Heat Trade Rumors

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. ..."
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 ..."
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 ..."
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 ..."
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 ..."
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 ..."
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 ..."
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 ..."
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 ..."
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 ..."
Sentiment against trading Miami Heat's Michael Beasley
"The Heat has strong interest in Chris Bosh, but it has not offered to trade Michael Beasley in a package for potential 2010 free agents Bosh or Amare Stoudemire, and there is sentiment inside the Heat against offering Beasley. Here's why: The Heat believes it has a decent chance to sign a top 2010 free agent, even if it cannot trade for one before; envisions Beasley as a future All-Star who can be used at small forward (''he can play that spot, no doubt,'' Pat Riley said) and power forward; and likes having a potential star earning modest money ($15.9 million over the next three years), especially with the possibility of two maximum contracts in 2010-11 ( Dwyane Wade, and ideally, Bosh). ..."
Dwyane Wade extension in limbo till July
"Heat President Pat Riley has clarified his comments regarding extension negotiations with Dwyane Wade. After saying during his Wednesday media session that the issue has "been broached," Riley stressed Thursday he meant that there have been internal discussions with owner Micky Arison regarding the guard's contract. According to the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement, negotiations on an extension cannot be consummated until the three-year anniversary of the initial contract being signed. For Wade, that was July 12, 2006. "Nothing's happening right now," Wade's agent, Henry Thomas, said Thursday. "There is no conversation." By having to wait until July 12 with Wade, the Heat might have ..."
Trading Beasley for Bosh could be Heat's wisest move
"When Pat Riley said signing Dwyane Wade was the top priority this offseason — "Absolutely," the Heat president said Wednesday — that's all I needed to hear about Michael Beasley's future. Start packing. Enjoy Toronto. Sorry it couldn't work out, because watching you grow would have been fun. That's why part of me hates to write this: Trading Beasley for Chris Bosh this summer becomes the safest, smartest, simplest move for the Heat to make. Maybe it's even the best move, though it's not the one with the biggest upside. This all will take some explaining and connecting of dots. Let's start here: This is about Wade, not Beasley. Wade drives the franchise. Wade sells the tickets. Wade is the ..."
Miami Heat's offseason priority is to sign Dwyane Wade to extension
"Although the goal for the Heat has long been to create as much salary-cap space as possible to sign two superstars in 2010, the priority is to get half of that work done now. Heat president Pat Riley laid out his offseason itinerary Wednesday. And atop the agenda was signing Dwyane Wade to a contract extension that would keep the team's marquee player in Miami through the 2014-15 season. Riley put forth a blueprint with Wade as the centerpiece now and in the future. Wade, the NBA's scoring champion who finished third in MVP voting, has one guaranteed season remaining on his contract and could opt out of his deal next summer, when several other superstars could be free agents. But Riley ..."
Micky Arison: Heat won't wait till 2010 to make big move if opportunity arises
"It will be challenging for the Heat to upgrade significantly this summer because it is up against the luxury-tax threshold and wants big 2010 salary-cap space to re-sign Dwyane Wade and another free agent (potentially Chris Bosh or Amare Stoudemire). But owner Micky Arison said this week the Heat is willing to expedite the process this summer if the opportunity arises. ''If a player you would be targeting became available in 2009, why wouldn't you do it?'' Arison said of possibly trading for a 2010 free agent. ``. . . We have not historically been a very patient organization. We're an organization that moves quickly. If the opportunity came along, we would consider it. But we're doing it ..."
Miami Heat might move Michael Beasley to small forward
"Here's something to think about as the Heat heads into the off-season: back-up power forward Michael Beasley could become the starting small forward next season. "It's going to be one of the major areas of focus," coach Erik Spoelstra said Monday, a day after the team was eliminated from the playoffs. Such a move would give the club's second-leading scorer (13.9 points per game) a more prominent role on the front line alongside center Jermaine O'Neal and power forward Udonis Haslem. The Heat generally started Jamario Moon or James Jones at small forward since trading Shawn Marion on Feb. 6. A major task for the Heat will be improving on its 43-39 record and fifth seed in the Eastern ..."
