Heat News

Allen Iverson a later-rather-than-now issue for Heat
"To a degree, an Allen Iverson-Heat marriage makes sense. For years, Pat Riley has run a last-chance saloon. But it's not going to happen the first week of free-agent negotiations. It's not going to happen at the July 8 start of the free-agent signing period. And it's not going to happen until after the July 12 window opens for Dwyane Wade to be eligible to sign an extension. Iverson makes sense because Iverson may not have many other options. But until the Knicks spend their mid-level exception, until Larry Brown gets an official rejection from Bobcats management, and until the remaining precious little cap space around the league is spent, Iverson doesn't have to move to Plan B. ..."
Miami Heat won't be big shoppers when free agency opens Wednesday
"When free agency opens at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, the Heat won't be in the running for high-profile players such as Jason Kidd, Allen Iverson, Ron Artest and Rasheed Wallace. Miami already has an estimated $70 million payroll for 2009-10, which exceeds the projected salary cap of $58 million, and is right at the projected luxury tax. So instead of going shopping, the Heat will hope to improve by getting more out of forward Dorell Wright and center Jermaine O'Neal, who were slowed by injury last season. Wright, 23, played only six games last season, his fifth with the Heat. Coach Erik Spoelstra said Tuesday that getting a good season from him would be "almost like getting a free agent player. ..."
An escape hatch with Joel and Jamario
"When it comes to free agency and the salary cap and the luxury tax, all is not always as it appears. That, in particular, is the case with Heat restricted free agents Jamario Moon and Joel Anthony. At roughly the same time Heat President Pat Riley was stating that he might carry as few as 13 players next season, two below the NBA maximum, the team also was extending qualifying offers to Moon and Anthony to retain the right to match outside bids for the duo. To a degree, the timing of Riley's roster statement and the issuance of those qualifying offers appears to be in direct conflict. The Heat, after all, already has 11 players under guaranteed contract next season in Michael Beasley, Mark ..."
Wade's faith in Miami Heat will be tested next season
"The Heat asks a lot of Dwyane Wade on the court. Too much for its own long-term good, almost certainly. At the moment, though, the team is asking every bit as much of Wade off the court. Maybe more. Too much for its own short-term good, perhaps? What the Heat is doing is imploring Wade to trust the franchise without providing much proof that it warrants his faith. The Eastern Conference appears to have gotten appreciably stronger through draft or trade in recent days while the Heat has done precious little to complement Wade. It has been and continues to be Heat President Pat Riley's intention to target Toronto's Chris Bosh as a free-agent signee a year from now. Riley hopes to get Wade, ..."
Heat draft pick Beverley takes long road to NBA
"Patrick Beverley tried to beat the system once. For that transgression he essentially was banished to the Ukraine. Now the rangy point 6-foot-1 guard is trying to beat the system again. This time, he gets to make the attempt at AmericanAirlines Arena. Forced to play a year overseas after admittedly having someone else write a paper for him during his time at the University of Arkansas, the 2007 Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year bided his time last season in the Ukrainian Basketball League until he was eligible for the NBA Draft. Selected at No. 42 Thursday night by the Los Angeles Lakers and then dealt to the Miami Heat, the sharp-shooting scorer will now try to beat the odds on ..."
Alonzo Mourning joins Miami Heat front office
"Alonzo Mourning is returning to the Miami Heat. He's just not returning to the court. The shot-blocking center who retired this past season and then became the first player in the franchise's 21 seasons to have his number retired, has agreed to a front-office position with the team as vice president of player programs and development. Mourning, 39, who has said he could not envision himself coaching due to his lack of patience, instead will get to work with the roster in a less formal setting, mostly mentoring the team's younger players away from the court. In the newly created position, Mourning also will work with the team in the community and have some involvement on the business end of ..."
