D-Wade, LeBron and Bosh have lots of backup in Miami

So much for the notion that Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh would have to scour the sands of South Beach to fill out their Superteam.

Remember what it was like on the morning after The Decision, when everyone was speculating about whether Pat Riley would be coming out of the executive suites -- not to coach, but to play -- after the Miami Heat gave away everything but the Atlantic Ocean to land their Three Kings?

DLC & the D Leaguers. That was one suggested nickname.

Moe, Larry Curly and a Dozen Shemps. That was another.

But here we are three weeks later and the magician Riley keeps right on pulling rabbits out of his hat.

The Supremes are assembling a decent group of backup singers that can actually carry a tune and just might be able to carry some of the weight. Rather than running everybody else off just because they took the lion's -- and the tiger's and the elephant's -- share of the money available under the salary cap, the Supe's have instead been more like a chicken leg dropped at a picnic. The worker ants are being drawn from miles and miles away just by that tasty scent of championship hope.

Eddie House -- The latest veteran to climb aboard the bandwagon, House is returning to the team that drafted him in 2000. He can be a bundle of points and energy off the bench as he showed while winning the championship with the Celtics in 2008.

Mike Miller -- With his move from Memphis to Minnesota two seasons ago, he altered his style of play and virtually ruined his game. The trade to Washington last season didn't help as he continued to play away from his strength -- shooting. Maybe it had to do with the bad situations he was in. Now all Miller has to do is find the open spaces that will be created by the big three and go back to firing away. There's no reason to think he can't.

Udonis Haslem -- The rock on the front line and a bridge with Wade from the 2006 championship to the dawn of the new era gave up more money than anyone else to stay and play in Miami. He can defend up front, will be a more than willing and capable garbage man on offense and in a locker room atmosphere that will be part circus and part backstage at Las Vegas, he's simply dependable.

Joel Anthony -- After using a salary cap hold of just $1.6 million to clear out extra space for the riches of the Supremes, the Heat get their starting center for the bargain basement price of $18 million for five years. They'll be looking for him to defend and block shots. And any buckets he scores will be almost by accident.

Juwan Howard -- Sixteen years later, who'd have thought he'd be the last of the Michigan Fab Five still playing? The itinerant forward is far from a defensive stopper, but he can still score around the hoop in a pinch and is another one of those solid citizens who'll keep the ship steady as he seeks to finally get his ring.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas -- LeBron didn't have to call twice to get the Big Z to jump out of the sinkhole in Cleveland to join the party in South Beach. Entering his 13th NBA season, Ilgauskas can be a solid backup and take up plenty of space in the middle. The many teams that chased after him when he became available as a free agent last February tell you that he can still be effective.

Jamaal Magloire -- The 10-year vet has definitely seen his stock plummet from an NBA starter to a deep sub over the course of four years. But you're talking about someone to fill a role of limited minutes in the event of foul trouble or injury. Not a bad third option at center.

Carlos Arroyo -- Somebody has to handle the ball when it's not in the hands of Wade or James. Arroyo started 35 games for the Heat last season with an outstanding assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.17.

James Jones -- First he took a buyout from the Heat and then signed a veteran's minimum contract to stick around in Miami for the star-spangled gala. He's looking for a chance to show he can stick his 3-pointers with regularity and join the show.

Mario Chalmers -- Entering his third training camp, Chalmers has to finally show that his career didn't peak with that jumper for Kansas over Derrick Rose and Memphis State in the 2008 NCAA title game if he wants to stick around for a shot at another championship.

Dexter Pittman -- The rookie big man has plenty of size and now all opportunity he needs to put a disappointing senior year at Texas behind him and hitch a ride on the bandwagon.

Shavlik Randolph -- The five-year veteran forward impressed the Heat coaches with his play at the Las Vegas Summer League enough to earn himself a non-guaranteed contract and an invite to training camp.

Kenny Hasbrouck -- The D-League veteran could potentially swing between both backcourt positions, though his non-guaranteed contract probably just become a little shakier with the addition of House.

Nobody is ready to rank the Heat bench up there with the all-time best in NBA history. But the Lakers have won consecutive titles with a backup bunch that is hardly fearsome and it's a long way from the disaster many were predicting for Miami just short while ago.

Fran Blinebury has covered the NBA since 1977. You can e-mail him here and follow him on twitter.

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