Miami Heat's Jermaine O'Neal uncertain for Game 7
"Heat center Jermaine O'Neal took a big step Saturday in his recovery from a concussion, but he had not cleared a medical hurdle that would allow him to play in Sunday's playoff game against the Hawks. O'Neal participated in some shooting drills during the Heat's light practice before the team's flight to Atlanta. He is listed as questionable for the game, and will meet with the medical staff Sunday in advance of the 1 p.m. start. O'Neal sustained the concussion when he was inadvertently elbowed in the head by Hawks center Zaza Pachulia as O'Neal attempted to block a shot in Game 5 on Wednesday in Atlanta. O'Neal played a few more minutes before he left late in the second half. O'Neal, who ..."
Heat forward Udonis Haslem out for a while
"Forward Udonis Haslem, who will have his injured right thumb examined by a hand specialist Sunday in Miami, said he hopes to return in seven to 10 days. Haslem lacerated the thumb on his shooting hand Friday while trying to block a shot by Gerald Wallace in a 97-92 victory against the Charlotte Bobcats. Haslem's thumb hit the backboard hard, slicing the thumb down the center. The cut required seven stitches. He is wearing a splint and said he is in some pain because his thumb 'bent back pretty far' during the play. Haslem is known for playing through injuries, although he can't this time. ''I don't know how I'd be able to avoid busting the stitches open again just playing ball,'' Haslem ..."
Walsh: LeBron not only option
"Speaking candidly on a "Knicks on Demand" video for the team's Web site, Knicks president Donnie Walsh said he does not have all his eggs in LeBron James' basket and his decision to make trades to get under the salary cap in 2010 was a broader philosophical move. Speculation in recent weeks is King James isn't leaving Cleveland. "You always have a backup plan," Walsh said from his Westchester office on the videotape, in which he answers submitted questions from fans. "I really didn't know what the list of free agents were. "It wasn't like I was going after LeBron or this guy. It was just, we have to get in the free-agent market. The market in that year, I won't have to pick all the ..."
Marbury talked to Riley before signing with Celtics
"MIAMI - Stephon Marbury started Wednesday night for the Celtics at AmericanAirlines Arena. Plan B could have had him playing for the opposition. Marbury confirmed he had spoken with Heat President Pat Riley before signing with Boston following last month's buyout from the Knicks. "They came in at the tail end," he said. Heat guard Dwyane Wade also stayed in contact with Marbury throughout the buyout process. "I think everybody knew he was going to go to Boston or try to go to Boston, so it wasn't a surprise to anybody," said Wade, who was a Marbury teammate at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Wade said he envisioned Marbury as someone who could mentor the Heat's young point guards. The Heat's ..."
Luther Heading elsewhere
"Agent Mark Bartelstein just made it unofficially official: The Nets are out of the running for his client, Luther Head. And before you jump to conclusions, you should know this: It was only their inability to guarantee playing time that was the dealbreaker. And no, they didn't go cheap on you with a playoff berth at stake: "If we wanted to come, they were willing to pay," Bartelstein believes. But here's your basic bottom line: "They have a three-guard rotation right now that they're set with, and we want Luther to control his own destiny," the agent said of his free-agent client, who was waived by Houston Saturday. "So it's not going to be the Nets -- it's just not the right fit. It's ..."
Trade Deadline Yields Options at Point Guard for Miami Heat
"With the trade deadline looming Thursday, the Heat has plenty of options as it pursues a third point guard. Although the Heat addressed its front-court depth in Friday's trade with Toronto, which landed center Jermaine O'Neal and forward Jamario Moon, it lost depth at point guard when it sent seldom-used reserve Marcus Banks and forward Shawn Marion to the Raptors. Heat president Pat Riley has said acquiring a point guard would be a priority in the coming days. The Heat could land point guard help by using either the roughly $700,000 exception it acquired from Memphis in the Shaun Livingston trade or the $4.2 million exception Riley said was part of the trade with Toronto. With the Heat ..."
