The Miami Heat have been struggling to make up for the departure of now Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James. With only Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh left in the original Big Three of the Miami Heat, it appears that the NBA team is seeking ways to work with the remaining stars on its roster as well as maximize the advantages offered by the newly minted members of the team. Throughout the NBA offseason and up to the regular season, the rumor mill has been actively churning out news on the Heat's imminent decision to release Mario Chalmers.
One of the signs that the Miami Heat might be getting rid of the point guard soon is the entrance of Goran Dragic into the roster. The once formidable presence of Mario Chalmers, who had been the starting point guard throughout the LeBron James era, no longer seem as relevant in the recent game plays this season. Chalmers is also reaching the end of his two-year contract extension signed in 2014, thereby fueling the reports that his departure from the Miami Heat locker room is inevitable. To further bolster the speculations in the trade involving Mario Chalmers, sources are claiming that the Memphis Grizzlies have expressed interest in acquiring the point guard in exchange for backup star Beno Udrih.
"Presumably, the Griz are looking to replace backup Beno Udrih," disclosed Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal. He added, "There quietly has been disappointment behind the scenes with Udrih's perceived lack of conditioning, athleticism, and defense. The belief in the organization is that third-string point guard Russ Smith isn't ready yet to be a rotation player for the Griz at that position."
For his part, Mario Chalmers is taking things in stride. The Miami Heat star appears to be focused on proving his worth in the NBA team while also keeping an open mind on the possibilities that lay ahead.
"It's definitely been tough, but I'm built like that...for tough moments, to deal with things. I've always had the odds stacked against me. That's what made me who I am," shared Mario Chalmers, referring to the trade rumors involving himself, according to ESPN. The NBA star added, "Especially with the way things have been going, I've got to prove every day why I'm here, why I've got two championship rings, why I was a starting point guard on two championship teams. So I've just got to keep proving myself."
Meanwhile, another Miami Heat star is facing trade speculations: Chris Andersen. With the abundance of big men on the Miami Heat roster, such as Chris Bosh, Amar'e Stoudemire, Hassan Whiteside and Udonis Haslem, the significance of Chris Andersen in the NBA games has been diminishing as of late. Moreover, the robust and healthy Chris Andersen has been kept at minimal minutes in the games, with the periods going as low as nil since the NBA season started. Unlike Mario Chalmers though, the rumors involving Chris Andersen's departure from the Dwyane Wade basketball squad have yet to gain steam as no NBA team has been linked to the Birdman.