Unlike division rivals, Miami Heat leave draft with only two second-round selections
"While Southeast Division opponents such as Orlando, Washington and Atlanta made moves to strengthen themselves, the Heat could only make two minor moves in the second round of Thursday's NBA Draft. The Heat used its first second-round selection, the 43rd pick of the draft, to take guard Marcus Thornton of LSU. It then traded Thornton to New Orleans for second-round picks in 2010 and 2012. The Heat acquired guard Patrick Beverley, the 42nd overall selection of the Los Angeles Lakers, for a 2011 second-round pick and cash. Beverley is a 6-foot-1, 175-pound guard who attended Arkansas, where he averaged 12.1 points per game in the 2007-08 season as a junior. He was suspended before last ..."
Heat losing ground to rivals in the East
"Patience is a virtue? Yeah, OK. Fine. Nice bon mot. Fortune Cookie Hall of Fame, first ballot. But it must have been hard to feel a lot of love for patience Thursday if you were a Heat fan. The day of the NBA Draft sure felt like a day when Miami was losing big chunks of ground to its more aggressive Eastern Conference rivals. The Heat quietly made its two picks (second-rounders, 43rd and 60th overall in a weak draft) -- trading the 43rd to New Orleans -- and added the 42nd pick, shooting guard Patrick Beverley, in a trade with the Lakers. That was after the rest of the league -- especially the part Miami must climb over for a chance at a second championship -- seemed to spend the day ..."
NBA Draft about opponents making gains on Heat
"Blake Griffin arrived on cue. The wonderfully athletic power forward from Oklahoma was expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft since the Los Angeles Clippers won last month's lottery. Everything else surrounding Thursday's draft was mostly unscripted, a frenzy of trades and maneuvering that dramatically shuffled rosters around the league. With one exception. The Heat spent the day mostly as a spectator. It dealt its No. 43 second-round pick, LSU guard Marcus Thornton, the SEC Player of the Year, to New Orleans for second-round picks in 2010 and 2012. It later acquired the rights to Lakers second-round pick Patrick Beverley, a guard who played two seasons at Arkansas and then ..."
Lakers sell two draft picks with an eye on free agents
"With one eye toward free agency and another toward the bank, the Lakers sold two of their picks in Thursday's NBA draft for a combined $4.5 million. The Lakers sat out the first round for a second consecutive season, selling the 29th overall pick to the New York Knicks for $3 million. Then they sent the 42nd overall pick to the Miami Heat for $1.5 million. In both deals, the Lakers also received a 2011 second-round pick. All told, the Lakers are $6.2 million richer than they were before the draft, raking in $4.5 million while saving another $1.7 million that would have been guaranteed to the 29th pick over the next two seasons. Thursday's cost-conscious activities will only help the ..."
Miami Heat hopes to find a hidden gem in second round
"The Heat doesn't have a first-round pick in Thursday's NBA Draft, but that doesn't mean Miami fans should ignore it. The Heat does have two second-round selections, Nos. 43 and 60 overall, and today's NBA is dotted with second-round success stories. Specifically consider Milwaukee guard Michael Redd and Los Angeles Lakers swingman Trevor Ariza. They both were taken with the 43rd pick of the draft - Redd in 2000 and Ariza in '04. Even more encouraging is that San Antonio guard Manu Ginobili was taken with the 57th pick in 1999 (although he stayed in Europe and didn't join San Antonio until 2001). "We all feel in some ways it's a weak draft," said Fran Fraschilla, former college coach turned ..."
Wade and Bosh have two cities in a tizzy
"Their situations are identical, their circumstances similar and their future with their current employer just as cloudy. The only difference between Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, outside from a playing perspective, involves perception and paranoia. Everyone seems to be writing Bosh off in Toronto. Everyone seems to be caught up in this imaginary world that would see Bosh join Wade in Miami. In Toronto, Bosh's every word gets taken out of context or it gets twisted to serve some agenda. The Raptors have been in existence since 1995, but the media in this market, in all forms, continues to be uneducated and easily swayed by the most baseless gossip. The bottom line with Bosh and Wade is ..."