Heat owner 'absolutely' wants Pat Riley to remain as team president
"Heat president Pat Riley wants to remain in his role with the organization. Team owner Micky Arison wants to keep Riley around as long as he possibly can. The next step is for one to convey his message to the other. Arison said Saturday that he would ''absolutely'' like Riley to stay on board as president to oversee the team's restructuring plan in the summer of 2010, when Heat guard Dwyane Wade and several other top-tier players become free agents. But Arison said he and Riley have not yet discussed an extension to Riley's contract, which expires sometime after the 2009-10 season. ''We still have a year-and-a-half, so there's plenty of time,'' Arison said Saturday at courtside of the ..."
Raptors acquire Marion from Heat
"The Toronto Raptors have agreed to send Jermaine O'Neal and Jamario Moon to the Miami Heat in exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks, league sources told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher. The deal is pending league approval, according to league sources."
O'Neal still on trade block with deadline closing
"Bryan Colangelo arrived in his old stomping grounds a marked man, someone who'll be very popular with his fellow NBA general managers during this weekend's all-star festivities in Phoenix. The Raptors' president has made no secret of the fact he's dissatisfied with some aspects of his team's play and, with the NBA trade deadline less than a week away, the normal chatter he has with rival general managers will take on a far more serious tone. Colangelo will most likely seek out whoever is in Phoenix representing the Miami Heat to discuss the still-alive talks involving Jermaine O'Neal and Shawn Marion."
Suitors aplenty for Amare
"The Bulls are far from the only team talking to the Phoenix Suns about a deal for Amare Stoudemire. The Golden State Warriors haven't hidden their interest, and the New Jersey Nets admitted their talks with the Suns were unproductive. Bulls general manager John Paxson declined to comment on Stoudemire. But a source shot down one report that the Bulls and Miami Heat were the front-runners to land Stoudemire, saying the two teams that have offered the most for the All-Star forward have yet to be publicly identified. According to Miami media, the Heat has been trying to get Suns president Steve Kerr to take back Shawn Marion, who went to Miami for Shaquille O'Neal last February. The Heat also ..."
Chandler to be dealt?
"With the trade deadline less than two weeks away, the rumors are increasing, and several possible deals involve Hornets starting center Tyson Chandler. However, Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower declined Sunday to say whom they might be shopping or could have an interest in obtaining before the Feb. 19 trade deadline. Bower did say he has made a number of phone calls and has received several inquires from general managers. Chandler has been rumored in possible trades since December, when Sports Illustrated mentioned Chandler in a possible exchange for the Detroit Pistons' Rasheed Wallace. The latest rumor has Chandler going to the Miami Heat in exchange for power forward Shawn Marion, ..."
Miami Heat should land Stoudemire as a free agent
"Let's ignore for a moment how ridiculous the Phoenix Suns would look by taking back Shawn Marion and giving up their best player and essentially announcing they haven't made a single correct move since Steve Kerr starting making personnel decisions. Let's ignore for a second the fact that, should Phoenix trade Amaré Stoudemire, the team would immediately have to trade an angry Shaquille O'Neal, bid farewell to any thought of retaining Steve Nash and declare that its future is in the hands of Michael Beasley -- and Michael Beasley alone. Let's ignore all of that and assume the Suns are, indeed, in conversations with the Heat about a possible trade that would send Stoudemire to Miami for ..."
Guard Dwyane Wade committed to Miami Heat
"Days after suggesting the possibility of becoming a teammate of LeBron James after the two become free agents in 2010, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade shot down at least one potential destination for the star-studded tandem: New York. Wade said Tuesday that he remains committed to the Heat for now and could see himself spending the rest of his career in Miami. But Wade also said he would explore all of his options should he elect to opt out of his contract and become a free agent in 2010, the same summer several of the NBA's top players have options. James, the Cleveland Cavaliers forward, is expected to be the most sought-after free agent in 2010 as part of a class that also includes Wade, ..."
