The Heat have one of the five best players in the game in DeWayne Wade.

After two seasons racked with injuries, Dwayne Wade looked like his former self during the Olympics, where he showed that he still has the dominance and explosiveness that made him one of the top players in the league.

Wade is easily one of the five best players in the world and the best pure scorer this side of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. The Marquette product can embarrass any defender off the dribble and has a jumper that gets better and better in time.

With Michael Beasley's arrival and Wade's resurgence, head coach Erik Spoelstra and the Miami Heat are in the driver seat in the Eastern Conference.

 Udonis Haslem is the one throwback to Miami's glory days. The underrated big man contributed 12.0 points and 9.0 rebounds in 49 games last season and is a steady jump shooter, capable rebounder, and solid defensive presence.

Few deny Beasley has the talent to quickly be an impact player in the NBA after he averaged 26.2 points and 12.4 boards as a freshman at Kansas State last season. However, there are questions about his off court attitude when he refused to cooperate in the investigation of a marijuana incident at the Rookie Transition Program in September. Beasley was fined $50,000 by the NBA after acknowledging that he was involved in an incident involving his teammate Mario Chalmers and Memphis' Darrell Arthur. Chalmers and Arthur, former Kansas teammates, were fined $20,000 apiece after being banished from the rookie symposium. They were found in a room at the resort where the event was taking place with two women -- which violated NBA policy for the event. A mature and hard-working Beasley will prove to be a dangerous addition to Wade. The only question is whether the young star can keep his nose clean.

For now, Shawn Marion remains the team's second option behind Wade. One of the most versatile players in the NBA, Marion was acquired in February from the Phoenix Suns for future Hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal. Marion and Wade were unable to jell in the second half of the season, however, as both missed time with injuries. If the Heat want a big turnaround, Marion, who posted 14.3 points and 11.2 boards in 16 contests with the Heat last season, must find a way to fit in and utilize his unique talents in concert with Wade.

Chalmers will push Chris Quinn, who started 25 games last season, at point guard. Quinn is an excellent shooter and capable ball-handler but does not have the athleticism to beat people off the dribble and it is tough for a rookie to be a consistent NBA point guard. Whether Quinn gets the nod or Chalmers breaks through, Wade will be asked to handle the ball quite a bit.

Mark Blount is a decent big man off the bench. He has nice touch but is not the intimidating defensive presence or the rebounder you expect out of a 7-footer with his body type. Meanwhile, Daequan Cook showed some signs as a rookie last season and Dorell Wright offers athleticism off the bench. James Jones, a three-point threat and excellent perimeter defender underwent surgery to repair a ruptured extensor tendon in his right wrist suffered during practice on October 15. He is expected to be out for three months.

Shaun Livingston was on the verge of stardom with the Clippers when he dislocated his left kneecap after missing a layup against the Charlotte Bobcats in February of last year. The injury was so severe doctors feared they might have to amputate the leg. They managed to save the leg, but Livingston tore his anterior cruciate ligament, his posterior cruciate ligament, the lateral meniscus, badly spraining his medial collateral ligament and dislocated his patella and his tibia-femoral joint. Livingston missed the entire 2007-2008 season, and then signed to play in South Beach; He is now practicing and could return this season. Expecting the same player would be folly, but Livingston could turn into a solid rotational option at some point.

Veteran center and defensive stalwart Alonzo Mourning wants to come back but that is up to his right knee. Mourning, a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, tore a patellar tendon in the knee against the Atlanta Hawks in December of last year.

Wade is back but the depth is shaky and Beasley and Chalmers will need time to acclimate to the NBA. That said, it is not hard to imagine the Heat making a run and challenge the Orlando Magic in the Southeast.