One, Three, Five: Heat's Magic Combination?

May 12, 2010

The odd numbers - one, three and five - hold a special meaning among three notable Miami Heat players. One being Dorell Wright, three being Dwyane Wade and five being Quentin Richardson. You may ask yourself, how do these three individuals relate? Well, beyond their on-the-court collaboration, these three hold a close bond off the court.

Wade and Richardson are godparents of Wright's adolescent child, which hints at the trust this triad holds within one another. Whether it's their special pre-game rituals between each other or their hang outs beyond the court, this trio can be spotted together just about anywhere. Now you may ask, what does this have to do with the Heat's success or their progress moving forward? The answer lies in Wade and satisfying his desire to stay in Miami.

This union of sorts between three "brothers from another mother" could aid the Heat front office in securing Wade beyond 2010 if they keep it intact. Of course, much more talent beyond Richardson and Wright would be required to accomplish this goal, but it could definitely be an additional incentive. We know that the Heat will do everything in their power to keep Wade around, and have attempted to satisfy him towards that end. But will they consider bringing back two of his closest comrades next season?

Their decent production in 2009 should be a sufficient reason to do so, especially if Miami can retain them on low-to-mid salary contracts. Richardson averaged almost nine points and five rebounds for the season, reaching double-digit points in 26 games this past season. His shooting percentage increased over last season's from 39% to 43%, and three-point field goal percentage from 36% to 39%. He may not have been as consistent as Miami would have preferred, but as an exchange for Mark Blount the Heat made something out of nothing. Wright had one of his best seasons of his career statistically as he posted seven points and three rebounds on average coming off the bench. His three-point production increased dramatically, shooting 38% from beyond the arc and landing 61 total three balls in '09.

It's clear that these two players may not be Miami's answer to title contention, but they could fill in the need for viable and affordable role players in what's set to be a contract heavy roster. At least we now know that Richardson and Wright would be a unifying element in the revamped Heat roster. And cohesion is essential to championship success.