Heat's Daequan Cook expected to miss time
"Miami Heat guard Daequan Cook is expected to miss time this week due to a bruised left thigh suffered late in Saturday's loss to the Dallas Mavericks at AmericanAirlines Arena. Cook, who caught a knee from Mavericks forward James Singleton with 4:05 to play in the 111-96 loss, took treatment Sunday and displayed enough flexibility that it was determined there was no need for an MRI. The Heat is listing Cook as doubtful for Monday night's game against the visiting Los Angeles Clippers. "It's a deep bruise, contusion right now," Cook said after Saturday's game. "It's a lot of pain right now. "It was above the knee, right were the kneepad cut off at. It's a tough spot.""
Marbury Feels Heat
"Stephon Marbury officially added Miami to the list of serious suitors during an interview on ESPN's SportsCenter yesterday. "I've spoken to Boston, to Miami, Mark Cuban (Dallas owner)," Marbury said. "All those talks I'm having is irrelevant because I can't get out of my deal." Marbury created a furor when he told The Post Sunday the Celtics have given him a verbal commitment if he becomes a free agent while blasting Knicks brass for not agreeing to a buyout because it doesn't want him in Boston. Marbury told a confidant yesterday he is concerned the league does not want it public teams have given him commitments while under contract with the Knicks, even though Donnie Walsh gave him ..."
Miami Heat's Marion might miss Magic game with groin injury
"MARION MISSES PRACTICE Between constant trade speculation and a strained groin, Heat forward Shawn Marion is coping with aggravation. Marion did not practice Friday and said the injury likely would force him out of Saturday's game against Orlando. If Marion were unable to play, it would be the second game he has missed since he sustained the injury late in a Jan. 17 loss at Houston. Marion said he receives treatment ''three or four times a day'' with the hope of returning soon. On Friday, he said the decision to play is no longer his to make. ''They [aren't] going to let me do it,'' Marion said when asked if he would test the groin during warm-ups Saturday in an attempt to play. ``Even if ..."
Miami Heat's Riley talks about trades
"On the day Pat Riley said farewell to retiring center Alonzo Mourning, the Heat president confirmed that his search continues for the next big man to help the team. Addressing trade speculation in person for the first time in months, Riley said there are roster voids he might address before the Feb. 19 trade deadline. One potential trade gaining traction has Miami sending forward Shawn Marion and guard Marcus Banks to the Toronto Raptors for center Jermaine O'Neal. But Riley would not say whether the teams have exchanged the players' medical records. ''I could have made the same request to five other teams also,'' Riley said. ``I'm not going to admit anything. Let me do our due ..."
Heat and Raptors exchange medical records
"A deal that would send Jermaine O'Neal to Miami and Shawn Marion to Toronto is progressing. According to a league sources, the two teams have exchanged medical records, usually a precursor to a deal. The Knicks had talked to Miami about a Marion-for-Eddy Curry deal, but Curry has appeared in only one game this season due to a knee injury."
Heat expected to address Alonzo Mourning's status
"The Miami Heat has scheduled a major announcement for 12:30 p.m. today at AmericanAirlines Arena. Amid increasing speculation about a trade involving the team, with conjecture in recent days centering on forward Shawn Marion, the Heat is instead expected to address the status of center Alonzo Mourning, who in recent days has spoken of moving on to the next stages of his life. Mourning has spent the past year attempting to come back from a severe knee injury sustained in December 2007 in a game against Atlanta. He currently is an unsigned free agent. In recent days, though, Mourning, a kidney-transplant recipient, has spoken of getting on with his life, particularly his charitable efforts. ..."
