South Beach Press Conference

[logpmess]

::First year GM logpmess waits outside the door in South Beach, half excited and half nervous about the opening press conference of year two. All press conferences are held at the beach outside of a hut. With Hall and Oates in his earbuds, he rips his headphones off and swings the patio doors opens violently without a smile on his face walks to the podium and sits down. After two minutes of complete silence, he finally says something. ::





lpm: Not the year that I expected. As a team we were able to get back to the same record as last year. Quite simply, its playoffs or bust. I don’t put up with losing. We have some good players on our team. We still have enough cap space to acquire some moving parts. Overall, I think we have the players and the coaching staff to make a run.
    This off season we were able to resign our shooting guard Rex Chapman. He is an integral part to making this team work as a whole. Between Chapman, Payton, Mutombo, and Jackson, we have a solid core of guys to make this season successful. The power forward position is going to be a competition going into this season. We were able to add a good young point guard in Sam Cassell to learn from the great one, the glove.

    This past off season has been good. Our young players have been training hard. We don’t allow slackers in this organization. If you are not trying to get better everyday, you are on the trade block. We are a better team than our record last season. I will not have that season again.
The floor is yours. Ask away.  

[gmessi2]

What are your thoughts about Gary Payton heading into the final year of his contract? Did you draft E.T. because you are worried about The Glove re-signing?

[logpmess]

Mar 13, 2014 17:07:16 GMT -6 gmessi2 said:

What are your thoughts about Gary Payton heading into the final year of his contract? Did you draft E.T. because you are worried about The Glove re-signing?

Gary Payton is an excellent player in this league. We are hopeful that contract negotiations will not distract us this season. Ultimately, I believe that he is going to be a Heat for a long time. As far as Cassell, we are always looking to get better and younger. Cassell will thrive having a top, veteran point guard to learn from, and Payton will thrive from having a talented, young back up to push him to be the best he can be.

::although deep down, you always have a back up plan::

[gmessi2]

Follow up question: When does Cassell phone home?

[logpmess]

Mar 13, 2014 20:35:58 GMT -6 gmessi2 said:

Follow up question: When does Cassell phone home?

Actually Sam is here with us. Sam would you like to come out here and respond to the press?




Thanks Sam. Any other questions?

[Conroy]

Bill Simmons, Sports Guy here. The East was very tough last year to get in the playoffs. A few teams have improved and a few have regressed, is there a specific seed you're shooting for and if so who do you see as potential threats to your success?

[TrayWithAnA]

What holes do you still need to address in your lineup to really make that final push for the playoffs?

[Soundwave]

Clark Kent, Daily Planet.
As a newer owner, you seem to have taken on the slow build approach rather than the typical scotch and burn policy, why put the playoff or bust pressure on now?

Also, I am sure people have tried to take advantage of you in trades, but for the most part you have held steady. Would you like to respond to these vultures and would you describe the process of sorting through all the B.S. a newb has to do?

[logpmess]

Mar 14, 2014 8:25:20 GMT -6 Conroy said:

Bill Simmons, Sports Guy here. The East was very tough last year to get in the playoffs. A few teams have improved and a few have regressed, is there a specific seed you're shooting for and if so who do you see as potential threats to your success?

For this year, the seeding does not matter. Ultimately we are trying for the best possible seed. Although the East is good and can pose a threat, the only real threat to our record this year is ourselves. We are an extremely young team and with the right direction we should do no worst than 8th in the east.

[logpmess]

Mar 14, 2014 8:54:02 GMT -6 TrayWithAnA said:

What holes do you still need to address in your lineup to really make that final push for the playoffs?

As you, I , and everyone knows, my weakness is down low. We only have three players between the Center and power forward position. We need to sure up those spots, because we are one injury away from a blown season.

[logpmess]

Mar 14, 2014 12:46:33 GMT -6 Soundwave said:

Clark Kent, Daily Planet.
As a newer owner, you seem to have taken on the slow build approach rather than the typical scotch and burn policy, why put the playoff or bust pressure on now?

Also, I am sure people have tried to take advantage of you in trades, but for the most part you have held steady. Would you like to respond to these vultures and would you describe the process of sorting through all the B.S. a newb has to do?

I already had a good core to start with when I took over the Miami Heat. We have been lucky with big production from some younger players. I am not looking for a win now approach. Ultimately we are striving for the championship. I am going through the approach of the celtics under Red Auerbach and win for years. Rome wasn't built in a day.

