DORAL, Fla. -- Dwyane Wade thinks there's a clear favorite for the 2011 NBA championship. No, it's not the Miami Heat.

Even after Wade signed a new six-year deal and had LeBron James and Chris Bosh added to the Miami mix, the 2006 NBA finals MVP says the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers should be the favorites heading into next season, simply because this Heat team hasn't proved anything yet.

"The Lakers are the champions and we know the Lakers are very good," Wade said Wednesday at a golf tournament he co-hosts with Alonzo Mourning. "That's the team that everyone's shooting for and they should be. Not the Miami Heat. The Los Angeles Lakers."

Oddsmakers in Las Vegas disagree, with some sports books establishing Miami -- a 20-1 pick before Wade, James and Bosh signed -- as an 8-5 choice to win next season's title.

Wade said he still can't believe Miami pulled off the coup of free agency, luring James and Bosh to join him. And he said he's proud not to be the highest-paid player on the Heat, with James and Bosh signing deals worth around $111 million, while Wade took about $107 million for the next six seasons.

Wade took less, in part, to ensure Miami had enough money to re-sign Udonis Haslem, his close friend and teammate for the last seven years.

"We got the big three," Wade said, "and now we've got to continue to build our team."

He credited James with successfully recruiting center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who announced Tuesday that he'll leave Cleveland after more than a decade and sign with the Heat this week.

Wade expects free agent sharpshooter Mike Miller, who made 48 percent of his 3-pointers last season, to sign in the coming days. Miller agreed in principle several days ago to a deal that remains unsigned.

Plus, several players have contacted Wade to see if the Heat has space for them on the roster.

"The hard part is out of the way," Wade said. "Trust me, I get a lot of messages from a lot of different guys that want to be a part of this. But it's about putting the right guys in the right situation. Everyone might not have the personality to deal with this. It's got to be the right mix. The locker room has to be right. We've got to be patient to build this team."

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As if we needed any more evidence that Lebron is second banana on this team. Wade is running the show.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Wade said all the right things. He shouldn't go out there and say "The Heat are the team to beat", or "We are going to be the champions". Doing so will make him look like a fool if/when the Heat fail to win next year.

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James did help fill the team's need for an old, white center (Ilgauskas).

It appears Wade is the GM.

How is that not collusion?

According the to last quote in that story, it sounds like that all personnel moves go through him.

I wonder if he'll still let Lebron dance.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

It is ... but there's nothing in "teh rulez" to prohibit it.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

If he's getting these texts from current free agents, it's not a big deal.

I think Stern knows that it is but in a year they are trying to get a new CBA done it would create many more problems. If this happened 2 years ago I believe Stern would have killed both signings. Especially considering he did the same when the Heat signed Howard.

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Shouldn't Wades response have been,
"Yes, we expect to compete for the NBA championship next season. When a team makes the investment that the Miami Heat made, there is an expectation to win championships, and we intend to meet that expectation".
It sounds like Lebron is already rubbing off on Wade.