Heat's plan: Be patient, draft carefully
"With two second-round picks, the Heat enters Thursday's NBA Draft expecting a quiet night as part of its mission to avoid any moves that would mortgage the future. But as Miami finalizes plans for the 43rd and 60th picks, team president Pat Riley is still haunted by the past as he plots redemption in 2010. Barring a last-minute change in philosophy, the Heat will be reduced to spectators for much of Thursday's early action as a result of one of the worst personnel decisions of Riley's Hall of Fame career. Just ask him. Even he admits as much. With Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal injured and having a strong desire to unload the final two years on Antoine Walker's contract, Riley was ..."
Will Heat draft 'Mr. Irrelevant?'
"The NBA Draft has no Mr. Irrelevant. But the Heat will Thursday night. Unlike the NFL, the NBA does not celebrate the final selection of its draft. The Heat likely won't either. But there nonetheless likely will be applause when it invokes its right to the No. 60 pick. It means everyone then can go home. For the Heat, this well could prove an irrelevant exercise, with its first-round pick dealt to Minnesota in its 2007 acquisition of guard Ricky Davis. Its lone selections will come at Nos. 43 and 60. While a trade into the first round is possible, with several teams looking to unload selections in what sets up as one of the weakest drafts in years, the Heat's focus likely instead will be ..."
Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade, Pat Riley need a little face to face
"An amusing subplot of our sports summer is the public interplay between Heat president Pat Riley and superstar Dwyane Wade, the team's two powerbrokers who in effect have been tip-toeing at each other in the media over the how and when of growing a decent NBA team into a contender. It leaves the preposterous impression the two men are not speaking directly, in which case I'd suggest maybe Dwyane could squeeze Pat into his T-Mobile Fave Five for a quick call in between trips to Chicago and the White House. Likewise I'll bet Pat could pull a string or two and maybe even get Dwyane's cell-phone number, whaddya think? Perhaps a chance meeting might be in order. Maybe get club owner Micky ..."
For Miami Heat's Michael Beasley, what a difference a year makes
"If Michael Beasley could offer Oklahoma's Blake Griffin advice on the eve of Thursday's NBA Draft, it would be this: If you think you have this pro thing all figured out as a big-time lottery pick, think again. It was this time a year ago when Beasley, then 19 years old and full of both confidence and himself, was in this spot as the best big man in the draft before he was taken No. 2 overall by the Heat. ''It seems like just yesterday for me,'' Beasley said of the hype, hoopla and huge expectations Griffin faces as the projected top pick. 'You can't really come in thinking, `I'm strong, I'm this, I'm that.' It's a different level up here. You find out pretty fast.'' That message carries ..."
Chris Quinn picks up 2009-10 option on Miami Heat contract
"The Miami Heat is on the verge of having to put out a no-vacancy sign. Heat President Pat Riley said last week the team likely would be only able to carry 13 players at the start of next season to avoid the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax on excessive payrolls. Tuesday, the Heat moved to 11 players under contract for 2009-10, with the announcement that reserve point guard Chris Quinn has invoked his player option for next season. Quinn, who earned $973,000 last season, had to make a decision in advance of June 30 for his $1.1 million guarantee for next season. Quinn played sparingly last season, with the emergence of 2008 second-round pick Mario Chalmers as the team's starting point guard. He ..."
Miami Heat hasn't opted to rely on big-name foreign players
"In the last 10 years, international players have been the go-to guys on a number of NBA teams, including the newest champions, the Los Angeles Lakers. Foreign-born players made up about 16 percent of the league last season, and point guard Ricky Rubio of Spain and UConn center Hasheem Thabeet of Senegal could be top-five picks in the draft Thursday night. International players, however, haven't filled a big role for the Heat. "It's not out of reluctance to sign them or draft them or acquire them," Heat President Pat Riley said. "I think it's been opportunity more than anything else." Miami hasn't ignored international players. In 2003, for example, it signed Chinese seven-footer Wang ..."
