COMMENTARY | The Miami Heat's LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are closing in on another trip to the NBA Finals. No question about that. But if Pat Riley's vision of building a "dynasty" has a chance, Shane Battier needs a closer look sooner rather than later.
Heat team president, Pat Riley, sat with ESPN on April 19, 2013 and talked about his vision of Miami's future. Riley has his eyes on building a dynasty like Bird and the Celtics, Jordan and the Bulls and Magic and the Lakers.
It's a lofty goal, but as he said, it is "doable."
"I would love to see all of [the current Heat players] end their careers together here at the same time and hang their numbers, all of the players become the godfathers to each other's children and have one big, happy barbecue in the backyard somewhere. I would love to see that," Riley said.
Sure, he has to deal with the luxury tax penalty that big salary cap teams have to face this year and beyond. More importantly, I believe he has to switch the conversation to who stays and who goes.
While Erik Spoelstra and his coaching staff focus on winning the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals, Riley has to think like a businessman and see if the Miami Heat are getting the most bangs for their bucks.
In my opinion, I believe the search for answers has to begin with Shane Battier.
In 2014, Shane becomes an unrestricted free agent. With his current salary at $3.135 million, Riley has to wonder if the 34-year-old 6'8" sharpshooter is helping pay the bills. My response is an unequivocal negative.
Don't get me wrong; Battier's game at Duke was solid. In his last year with the Blue Devils, he averaged 19.9 points per game. He also shot 47.1% from the field and just over 79.6% from the line.
And when he joined the then Vancouver Grizzlies in the 2001 NBA season, his play was decent for a rookie. Back then, he averaged 14.4 points per game. However, over the last 10 years, Shane's numbers have been falling.
The story has clearly changed in terms of Battier's production on the court. And while his heydays of starting (pre-Heat) are over, he still has to earn his keep when called upon. So far, he's only chipping away at the clock.
With the exception of James Jones and Joel Anthony, Shane Battier's 4.2 player efficiency (citingBasketball reference) is abysmal in the playoffs. This stat gives a true reflection of a player's production for every minute on the basketball court. For example, the NBA average is 15.
Personally, I think the sharpshooter moniker is a bit overstated for Battier. By the numbers, with Shane's combination of 3-pt. and 2-pt. field goals, he is only shooting 33.6% from the field in the playoffs.
I'm extra-hard on Battier because he is in the core bench rotation. Despite big minutes played (274 through Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers), his win contribution of .048 places him last among bench players.
By comparison, Birdman has played about 100 less minutes in the playoffs. However, Andersen's efficiency rating (31.9) leads the entire field. In other words, when Chris comes off the bench, he brings energy and production.
It's nothing unique that a basketball team president wants a core team with staying power. But if that vision of Miami is to come true, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh must have a Big Five strong supporting cast of characters who want their numbers retired in the rafters too.
Bradley is a professional writer, journalist, sportswriter, and avid fan of the NBA, Motorsports, NFL, PGA and all things tennis. He keeps a watchful eye on Miami Heat developments.
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