Notes from Heat Media Day

[Warren G.]

Article - Barry Jackson, Miami Herald

Stumbled across this after hearing that Granger revealed he had knee surgery this summer. I've edited Jackson's notes down heavily, to the stuff that feels most relevant to us in assessing the Heat as our competition. If you want more on Spoelstra's approach, players' thoughts on LeBron, etc., click through to the full story.

New Heat forward Danny Granger, limited to 46 games because of knee injuries the past two seasons, said Friday he underwent minor arthroscopic surgery on his left knee two months ago but expects to be available for the Heat’s regular-season opener Oct. 30 against Washington.

Granger said he will be on the “maintenance program” the Heat has used on Dwyane Wade, an approach that appealed to him when he was recruited by the Heat in July. He said there’s no soreness in the knee, which has been surgically-repaired twice, but it still needs to get stronger.

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Some snippets from Dwyane Wade’s media briefing:

• Asked how his knee is: “It’s feeling all right.” And that was that.

• Wade said he is somewhere between the 212 pounds he weighed as a rookie and the 225 he weighed last season. “Losing weight doesn’t do anything,” he said. “You have to put on the right muscle as well.”

• Who’s the Eastern Conference favorite? “The Heat,” he responded.

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Highlights from Chris Bosh’s media briefing:

• Though he said he would put Chicago “ahead of the pack” in the East, Bosh also said he believes the Heat is as good as any team in the East --- “We’re not better, but we’re as good.” It irks him when people refer to the Heat as a middle of the pack team.

 

[Douglar]

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/dish/201409/mario-chalmers-refers-lebron-guy

The full quote, in fairness to Chalmers, is: "It's going to be the same even though we don't have that guy."

But here's the thing: It's not going to be the same at all. And if any modicum of similarity does remain, it's not likely to be Chalmers' fault. The point guard is so integral to his team's success that his coach has effectively put him on notice by gushing about the improvement of backup point guard Norris Cole.

Meanwhile, the Miami Heat ultimately figure to slot in rookie Shabazz Napier as their long-term starter. Napier originally came to the team after the Heat learned that James was a big fan of the former UConn star, and his selection in this summer's NBA Draft was partially an effort to appeal to James.

But the prospect of replacing Chalmers wasn't enough to swing James' decision back to the Heat. Nevertheless, Chalmers is closer to being cut bait than a factor in whatever success the Heat achieve.

In other words, some things never change.​