Miami Heat executive: NBA Draft is a dud
"A weekly look at five talking points that have the league buzzing: 1. Nothing to see here, folks. How weak is Thursday's NBA Draft? It has Heat Vice President of Player Personnel Chet Kammerer comparing it to the 2006 draft. For those who forget, that's the draft that had Andrea Bargnani going No. 1 to the Raptors, Adam Morrison at No. 3 to the Bobcats and Shelden Williams at No. 5 to the Hawks. "Hopefully," Kammerer said, "it's going to be a little bit better than 2006, which was kind of a bad draft. But I think it's similar to that, personally. I don't think it's anywhere near the caliber of last year's draft, for example." Last year, of course, was one of the most productive drafts in ..."
Pat Riley: No changes until Dwyane Wade signs
"Heat president Pat Riley won't authorize any drastic roster changes until he has Dwyane Wade's signature on a contract extension. Riley, speaking at length Thursday about the team's offseason plans, said he has prepared the proposal he will forward to Wade and his agent one minute after midnight July 12, the earliest Wade can sign an extension. Although Wade has indicated he likely would hold off on an extension until next summer, Riley remains optimistic about a commitment. Riley also made clear Thursday he wouldn't pursue any major trades or retool the roster until the franchise's top player is in for the long term. ''There can't be any major franchise changes made without his ..."
Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade and Alonzo Mourning pushing for role models
"With Father's Day approaching, Dwyane Wade teamed with Alonzo Mourning and President Barack Obama, a fellow Chicagoan, on Friday for a summit at the White House on the subject of fatherhood. Wade, who in December challenged the then-president-elect to a game of one-on-one via YouTube, said his meeting with Obama was ``the first time in my life I was anxious and kind of nervous to meet someone.'' Wade and Mourning joined other fathers across the country to discuss the importance of male role models for children. ''This is the first national Father's Day-type of event, and we wanted to stress the importance of having a father and being a father,'' Wade said. After Friday's summit, the ..."
Dwyane Wade meets President Obama
"Dwyane Wade is accustomed to getting the star treatment. But the Miami Heat guard found himself nearly speechless on Friday when he fulfilled a long-time goal of meeting President Barack Obama at the White House. ``It was an unbelievable dream come true,'' Wade said, a smile spreading across his face. ``We are both from Chicago. I've always wanted to get the opportunity to meet him, just to see what kind of person he is.'' ``When he came in the room, he said `D. Wade!' The way his face lit up to meet me had me speechless. I've never been that excited to meet a human being before.'' Wade and former Heat teammate Alonzo Mourning gathered with notable fathers from around the country to help ..."
Dwyane Wade: Miami Heat needs to make first move
"Dwyane Wade spent Friday in Washington with President Obama. But apparently the Miami Heat guard also is in a show-me state. A day after Heat President Pat Riley said the team could not go forward with a major personnel overhaul without his star guard first agreeing to an extension this summer, Wade indicated he might seek such action by the team before making such a commitment. "I'm there. Why not fast track this thing anyway while I'm there and let's not give it a chance to get to 2010?" said Wade, who can extend his contract starting July 12, or can opt out an become a free agent following next season. "I'm in my prime right now, playing the best basketball I've ever played, and I feel ..."
Pat Riley: Don't expect bold moves for Miami Heat in draft or free agency
"Don't expect any prominent new faces on the Heat's roster next season. That was the message Thursday from team president Pat Riley, who discussed the club's plans for the NBA Draft a week from today. Miami doesn't have a first-round pick. It has two second-round picks - Nos. 43 and 60, the latter being the final selection of the draft. "I would say across the board there may not be much activity in the draft for us," Riley said. Miami also doesn't plan to do much in free agency because its payroll is only $300,000 under next year's projected threshold for the luxury tax. "This is not our year," Riley said. "I'm not excited about it." Miami's plans could change if superstar guard Dwyane ..."
