.
In my view, Miami Heat is now LeBron's team. Hurry up Erik. This team is built for winning; and for winning now. The solution. LeBron, the leader; Bosh , get him going early in the post; and Dwayne Wade, the closer. Throw a couple more big men in the mix, let LeBron run the show, and everything else will fall in place. Heat faithfuls: relax and enjoy the show. Erik, let's go! Don't keep us waiting too long, okay?