The Miami Heat also need a low-post scorer, with restricted free-agent David Lee making a lot of sense down in South Beach. It, however, would take a gigantic sign-and-trade deal to make Lee joining the Heat a reality, but a frontline tandem of him and Jermaine O’Neal would be a nice setup. Lee would play center on offense and power forward on defense, while O’Neal would play power forward on offense and center on defense.

Anyhow, here’s my idea of getting Lee in Miami.

1. On 7/8/2009, the New York Knicks re-sign Lee to a six-year, $60,000,000 contract, with non-escalating salaries of $10,000,000 annually and an early termination option he can exercise after the fourth season.

2. The Knicks and Heat subsequently complete the following trade.

FROM MIAMI & TO NEW YORK
C Mark Blount ($7,967,375)
PF Udonis Haslem ($7,100,000)
SF Dorell Wright ($2,887,165)
SG Yakhouba Diawara ($945,000)

Outgoing: $18,899,540 X 125% + $100,000 = 23,724,425
Incoming: $22,075,486

FROM NEW YORK & TO MIAMI
C Eddy Curry ($10,500,423) {15% Trade Kicker}
PF David Lee ($10,000,000) {Base-Year Compensation Player}

Outgoing: $15,500,423 X 125% + $100,000 = $19,475,528
Incoming: $18,899,540

3. The Knicks receive four players who’ve got expiring contracts, which helps the team in its objective of clearing as much salary cap space as is possible for the summer of 2010. In this proposed deal, the Knicks cut $11,276,863 in salary obligations for the 2010-2011 season. Yet, for the upcoming season, Udonis Haslem is the only one who’s got any on-court value; thus, Donnie Walsh would release Mark Blount, Dorell Wright, and Yakhouba Diawara.

Miller brings a lot more offense than Steve Blake. Look at their career offensive numbers. Miller’s (15 ppg, 4 reb, 7 assts, 2 TO) are much much better than Blake’s (7, 2, 4, 1.5). Now you could make that argument Miller is too old and that what he brings isn’t worth paying that much for. But I think he’s a heck of a lot better option than Kirk Heinrich for example.