Former Miami Hurricanes star Jack McClinton impresses Miami Heat in workout
"Intent on making a big impression during Wednesday's predraft workout for the Miami Heat, former University of Miami star Jack McClinton did all of his homework. He attended Heat games after his senior season ended. He got advice from Heat forward Dorell Wright, a close friend and neighbor. He even arrived an hour early for his session at AmericanAirlines Arena in front of Heat president Pat Riley, coach Erik Spoelstra and the franchise's front office staff. ''I got here a little early and I wanted to come up and shoot,'' said McClinton, a 6-1 guard who set an ACC career record by shooting 44 percent from three-point range. ``Look, man. If Riley sees you up here and nobody [else] -- it ..."
Jack McClinton works out for Miami Heat
"University of Miami guard Jack McClinton wanted to make sure he took something out of Wednesday's pre-draft tryout at AmericanAirlines Arena. So after he gave the Miami Heat's scouting braintrust a shooting exhibition, he huddled with coach Erik Spoelstra. "We were talking about my step-back," he said, "how effective it is, and adding a counter-move to it when they start crowding my space." While the two-time first-team All-ACC selection won't know his pro landing spot until the June 25 NBA Draft, he certainly tempted the Heat, converting 40 of 50 mid-range jumpers and 36 of 50 3-pointers in a drill against UConn point guard A.J. Price. "It went good," he said, sweat still dripping onto ..."
Obama invites Dwyane Wade to White House
"Two Chicago guys with a common interest are scheduled to meet for the first time Friday. President Barack Obama has invited Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade to Washington. Wade has agreed to participate in a day-long event in honor of Father's Day, and focusing on male mentorship. After flying in from Chicago, where he is hosting a youth basketball camp, Wade will check in at the White House, and then travel to area community organizations to speak with young men from the Washington D.C. area about how they can achieve their aspirations. Then he will return to the White House for a town-hall meeting with the President, community leaders and other prominent young fathers. The day will conclude ..."
Toronto Raptors' Chris Bosh interested in playing for Miami Heat
"The Heat's interest in Chris Bosh apparently is mutual. A friend of the Toronto power forward said Bosh has interest in playing for Miami, which would love to add him via trade this summer or free agency in 2010. Bosh assuredly will dismiss any report linking him to another team because he doesn't want to upset the Raptors and doesn't need to decide his future for 13 months. But the friend said playing in Miami appeals to him. With Bosh announcing he will test free agency in 2010, a competing executive who spoke to Raptors president Bryan Colangelo said Toronto appears open to considering offers for Bosh and likely would consider a package that includes Michael Beasley -- if the Heat ..."
Timing of All-Star Game a poor fit for luring event to Miami
"Miami has the weather but apparently not the wherewithal when it comes to potentially hosting another NBA All-Star Game. In announcing this week that Los Angeles will host the All-Star Game for the second time in eight years with the awarding of the 2011 gala to Staples Center, Commissioner David Stern said the preference was to rotate the mid-February event in warm-weather cities. "There's a pattern emerging," Stern acknowledged. "I think that our guests seem to come in greater numbers to warm weather, and that's something that we're going to have to face up to and deal with as we seek to attract the largest number." The only time the Heat hosted All-Star Weekend was in 1990 at ..."
O'Neal, Diawara exercise 2009-10 options with Heat
"Miami Heat center Jermaine O'Neal has exercised his contract option for next season. Due $23 million in 2009-10 on the final year of his contract, O'Neal's decision was due by the end of the month. Reserve forward Yakhouba Diawara also invoked his option for next season, which calls for $945,000 on the second year of the two-year free-agent deal he signed with the team last summer. The Heat still has two remaining bookkeeping issues to be addressed before the July 1 start of the NBA's free-agency period. Reserve center Mark Blount almost certainly will bypass an early-termination option and instead collect the $8 million he is due next season on the final year of his contract. Unless he ..."
