MIAMI — Pat Riley knows the Miami Heat can be better. And the same even applies to Dwyane Wade.
Speaking about the state of the team at length for the first time since the season began, Riley insisted that the Heat is “one step from getting to the next level” in the loaded Eastern Conference and lauded the team for “competing like crazy.”
Riley, the Heat president, also made clear Miami remains as committed as ever to get back to championship contention, even revealing that if a blockbuster deal was offered now — and wouldn’t require waiting for the expected free-agent bonanza time next summer — he would listen.
“If, if, if something presents itself that is going to push me in a direction to trade my (cap) room and to trade my flexibility, somebody is going to have to pay a big price for the room,” Riley said. “It’s the most precious real estate in the NBA. . . . And we do have a max player that really is on our team, and we have max room, and there’s nobody else that has that.”
True, the Heat will have more money to spend next summer than just about any other team in the NBA, and will have the capability to sign another max-contract player to pair with Wade.
That doesn’t mean Miami is ignoring the possibilities that exist this season.
And that’s where the challenge to Wade comes in.
The reigning NBA scoring champion, Wade is averaging 26.7 points but shooting only 42.7 percent, which would be his worst NBA season in that department by far. By Wade’s own admission, he isn’t exactly at the same level he was a year ago, after spending the summer playing with the 2008 U.S. Olympic team that won gold in Beijing and may have been the most talented squad ever assembled.
“His efficiency is down somewhat this year, and we’re addressing it with him,” Riley said. “We’re addressing it with him, with (strength and conditioning coach Bill Foran), and we’ll address what it is we can do to help you maintain this lean, mean scoring machine that you were a year ago. If it’s a conditioning thing, then we’re going to address it.”
For his part, Wade said Wednesday he’s not as “efficient as he wants to be.”
“But that’s good,” Wade said. “We have a lot of season left. If I was as fit as I want to be right now, then I know I’d have a tough streak ahead of me coming. Right now, I know I’ve got a good streak ahead of me coming. So that’s a positive.”
The Heat (12-11) plays host to the defending Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic tonight.
Riley did not indicate any sort of unhappiness with Wade, but at the same time, he insisted that he wasn’t going to treat his best player any differently than before — even though the 2006 NBA Finals MVP will likely opt to become a free agent this summer and could decide to leave Miami.
“There isn’t anybody that loves Dwyane more than me,” Riley said. “And there isn’t anybody that will be more honest with him than me, either.”
Wade said many times entering the season that winning another scoring title wasn’t high on his list, and he reiterated Wednesday that the continued development of players like Michael Beasley — who matched a career high with 28 points Tuesday in a victory against Toronto — continues to be vital.
“I just want, for our team, more consistent play,” Wade said. “For myself as well.”
