How long will the Miami Heat reign?

Dwyane Wade #3 and LeBron James #6 celebrate after defeating the San Antonio Spurs 95-88 to win Game Seven of the 2013 NBA Finals at AmericanAirlines Arena on June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. They will both be free agents next summer. (Getty Images)

Over the past few years, the Miami Heat have reigned over the NBA.

They have the best starting line-up, the best players in the league and back-to-back championships to prove their worthiness. And frankly, everyone hates their dominance including me, but the only thing we can do is wait for the Heat to blow over.

The big question is, how long do we wait?

If I know anything about NBA fans, it’s that we’re an impatient bunch, and if our team doesn’t start winning, we’re going to be calling for the management’s head. So I’m going to try to answer the question and clear up the situation for those people like me who’re wondering how long we have to wait.

On paper, the Heat look unbeatable, and in real life they are just that – unbeatable. LeBron James is in his prime, with four MVPs, and everyone around him can shoot threes, run the offense on their own and play good D.

The Heat are so good that they have an on and off switch. For the past two years the best teams have come out of the West, but to no avail. And by the looks of it, the NBA is going down the same road next season as Miami will try to achieve a three-peat.

The off-season movement in Brooklyn means the Nets could maybe beat them, or maybe even a healthy Oklahoma City Thunder, but the Heat are favourites to win again. However, in the aftermath of the 2014 Finals, the face of the NBA is likely to be changed.

In the summer of 2014 LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Kyrie Irving among other players will be free agents, and the NBA could look like a team in 2K on fantasy draft. That could possibly be the end of the Heat.

Dwayne Wade is a Chicago native, and has expressed his interest in the Bulls. D-Wade isn’t getting any younger and his status as an impact player in the league could be dwindling by 2014. But in Chicago, he would have Derrick Rose who he grew up with, and the person he wanted to play with before LeBron came along. If Wade leaves and LeBron stays in Miami, they still could be championship contenders. But LeBron could well leave too.

I don’t think LeBron will go to a new team because that could mess with his legacy. The Los Angeles Lakers have a lot of money though, which could change anyone’s mind. The Lakers are a dynasty type of team, and they can offer LeBron everything he wants.

They can pay him bucket loads of money and they always have a serious shot for a title: an added incentive for LeBron. The Lakers seem to be targeting him as they mentioned to Dwight Howard when they were trying to persuade him to stay.

By this time in 2014, Kobe Bryant would be 35 and could be in his final season. But if he were to retire, they could use the money they would have spent on him in free agency. With LeBron at the helm of the Lakers, he would very well bring ‘showtime’ back to LA; Hollywood would have a new alpha dog.

It would be no surprise if LeBron is wearing purple and gold this time next year. The Cavs though have a huge chance of getting their king back. He and Irving together would make the Cavs a powerhouse and maybe bring Cleveland a championship.

Even now, the Cavs are tailoring their off-season moves to fit LeBron, with draft picks and free agent signings. Wade wanting to retire in Miami won’t bring him another championship if LeBron isn’t there.

But if the inevitable happens and the Heat manages to keep everyone, the face of the league will have already shifted and the aging Heat will have some severe problems.

Expect a cold winter in 2014 because the Heat will be gone.