Orlando Magic faces same task as 2006 Miami Heat - digging out of an 0-2 hole
"Three years ago, the Miami Heat was in the same position that the Orlando Magic finds itself today: down 0-2 in the NBA Finals against a heavily-favored Western Conference opponent. Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy, who resigned as the Heat's head coach earlier that season, is using Miami's comeback as a reference point for his team heading into Tuesday's Game 3 against the Los Angeles Lakers. "I was still in Miami in 2006 when they lost both games in Dallas, and then were way down in the third quarter in Game 3 at home, came back and won that one, (and) Dallas never won another game," Van Gundy said. "Series can change." But it's a longshot. Teams that take a 2-0 lead in the finals win the ..."
Finals deficit a familiar road for Magic's Van Gundy
"Stan Van Gundy might have misplaced the championship ring he was given by the Heat as a displaced consultant, but the Orlando Magic coach hasn't lost sight of the path Miami took to the 2006 title. After watching his current team fall into a 0-2 deficit against the Lakers in the NBA Finals, Van Gundy hopes the Magic can retrace the steps his former team took to emerge from a similar hole. After opening his third season as the Heat's coach for the 2005-06 season, Van Gundy stepped down after 21 games and finished the season as a consultant amid internal conflicts. Van Gundy was on board as a paid consultant in the playoffs, when Miami rallied from an 0-2 Finals deficit with four consecutive ..."
Chris Bosh starts waiting game. Will Dwyane Wade, LeBron James follow?
"A weekly look at five talking points that have the league buzzing: 1. Bosh: Let's talk in 2010. Good for Chris Bosh. He took a stand. There will be no extension this summer, the Raptors power forward declared last week. Instead, his next contract move will come at the July 1, 2010 start of free agency. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have not been nearly as definitive, even though it is unlikely either would entertain an extension when they become eligible this summer, with July 12 the first day Wade could close such a Heat deal and July 18 the first day a Cavaliers extension agreement could be reached with James. The reality, though, is Bosh's preemptive statement preempts nothing. If ..."
Despite poor economy, NBA will not eliminate luxury tax
"Although several teams have taken a hit financially, NBA Commissioner David Stern said Thursday the league has no plans to eliminate the luxury tax until the economy recovers. With his team's player payroll projected to exceed $76 million, Hornets owner George Shinn could have to pay a luxury tax bill of more than $5 million next summer. The Hornets were one of the 12 teams that received loans from the league this spring. Since 2003, 17 of the league's 30 teams have borrowed $2 billion since the league began establishing a line of credit for loans used by teams. "There's a difference between choosing to and having a need to," Stern said at state of his league address before Thursday's ..."
Jones may need more surgery
"More than a month after the Heat's final game, forward James Jones remains uncertain about the approach he will take with the right wrist that kept him out for the first half of the season. During the latter stages of the Heat's first-round playoff series against the Hawks, Jones said he planned to have another surgery on the wrist to regain 100 percent range of motion. Jones, however, said Monday that such range of motion could trigger the same pain that led to last October's surgery for a ruptured tendon. Instead, the 3-point specialist said he might play next season with the wrist at 80 percent. "To get my range back," he said, "I would have to have the surgery. But regaining that type ..."
Common agent, common bond for Wade, Bosh?
"A weekly look at five talking points that have the league buzzing: 1. Not doubting Thomas. It is no coincidence that Heat guard Dwyane Wade and Raptors forward Chris Bosh, to the dollar, hold similar contracts. Wade will earn $14,410,581 in 2009-10. So will Bosh. Both can opt out after the coming season. Or both could earn $17,149,243 in 2010-11. Such is the measure of having the same agent, in this case Chicago-based Henry Thomas. While an amiable sort, Thomas also tends to remain low key to the point of reticence. When it comes to the two following a similar free-agent path, he leaves the talking to others. So Dwyane, for all the renewed speculation about a Wade-LeBron free-agent pairing ..."
