The Heat will remain as-is through today's NBA trade deadline, which will either slightly sadden, entirely depress, or straight-up horrify you thanks to Dwyane Wade going day-to-day after hearing his calf "pop" in last night's game.
[Dry-heave break, sponsored by Muscles Aren't Supposed to Make That Noise]
The Heat were, according to the usual source of sources, in the mix along with Cleveland for Suns forward Amar'e Stoudemire, and reportedly engaged in a final-hour failed bartering for the Jazz' Carlos Boozer.
The Cavs opted out of Stoudemire first with a three-team, six-player trade instead for Antawn Jamison that Ball Don't Lie comfortingly calls an "iffy" Plan B (we, in turn, call it covering your McLaren in chrome when platinum was available, which is to say you're still driving Lebron James). Last night the Heat bailed out of the Amar'e Sweepstakes as well; Suns owner Robert Sarver told Stoudemire the team was no longer looking to move him, which means Pat Riley must have balked at tossing Michael Beasley into a pile of available pieces that already included the expiring contracts of Udonis Haslem and Quentin Richardson and one of two first-round draft picks in 2010.
This afternoon, Pat Riley got involved in "surprise" talks for a deal that would have brought Boozer instead, but TrueHoop reports that Utah wanted more than the Heat were willing to give up -- including two mid-round picks, which seems odd as Miami has plenty of mid-round talent already.
And you know what? As soul-sucking as additional games without Wade sounds, this is fine. Stoudemire can still be brought to Miami after season's end as a free agent, the Heat can see if and how Beasley steps up with Wade on the bench, and Stoudemire and Boozer both trail Miami's first choices in free agency anyway (LBJ and Chris Bosh).
Even if Wade is out for a while, the next few weeks are not entlrely a glimpse of things to come next season if he bails for Chicago or New York. There's still roughly $41 million dollars to round out the roster if the unthinkable happens, that can be spent on Amar'e or otherwise.
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So, carry on, Heat fans. We've come this far, and we can handle 30 more games of rollicking mediocrity to get this right.
Janie Campbell is a Florida native who believes in the pro-set and ballpark hot dogs. Her work has appeared in irreverent sports sites around the internet.
