Quentin Richardson has been traded a lot this summer. From New York to Memphis for Darko Milicic and cash, to the Clippers for Zach Randolph, to Minnesota for Sebastian Telflair, Mark Madsen, and Craig Smith, and finally to the Miami Heat for 7-foot softie, Mark Blount. Although I'm pretty unfamiliar with Richardson's game, I feel a little apprehensive that the Heat are acquiring someone that's been tossed around so much during the offseason. I do think it was a good trade to make though, as Mark Blount's career in Miami has mostly been on the bench. At least Richardson might have some impact, but whether it will be positive or negative remains to be seen.When considering what role Richardson will have in Miami, many of the questions surrounding the Heat's roster become magnified. If Richardson will play primarily at the two, will he be a back-up to Dwyane Wade, or will he play alongside him when Wade takes over duties at the point? Although Richardson seems pretty inconsistent, he could be capable of providing some scoring when Wade is on the bench, which was one of the Heat's main weaknesses last season. If he plays alongside Wade, what will become of Daequan Cook? Cook remains a big question mark for the Heat. Sometimes he is the three-point threat that the Heat covet to have beside Wade, and sometimes he disappears (i.e. the second half of last season after winning the three point contest). Cook's potential remains a mystery, and Richardson might be an impediment to his development. I think gauging Cook and the other young players like Chalmers and Beasley ought to be a priority for this season.
If Richardson spends more time at the three, what becomes of the other Heat small forwards? James Jones was never at full health last season, so his ability to mesh with the team remains unknown. If his hand has completely healed, will he be able to return as the three-point specialist he's been in the past? I like Jones but I have concerns about his athleticism, which is an important attribute for a small forward. Jamario Moon had the athleticism I wish Jones possessed, which was why it was tough to see him leave for the Cavs. And what about Yakhouba Diawara and Dorrell Wright? Diawara is a solid perimeter defender and a decent three-point shooter, but when all is said and done, he doesn't seem to be much of a difference maker. Dorrell Wright remains to be a project that has yet to show what he is capable of. When Riley coached, he mostly rode the pine because of Riley's lack of trust in young players. Since then, nagging injuries and inconsistent play have hampered his career. This season could be the final straw for Dorrell, as it is essentially his last chance to prove his worth. I still have a delusional hope that he can become a solid contributor at small forward, but more than likely he will end up falling short due to unreliability or a lack of playing time because of the Heat's glut at small forward. When he had the chance to play during that painful 2007-08 season, he showed some flashes of promise on both ends of the floor. As if those aren't enough questions at the small forward position, will Michael Beasley end up putting minutes at the three? I'm in the line of thinking that he should be the Heat's starting power forward next season. I think the only time he should be at the three is when the opposing team is playing a small forward with offensive deficiencies. Most starting small forwards in the league will take advantage of Beasley's poor defensive footwork, blowing by him over and over. It also might make sense to slide him to the three when Udonis Haslem's defense and rebounding is needed at the power forward position. This way, the Heat would still have Beasley's scoring on the offensive end and Haslem's defense on the other end.
Despite all of these question marks, I think this is ultimately a good trade to have made. Richardson has proven to be a legit three-point threat in the past with Phoenix, setting the Suns single-season record for three-point field goals in 2004-05 by surpassing Dan Majerle's record of 199. He also has a career 35% three-point field goal percentage. The Heat highly value three-point shooters to surround Wade, and this trade gives them plenty of options with Richardson, Cook, Jones, as well as Beasley, who shot just over %40 from three last season. Another positive aspect is that Wade and Richardson are both Chicago natives and friends. Regardless of how this trade works out on the court, it seems as though it will at least improve morale. But there are still plenty of concerns, one of which is Richardson's conditioning. He appeared somewhat out of shape during his stint with the Knicks. Fortunately, he is busy working out in Chicago this summer alongside Wade, Jermaine O'Neal and Dorrell Wright with Tim Grover, who aided Wade in returning to superstar form last summer. Because his contract expires after next season, Richardson will likely only be in Miami for a year, so it's not like this is a high risk move. Let's just hope that this trade actually pays dividends rather than serve as simply a move to lose Mark Blount's contract. And most of all, let's hope this isn't a move that stunts the growth of any of the Heat's young talent.