Miami Heat execs hot on improving draft prospects
"Although the June 25 NBA Draft could prove to be a waiting game for the Heat, Vice President of Player Personnel Chet Kammerer said the team has put an early-detection system into place. Despite holding only the Nos. 43 and 60 selections, Kammerer said the team is looking at prospects ranked significantly higher. Heat President Pat Riley said earlier this month that the Heat is considering trading into the first round. The team's first-round pick was dealt to Minnesota in the 2007 deal for Ricky Davis. But Kammerer said the team's vigilance is mostly protection against players unexpectedly dropping into the Heat's range. "From 15 to 30, we definitely are focusing in on them, as well as the ..."
Parkinson's disease can't keep ex-Heat standout Brian Grant on sidelines
""Yeah, yeah," Brian Grant said, laughing. "What am I doing on that screen?" Grant, like so many, has been watching the NBA's compelling conference finals. So he's seen the NBA's commercial, reviving the memory of what once qualified as a painful experience: Kobe Bryant feeding Shaquille O'Neal for an alley-oop, over the head of a big, strong, young dude with dreadlocks, part of the Los Angeles Lakers' fourth-quarter comeback against his Portland Trail Blazers in Game 7 of the 2000 West finals. That moment, like many others, seems long ago. "I've learned you can't live in the past with anything that you do in life," Grant said, moments before meeting with local media in his home of ..."
Potential loss of superstar players leave Heat, Cavs on edge
"The Heat's nightmare scenario has turned into a dream sequence for three of the four remaining teams in the NBA's conference finals. Such is the impact of the potentially apocalyptic Summer of 2010. Either you're all in, enduring full-fledged night sweats, or you're not sweating next year's potential free-agent free-for-all. The Cavaliers? They're sweating more than their 2-1 deficit to the Magic in these Eastern Conference finals, with 2010 the summer when LeBron James can become a free agent. That puts them in the same boat as the Heat, which could lose Dwyane Wade as a free agent a year from July. Because of that, both the Heat and Cavaliers have been hoarding cap space for the Summer ..."
'09 Lottery gets hint Heat lacked in '08
"A weekly look at five talking points that have the league buzzing: 1. Griffin is the one? A year ago at this time there only was confusion. At the time, Bulls executive John Paxson insisted his team had yet to decide between Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley with the NBA Draft's No. 1 selection, essentially holding the Heat hostage at No. 2. If it was all a ruse, it was deception with an edge. Paxson grew decidedly agitated at last year's pre-draft camp in Orlando when it was suggested that the Bulls had already settled on Rose, their eventual choice. Now fast-forward to last week's lottery, when, within hours of the Clippers securing the No. 1 pick, Mike Dunleavy, the team's coach and ..."
Alonzo Mourning builds on life after basketball
"Retirement from the NBA has given former Heat center Alonzo Mourning plenty of free time recently. He has used it to travel, work on his golf game and devote more time to his charitable efforts in South Florida. Mourning's next goal is to build a youth center in Miami Gardens, similar to the Overtown Youth Center that Alonzo Mourning Charities operates near downtown. Mourning announced those plans Thursday at a news conference with Heat guard Dwyane Wade to promote The Summer Groove, a week of fundraising efforts next month that includes a celebrity basketball game, concerts and a golf outing that have been held the past 12 years. The events will run from July 8-12, with the All-Star ..."
Dwyane Wade hints at long-term Miami Heat commitment
"The commitment to South Florida, Dwyane Wade said Thursday, remains strong. His commitment to a long-term future as a member of the Miami Heat? That, the high-scoring shooting guard said, will come down to factors beyond his area charitable concerns. Still, if Thursday was any indication, Wade's plans for civic involvement in South Florida transcends both the remaining two seasons on his contract, as well as his July 1, 2010 opt-out window. Wade joined former Heat teammate Alonzo Mourning at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino for Thursday's formal announcement of the annual charity weekend Mourning founded 13 years ago. The difference this year is the event no longer is known as Zo's ..."
