"It once again is time for the bag of rings. Or perhaps the simple reality for the Miami Heat is that Free Agency 2011 does not rise to the level of Pat Riley breaking out the bag of championship rings that closed the team's 2010 deal with LeBron James.

Starting Monday, teams can begin making direct, face-to-face pitches to free agents, after being limited to contact with player agents since Wednesday. The post-lockout starting point for free-agent signings remains Friday, which is also when training camps will open in advance of the lockout-shortened 66-game schedule that for the Heat opens Dec. 25 on the road against the Dallas Mavericks.

According to Yahoo, the Heat's initial push will come toward Memphis Grizzlies free-agent forward Shane Battier, who essentially would take over the reserve-swingman role the Heat envisioned last season for injury-plagued Mike Miller. Battier, however, would provide a higher level of defensive deterrence on the wing, easing such burdens for James and Dwyane Wade."