Does Miller Need an NBA Makeover?

There has been a considerable amount of discussion about whether Mitchell native Mike Miller will retire rather than try to force his oft injured body to get back into NBA game shape.

If he does decide to come back, the folks at Yahoo! Sports have some suggestions about what Mike can do to 're-invent' himself:

Forget the idea of Mike Miller, designated shooter. The guy can still stroke, but on a team that just added Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, that sort of spacing isn't as paramount any more. Nah, forget the bombs. Please welcome, if his body is up to it, the idea of Mike Miller the point forward.

The designated passer. The skip guy. The extra dish after that up fake and drive that drove us so batty when Mike was passing up good looks from long range in Minnesota. The things that Allen and Lewis can't do. Returning from debilitating injuries to try and line up at pressurized 25-footer after sitting on the bench stiffening up for 30 minutes of real time is a tough gig for one of the greats — and Miller, that 40 percent career shooter from long range, is one of the greats. Doesn't matter. The new guys have one trick, you have two. Use the second trick to set up the other guy's one trick.

To fit in this ever-evolving Heat crew, Miller needs to pull off those warm-ups and play the old man game. Shane Battier attempts this as starter every so often, but he's not nearly as gifted or as quick a passer as Miller is. With Dwyane Wade and LeBron James helping to guard quicker opponents and Erik Spoelstra working with a deeper (if much older) rotation as the Heat attempt to defend their championship, the gravy that Mike (new nickname: "If Healthy") Miller could provide doesn't have to come in the packet form of "another potential shooter off the bench."

He could be the next guy to create shots, on a team that sometimes bogs down to obvious (if often brilliant) one on one play. All he has to do is get out of that James Jones mindset.

All indications point to Miller trying to return.  He was back in the gym last week after two months of rehab.

We wish him well!

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