Time will tell if Beasley measures up to consensus No. 1 pick Griffin
"It has been a year of comparison for Michael Beasley. At this time last year, it was the merits of Beasley as a potential No. 1 NBA Draft pick ahead of Derrick Rose. Throughout this past season, after Rose went No. 1 to the Bulls, there was the debate of Beasley being taken No. 2 by the Heat, ahead of O.J. Mayo or even Brook Lopez. And closer to home, there was the issue of Beasley playing off the bench behind steady-but-unspectacular Heat power forward Udonis Haslem. Now there is another comparison, one that comes courtesy of Tuesday's NBA Draft lottery: Beasley vs. Oklahoma power forward Blake Griffin, who almost certainly will be taken as the No. 1 overall selection June 25 by the ..."
Former Heat player Brian Grant acknowledges Parkinson's
"Brian Grant, one of the most popular members of the franchise in the Heat's 21 seasons, has been diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson's disease, the 37-year-old retired center confirmed Monday. Grant's condition was first revealed in an ESPN.com article posted earlier in the day. The network is scheduled to air a report on Grant's ongoing battle with the progressive disease on its Sunday morning "Outside the Lines" program. Reaction to Grant's affliction was swift and heartfelt. "Brian Grant is one of the greatest team players and warriors that I have ever coached," Miami Heat President Pat Riley said in a statement. "I'm saddened by this news. "Brian will find a way to fight this because ..."
To win another championship, Dwyane Wade needs help, not scoring titles
"Dwyane Wade led the league in scoring this season at 30.2 points per game and made first-team All-NBA for the first time in his career. It's all good, right? Not really, at least in terms of the Heat's overall goal to win another title. Having one overwhelmingly sensational scoring star does far more to sell souvenir jerseys than it does to win championships. A team needs serious balance to dig deep into the post-season, which you already know after witnessing Miami's first-round elimination by the Hawks, but a scan of NBA history really drives the point home. Go all the way back to 1946-47, when the league debuted with quirky teams like the Pittsburgh Ironmen, the St. Louis Bombers and ..."
Miami Heat reduces staff, including Wali Jones
"The economic downturn has reached the AmericanAirlines Arena offices of the Miami Heat, with the team this week announcing a round of layoffs that includes popular Community Affairs Liaison Wali Jones, among others. With NBA Commissioner David Stern having discussed the need for the league and its teams to modify how business is conducted in the current economic climate, the Heat became the latest team to shed salary, just days after the Sacramento Kings announced similar cuts. The Heat layoffs, which number about 20, a figure the team declined to confirm, came solely on the business side of the team's operation, which is headed by team President Eric Woolworth. "These challenging economic ..."
Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade named to All-NBA first team
"The most statistically productive season of Dwyane Wade's six-year career was highlighted Wednesday by another first for the Heat's star guard. Wade was named to the All-NBA first team for the first time, and became only the fourth player in franchise history to receive the honor. Joining Wade on the first team were Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, Cleveland forward LeBron James, Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki, and Orlando center Dwight Howard. Tim Hardaway (1996-97), Alonzo Mourning (1998-99), and Shaquille O'Neal (2004-05 and 2005-06) are the other Heat players to be named to the All-NBA first team. O'Neal was picked for the third team this year. The first-team selection was one of ..."
Wade becomes first Heat player earn All-NBA honors four times
"Scoring champion Dwyane Wade joined MVP LeBron James on the All-NBA first team announced Wednesday. James was a unanimous selection after leading the Cavaliers to a franchise-record for wins and playoff sweeps of the Pistons and Hawks. Joining Wade and James on the first team are Kobe Bryant of the Lakers, Dirk Nowitzki of the Mavericks and Dwight Howard of the Magic. Wade made the first team for the first time. He earned second team honors in 2004-05 and 2005-06 and third team honors in 2006-07, making him the first Heat player to earn All-NBA honors four times. Wade is the fourth Heat player to receive first-team honors. Wade joins Tim Hardaway (1996-97), Alonzo Mourning (1998-99) and ..."
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