Why be excited about a team that made more news for its off-season subtractions than its additions?

A roster overhaul may not be the worst thing to happen to a Pat Riley-coached team. Tim Hardaway, Dan Majerle and Bruce Bowen - all lost to free agency - were around the coach and the team for some time and may have tired of Riley's approach and become mechanical in his system. Fresh faces, and attitudes, could invigorate a team whose top three players - Alonzo Mourning, Eddie Jones and Brian Grant - can stand up to any top three in the league.

What can be expected of Mourning after a year to deal with his kidney disease?

Riley calls this the "unanswerable question," but Mourning seems to think there's an answer: You can expect a lot. He's just not sure for how long. As much as this off-season has helped Mourning regain his strength and prepare his body, playing with focal glomerulosclerosis is a day-to-day experiment. Initially, Mourning should look close to his old self. But who knows what we'll see in game 20, 30 or 40? The experiment may end midway through the season. Stay tuned.