Trade scenarios abound for Miami Heat forward Marion
"As the Miami Heat continues to consider a deal for Jermaine O'Neal, Miami has been giving thought to other Shawn Marion trade scenarios, including one involving Dallas small forward Josh Howard, according to an official involved in the Marion discussions. Several teams have inquired about Marion, who's unlikely to re-sign here, but it's not certain a deal will happen. The Heat considers center its No. 1 need and O'Neal as the best center available but remains concerned about his sore right knee (which has sidelined him 11 games this season) and the $23 million he's due in 2009-10, the last year of his contract. It's 50-50 whether Miami will accept Toronto's offer of O'Neal for Marion and ..."
Home at last, but harried
"With his players back at work at AmericanAirlines Arena for the first time since Jan. 5, Erik Spoelstra had more than just two weeks' worth of jet lag to deal with. "It seems," the first-year Heat coach said, "like there's a new storyline every day." Tuesday's practice offered three more: The continued push to complete health for his roster. The imposing upcoming schedule that includes consecutive home games against the Celtics, Magic and Hawks, beginning with tonight's visit by Boston. And the lingering rumors about forward Shawn Marion possibly being dealt to Toronto for Jermaine O'Neal or elsewhere by the Feb. 19 trading deadline. "There's been so many things swirling around," Spoelstra ..."
Trade talks just talk, GMs say
"At least the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors are speaking the same language. While Raptors president Bryan Colangelo refused to specifically address rumours that he is in discussion with the Heat about sending Jermaine O'Neal to Miami in exchange for Shawn Marion, he said any moves his NBA team had under discussion were a long way from coming to pass. "There's nothing imminent," Colangelo said yesterday. Heat president Pat Riley was similarly dismissive in a brief statement last Sunday. "It is typical of this time of year in the NBA that people put the cart before the horse," Riley said through a spokesman. "Whoever is saying that [a trade is imminent] is putting the cart before the horse." ..."
Intrigue grows: Jermaine O'Neal held out by Toronto Raptors
"If the Miami Heat moves forward with a trade for Toronto Raptors center Jermaine O'Neal, it might have to make the move sight unseen. Held out for a second consecutive game and the 11th time in the last 12 games due to what the Raptors are calling a sore right knee, O'Neal was again reduced to spectator for his team's 87-84 Monday road loss to the Atlanta Hawks. O'Neal said last week, after his lone appearance since Dec. 29, a 17-minute stint in a Friday road loss to the Indiana Pacers when he did not make a basket, that he could envision being dealt to the height-challenged Heat. Just as O'Neal has been inactive since Saturday, so have Heat forward Shawn Marion and guard Marcus Banks, ..."
Riley downplays trade rumor
"Heat President Pat Riley, in his first public comments about a potential trade for Toronto's Jermaine O'Neal, cautioned that the deal is not imminent. While not denying interest in O'Neal, Riley said in a team statement released Sunday that reports about the potential trade were premature. "It's typical this time of the year in the NBA that people put the cart before the horse," Riley said. "Whoever is saying that is putting the cart before the horse." The Heat is considering sending forward Shawn Marion and guard Marcus Banks to the Raptors for O'Neal. But Riley is concerned about O'Neal's immediate availability after he recently missed nine games with a sore knee. O'Neal, 30, played 17 ..."
Report: Raptors, Heat discussing trade
"The Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat are discussing a trade that would send centre Jermaine O'Neal to the Heat in exchange for forward Shawn Marion and point guard Marcus Banks, the Florida Sun-Sentinel reports. Concerns about O'Neal's health are delaying negotiations. O'Neal returned to action on Friday after missing nine games with a knee inury. He came off the bench and scored two points and added seven rebounds in just over 17 minutes of action. Heat president Pat Riley reportedly wants to wait until closer to the NBA's Feb. 19 trade deadline to make a deal, while Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo is looking to make a deal immediately. O'Neal was acquired in an ..."
