CHECK OUT OUR "LEBRON IS GONE" VIDEO...

THE KING IS GONE… LONG LIVE MIAMI!

A local Miami church wants its worshippers back.
Or is it Jesus Shuttlesworth they seek?

Are you a witness? Or are you a innocent bystander? Maybe you’re pissed. Maybe you’re happy. Maybe you’re sad. Maybe you claim you don’t give a $h*t. But there is no avoiding the monumental history happening right now in front of our NBA-viewing eyes.

Without question, there is no greater free-agency story in sports history than that of Lebron James leaving and now returning home to Cleveland. It’s about the way he left. It’s about the way he arrived. It’s about the way he has played and improved. It’s about the rings. It’s about the humbled Prodigal Son returning home to finish what he started. Ultimately, however, it’s about arguably the world’s best basketball player.

But lost in the rhetoric and hype is the unique challenge facing the Miami Heat. Has any team in sports history ever been left with so much burden…and yet so much opportunity? It’s only fitting to assign five unique virtues to the FIVE PLAYERS who forge ahead with the hopes, dreams, and future of the Miami Heat team and its fans on their shoulders.

Erik “START OVER” Spoelstra

Erik Spoelstra

What if you worked your way up from the bottom? And I mean the very bottom. And what if all your hard work was rewarded by “The Decision” of one man (who happens be the best at what he does) to come play for you? And what if you were rewarded with Rings that told the world you might be the very best at what you do? That would be quite nice…until of course you ran into the Spurs 2.0 (championship edition) followed shortly thereafter by your own superstar player’s Decision 2.0. Would you say this is the things dreams are made of? Well, maybe.

Now, what if you weren’t even mentioned in the letter the superstar published for the world to read? Most people would run for the hills. Some might even wilt or evaporate. But any real sports fan knows this is the opportunity of a lifetime for Spoelstra. As a boxing connoisseur, Spoelstra knows it too.  A future Hall of Famer, whether he wanted it or not, Spoelstra gets the chance to do what Phil Jackson seemingly never wanted to do: coach a Gotham-styled team minus the superhero. “If you got the guts,” Riley said in his press conference, his words allegedly aimed at Lebron. Well, we’re going to see if Spoelstra’s got the guts. Of course the real story will be whether or not Spoelstra’s got the ears and hearts of his players.

Chris “CONSISTENCY” Bosh

Chris Bosh

The experts say he’s consistent, which makes Bosh the streakiest consistent shooter in NBA history. But it’s true. The numbers actually look fantastic. Here’s the thing: the productivity falls off sharply in some big series. But in the aftermath of Lebron leaving town, Pat Riley had a tough yet simple choice: lay down or put together all possible remaining pieces…and fast. Riles made the move that puts the Heat in a position to continue winning NOW.

But was he saving face? Was it human impulse or a pragmatic move handing the keys over to a skinny soulful big-man whose livelihood depends far less on the paint than on the elbow extended and beyond? While the History Channel debates the ancestral lineage of Bosh (half-amphibian? half-cartoon? half-both?), Heat fans wonder if the team just spent $120 million at the expense of some much needed size and rebounds. Bosh helps the Heat pick-and-roll and space the floor, but is that the best offense now that Lebron has left town? Bosh needs to get hot. More importantly, he needs to stay hot down the stretch. Somebody turn off the AC.

Dwyane “TRICK DADDY” Wade

Dwyane Wade

You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. But Heat fans are hoping this aging pup gets up to his old tricks. After willing the Heat to the franchise’s first championship in only his third year in the League, Wade spent the next four seasons as aerial dancer and contortionist with landings that would normally end up as Jackass stock footage were it not for the dude’s preternatural smoothness. Wade was miraculous. His jumper’s still ice. He’s at his best when he’s getting to the free-throw line. But at this point fans should be wondering if there’s any skin left on the man’s knee—let alone gas in the tank. By reducing his games and minutes last season, the Heat put an even larger burden on Lebron. And although Wade was up to some of his old tricks in the Eastern Conference Final against the Pacers, he appeared hobbled and drained for the Main Event. He’s got three rings. He’s a proud dad. He recently finalized terms of the largest divorce in Florida state history. He was already King of Miami when he handed over the reins. The man has nothing to prove on a team that has a chance to prove either so much or so very little. Wade is wearing the crown again. But does he need it? More importantly… Does he want it?

Udonis “UD” Haslem

Udonis Haslem

A pillar of strength and loyalty in a city where transient championship roster moves are matched only by the comings and goings of Ibiza’s latest DJ sensations, Haslem might as well be made up of alligator, concrete and palm tree. Born in Miami, Haslem is a throwback, his game as straightforward as his nickname: “UD.” He’s played all eleven NBA seasons with the Heat. The fact that he’s the franchise’s all-time leader in rebounds is even more remarkable when you consider the dude went undrafted--the first undrafted NBA player to ever lead a franchise in this category.

Watching UD is a little like watching Charles Oakley or Dale Davis from the old Knicks vs. Pacers rivalry. A fan favorite, it’s likely Haslem’s role of hometown leader and tough guy—not to mention his minutes and patented baseline jump shots—will increase in the wake of Lebron’s departure. Yes, the most anticipated game of 2014/2015 is Lebron returning to Miami on Christmas Day, but real Heat fans can’t wait to see UD versus Lance Stephenson, aka- The Court Whisperer.

Shabazz “MY FAVORITE” Napier

Shabazz Napier

Maybe it’s Napier who should be labeled the “Chosen One.” After all, it was Lebron James’ Tweets about Napier (“My favorite player in the draft!”) that caught the attention of the Heat front office. It’s safe to say that Spoelstra and Co. were evaluating Napier well ahead of James’ March Madness Man Crush, but it’s also a safe bet that Miami’s trade for Napier on Draft Night was made with the King’s adoration and indecisiveness in mind. As wack-ass fate would have it, Napier will now be known as the one guy—besides team and city—Lebron left behind in his quest to return home.

Whether or not Napier can escape that shadow, only his shots and turnovers will tell. But after Chalmers’ disappearing act and Cole’s cold shooting down the stretch, clearly the Heat could use a ball handler who can shoot the rock consistently. I can hear the fans now: “My favorite player on the Heat!”