Not everyone is going to win in next spring's NBA free-agent bonanza -- Citizens Of Cleveland, come on down! -- but those that don't land any of the Grand Prizes can still come away with lovely parting gifts. We mentioned Joe Johnson of the Hawks the other day, although he may be playing his way out of being a LPG and into being, if not a Grand Prize, then definitely a fine fur from Dicker and Dicker of Beverly Hills.

(Which reminds me. Whatever happened to Joker's Wild and Press Your Luck? Where'd Dotto go, mother? Where's the damn remote?)

Anyway, one of the intriguing possible future investments played here last night. It's pretty plain that the Miami Heat are going to be major players in the upcoming frenzy -- both in their attempts to keep Dwyane Wade in town, and in trying to land one of the Grand Prizes to play with him. Which probably means that they won't be paying Udonis Haslem enough to keep him, and Haslem is the kind of player that, while useful to a bad team, is essential to every good one. (Am I the only one who sees not a little of Paul Silas -- whose number needs to be retired, dammit --  there?) If the Celtics really are as committed to defense and rebounding going forward as they are now, this is the kind of player who would fit perfectly into their way of doing things -- provided, as always, that he doesn't get convinced he's Michael Jordan simply by the fact that people are bidding for his services.

And, not for nothing, but Tommy's already very high on him.