Don't buy that house just yet
"One month before the NBA trade deadline, there has been plenty of talk but little action. That could change before Feb. 19. In a year when six head coaches were fired during the first two months of the regular season, some believe management will be just as impatient with unproductive and/or high-priced players, whose performance has done nothing for their team's won-loss record and whose salary limits future roster flexibility. Call it a sign of these economically-depressed times. Charlotte point guard Raymond Felton is a likely target of several suitors. Felton was the No. 5 pick in the 2005 draft, taken just behind Utah's Deron Williams and New Orleans' Chris Paul. While he is not ..."
O'Neal trade talk Heats up
"The Raptors are moving toward a significant mid-season trade that would ship Jermaine O'Neal to the Miami Heat for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks in a deal involving highly paid veterans unable to fit seamlessly into new situations. Multiple league sources confirmed yesterday that talks have progressed to the point where the trade, although not imminent, could be finalized when the Heat are satisfied O'Neal is healthy enough to help them in their drive for the Eastern Conference playoffs. How many more games it will take to convince the Heat is unclear, but the sources confirmed talks are nearly completed at the highest levels of each organization. Raptor officials, citing long-held team ..."
Heat discussing trade of Shawn Marion for Jermaine O'Neal
"The Heat is discussing a trade that would send Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to Toronto for forward/center Jermaine O'Neal but the deal is on hold as the Heat continues to monitor O'Neal's health. Toronto President Bryan Colangelo would like to complete the deal soon. However, it may not happen until closer to the Feb. 19 trade deadline due to Heat president Pat Riley's concerns about O'Neal's immediate readiness with the Heat in contention for a playoff berth. O'Neal recently returned after a nine-game absence due to a knee injury. O'Neal, though injured often during his 13-year career, would fill the Heat's glaring need for a low-post scorer. With $45 million due over the next two ..."
Heat considering swap for Raptors’ O’Neal
"As Jermaine O’Neal and his troublesome right knee returned to the Toronto lineup on Friday night, perhaps no one studied the Toronto Raptors center more closely than Pat Riley. The Miami Heat president has been seriously considering a trade package for O’Neal that would send Shawn Marion to Toronto, multiple league sources said. Yet Riley first needs to see O’Neal’s progress before he’ll make the leap of faith on a trade. Nevertheless, O’Neal, 30, was telling league associates as recently as Friday that he believes there’s a good chance he’ll end up in Miami. “If he’s healthy,” one source close to O’Neal said Friday, “it could very well happen.” League executives say that Riley has been ..."
Miami Heat Should Trade Shawn Marion Soon
"We interrupt this refreshing and entertaining Heat season with news that it won't remain this way. The success, excitement and playoff pace likely will continue. Anytime your team features one of the league's top three players at the peak of his greatness, it's a safe guess that any game is winnable, and maybe even a playoff series or two. It's the personnel that is likely to feature a significant alteration. The chances of Shawn Marion remaining with the Heat for the balance of this season are quite slim. And the thought here is that it would be in the Heat's best interest to trade this bouncy All-Star forward soon. This isn't an indictment of Marion as a player. On the right team, for ..."
Heat's Shawn Marion might return
"Heat forward Shawn Marion said he expects to play Monday against San Antonio after missing Saturday's game because of back spasms. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Marion aggravated his back in Friday's loss in Orlando. Marion initially was injured Dec. 19 against the Los Angeles Lakers, when Heat center Joel Anthony fell on top of him. Marion, who was a late scratch for Saturday's game against the Nets, missed his fourth game of the season. ''It just locked up on me, and I couldn't move,'' Marion said after Saturday's overtime win. Spoelstra said Marion was in pain when he arrived for Saturday's walkthrough, but was optimistic the team's leading rebounder -- he averages 9.2 -- would be ..."
Heat Forum Top 5
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  2. Off Topic Thread Vol. V:#1 OT on PSD.
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  4. And now...
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  5. What are we really waiting for?
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