I have had some attempted trade rapes, but none too bad. I have been lucky to have a few other veteran GM's that have mentored me even with their own trades. As for those people that have attempted to take advantage of me, I will give you a single point for your 1995 first round pick. 

As for a description of the newb process, keep an eye out for a post upcoming in the next 48 hours. I am already in the middle of it. 

[Nick Malone 77]

Nick Melon; Charlotte Observer: Everybody knows how talented Diekembe is on the defensive side but is it also his lack of an offensive game around the basket and really a lack of a force in the paint next to him that is a pressing need to possibly replace him aside from your fleet of stout point guards. Do you think an expiring Gary Payton could be that chip to South Beach to play next to Diekembe or replace him?

[WigNosy]

There is a class of super-free agents coming up this year. Do you think Payton can convince more than one of those free agents to take their talents to South Beach and help you build a super-team in Miami?

Also, how did you feel about the league's Official Hairless Cat of Record assigning the Heat a C- grade in the offseason?

[bowtothebill23]

Jack Markson, Golden Take. With Payton and Mutombo you have two premier defenders. With Chapman and Jackson you have 2 scorers. At the end of the day, do you think this will be a defense or offensive team?

[logpmess]

Mar 14, 2014 15:39:02 GMT -6 Nick Malone 77 said:

Nick Melon; Charlotte Observer: Everybody knows how talented Diekembe is on the defensive side but is it also his lack of an offensive game around the basket and really a lack of a force in the paint next to him that is a pressing need to possibly replace him aside from your fleet of stout point guards. Do you think an expiring Gary Payton could be that chip to South Beach to play next to Diekembe or replace him?

This question is tough. We all know and appreciate the defensive player that Dikembe has become. However, we are lacking scoring down low. This area is obviously our weakness. We need to find a way to improve our post play. We are committed to our players going forward, but if this becomes a bigger problem, we need to do what is best for the organization. As far as Payton, he is one of those rare players that can attract talent to a team. It is unprecedented at this point, but maybe we can get what one might call a "big 3" with dikembe, payton, and one other superstar.

[logpmess]

Mar 14, 2014 19:21:33 GMT -6 WigNosy said:

There is a class of super-free agents coming up this year. Do you think Payton can convince more than one of those free agents to take their talents to South Beach and help you build a super-team in Miami?

Also, how did you feel about the league's Official Hairless Cat of Record assigning the Heat a C- grade in the offseason?

The thing about this upcoming free agency class is that Payton is part of that elite class. He will be the most sought after point guard in the whole class. He really is a rare talent. Regardless of the decision that both Payton and the team make in the offseason, I think we have a team to attract an elite free agent. Just consider next year of a possible starting line up of Mutombo, Jim Jackson, Rex Chapman, Sam Cassell and a top power forward. Then possibly throw Gary Payton into that mix. Tell me an elite player that wouldn't want to be a part of that. 

A random cat regardless of hair set his grades how he wants. My one comment on the grades is that it was a simple comment on draft and free agency. He or she, the sex of the cat is unable to be determined by the picture, did not take into account the major development that our team had during training camp. But we will see where the C- stands at the end of the season. 

[logpmess]

Mar 15, 2014 7:37:39 GMT -6 bowtothebill23 said:

Jack Markson, Golden Take. With Payton and Mutombo you have two premier defenders. With Chapman and Jackson you have 2 scorers. At the end of the day, do you think this will be a defense or offensive team?

We need to have a solid game at both ends of the court to have a great year. Ultimately, I think our elite play will happen on offense as Payton also has the ability to distribute and score. Mutombo is our cornerstone, though. He is a great player. Still young, we hope that he can continue to develop offensively and contribute positively. Any game that Dikembe scores double digits should be a win for us. 

[IamQuailman]

Hi, Will Maukie Sr. from Milwaukee Tribune. Where do you rank yourself in both your conference and your division?

[logpmess]

Mar 17, 2014 11:56:06 GMT -6 IamQuailman said:

Hi, Will Maukie Sr. from Milwaukee Tribune. Where do you rank yourself in both your conference and your division?

A wise man once said, "To be the man (wooooo) you have to beat the man!" So as far as I'm concerned in both division and conference I'm in a tie with everyone but the Celtics for second best.


But for a serious answer. I see myself about third in the division and between 6-8 for the conference.

[IamQuailman]

AWARDED 5 POINTS (Count towards your 93-94 media day press release 5-pt accrual)! THANKS FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION!