But even that wouldn’t compare to what would happen if the Heat decided to move Haslem.

The Heat is always willing to make a move if it means significantly improving the team’s chances of winning. In the past, that has meant moving fan favorites like Glen Rice and P.J. Brown and Caron Butler.

But if the Heat moves Haslem, the only way it would be palatable to the team’s fans is if the talent returned to Miami was such a major upgrade that even Haslem wouldn’t be able to argue it.

Haslem has meant the world to this franchise, whether it was during the championship season in 2006, the depths of its struggles two seasons later or even in his inspiring return from injury late in last season’s playoffs.

And twice during his eight-year tenure here he has given up dollars to stay put, either in a potential offer during the 2005 offseason or in actual offers from Dallas and Denver last offseason.

So how would it be regarded if the Heat sent Haslem as part of a trade package back to Denver, only making less money than he could have made if he signed there originally, for forward/center Nene in return?

Sure, Nene is a bigger, wider body who has put together more impressive statistics than Haslem over his career in Denver. So in that respect, it would be a clear upgrade.

But given how much Haslem, a Miami native, has meant to this team and its fans, would Nene be enough to make them OK with trading Haslem?

Would the team ever really replace an element that was clearly critical to the team’s success, whether he was starting or playing off the bench?

Would Dwyane Wade be OK with losing the running mate he has teamed with every year he has been in the league?

And would Nene ever produce to the point where the Heat would be forgiven for moving Haslem in such a callous fashion?

To be fair, the Heat values Haslem like no other team in the league does. And while loyalty has hardly any place in the business of sports, this franchise does factor in loyalty in rare occasions like this one (why else would Riley have kept almost the entire 2006 championship team intact when it clearly could have used some changes?).

But the primary factor in any of the Heat’s decisions is whether it will make the team significantly better.

Ring is the thing

If that’s the end result, then anyone on the roster would be in play, even if it’s the player who might best define what the franchise stands for.

It’s quite likely Haslem will be on the Heat’s opening day roster for another run at his second title. But it’s also a certainty that his name has and will continue to come up in trade discussions while the Heat tries to create the best roster possible.

But just the idea of moving Haslem or Miller already doesn’t sit well with many.

So if those moves are made, it’s going to have to be painfully obvious it was the right move. Otherwise, it will be hard to get over the pain of losing them.