Commentary

Heat check: What will Miami do?

PER Diem: Feb. 11, 2010

Updated: February 11, 2010, 2:28 PM ET

By John Hollinger | ESPN.com

ATLANTA -- Miami's visit to Philips Arena on Wednesday night did more than just provide another exhibit of Dwyane Wade's talents, as he calmly dished out 11 assists in the Miami Heat's surprisingly easy 94-76 win over the Hawks. It also gave us an up-close look at Wade's position at the epicenter of the next six months of NBA transactions.

When it comes to the current trade season and this summer's free-agency season, Miami is ground zero. While there are other teams that will be major players in the action -- Dallas with its nonguaranteed contracts, Memphis with its $3.2 million under the current salary cap, and New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Oklahoma City and the Clippers with their cap space their summer -- no other franchise offers the tantalizing combination of blockbuster trade potential, outrageous free-agent possibilities and spectacularly awful worst-case scenarios that the Heat can offer.

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