Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Mavericks, Heat, Dwight Howard

September 2nd, 2012 at 11:52am CST by Daniel Seco

On this day in NBA history in 1948, Nate "Tiny" Archibald was born in New York City. The undersized guard would go on to enjoy a 14-year career spent mostly with the Kansas City Royals and the Celtics. Inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 1991, Archibald averaged 18.8 PPG and 7.4 APG over the course of his career.

Here's the latest news and headlines from around the league:

Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News examines how the Mavericks could end up with Al Jefferson next summer. The center will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2012/13 season and will be available for a less than maximum deal. If the Mavs are able to sign Jefferson, they should be able to add another top player to complement him.
The Heat's decision to guarantee Dexter Pittman's contract confuses Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel but understands it takes just one team to lose him. If Pittman went to another team, it would make LeBron James the heaviest player on the roster with Chris Bosh 15 pounds behind him. Nonetheless, Pittman will have to demonstrate that he's worth keeping around during training camp as continued poor judgement on his end could leave him off the roster at the season's start.
Dwight Howard took out a one page ad in Sunday's edition of the Orlando Sentinel to thank fans for their support, writes the Sentinel's own Josh Robbins. The move can be viewed as questionable given how childish Howard had acted over the last year with regard to his future with the Magic.

Winderman On Heat, Blatche, Draft, Free Agents

September 1st, 2012 at 2:49pm CST by Chuck Myron

The success of the small-ball lineup during the Heat's run through the playoffs last season has changed the organization's philosophy toward big men, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. They're still likely to add a big man to the roster before training camp, but they don't feel obligated to give heavy minutes to a traditional center. Instead, they'll look for post-up opportunities from others on the floor, as former All-Star center and current Heat front office executive Alonzo Mourning says. Winderman believes they can make up for not having a 7-footer close to the boards by gang rebounding and having LeBron James and Dwyane Wade rebound at better rates than you would expect at their positions. Here's the rest of Winderman's South Beach chronicles:

While Andray Blatche may be reluctant to sign with the Heat, who wouldn't guarantee him the playing time he'd need to show whether he's improved from last season, Winderman believes the 6'11" former Wizards big man "certainly would make some sense" for Miami (Twitter link). We heard earlier today the Nets are meeting with Blatche this weekend, while the Heat, Spurs and Timberwolves have also been linked to him.
The value of the first-round draft pick the Sixers owe the Heat took a hit when Philadelphia acquired Andrew Bynum, Winderman notes. The Sixers were barely a playoff team and drafted 15th this June, but if Bynum helps lift the Sixers' record higher this season, it could push the pick that goes to the Heat into the 20s. The Heat traded the 27th pick this June for the lottery-protected 2013 first-rounder, as well as the 45th pick this year, which Miami used to take Croatia-bound Justin Hamilton.
Winderman is surprised that Matt Barnes, Kenyon Martin and Josh Childress remain on the market, and expects them to sign soon after Labor Day (Sulia link). Last night we heard Barnes is talking to multiple teams.

Odds & Ends: Pietrus, T-Wolves, Heat, Pistons

August 30th, 2012 at 3:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Late August isn't typically an active period for NBA transactions, but one notable move took place on this day 12 years ago. On August 30th, 2000, the Cavaliers, Trail Blazers, and Heat completed a three-team deal that sent Shawn Kemp to Portland, Brian Grant to Miami, and three players and a first-round pick to Cleveland. The Blazers ended up getting the short end of the swap — after averaging 17.8 PPG and 8.8 RPG the year before, Kemp's averages dipped to 6.3 PPG and 3.8 RPG in two unproductive seasons in Portland. The Blazers ended up releasing Kemp long before his massive contract came to an end.

12 years later, here are this afternoon's odds and ends from around the NBA:

Timberwolves president David Kahn has spoken to Mickael Pietrus' camp about the former Celtics wing, tweets Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500. Pietrus isn't likely to accept a minimum-salary deal, so the T-Wolves would probably have to trade a player to make the 30-year-old a real option.
Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel concedes that another veteran addition or two could help the Heat, but cautions not overstate the team's need.
In a mailbag for Pistons.com, Keith Langlois fields readers' questions about the Pistons' rookies, possible trade scenarios, and a handful of other topics.
Dave Deckard of Blazer's Edge examines which players will play at which positions for the Trail Blazers now and down the road.

Southeast Notes: Heat, Chalmers, Webster, Howard

August 29th, 2012 at 8:09pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers may have made the bigger offseason splash, but executives around the NBA still view the Heat as the most dangerous team heading into the 2012/13 season, according to SI.com's Sam Amick. Of the 19 execs, including 10 GMs, asked by Amick to pick their favorites for the 2013 title, 15 chose the Heat, with two opting for the Lakers and two naming the Thunder. We've heard a lot about Southeast Division teams today, so we'll round it all up here, with the latest on top:

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel doesn't think the Heat are quite as willing to trade for a point guard as they were last year (Sulia link). He says he's seen reports that the Wolves might be looking to deal someone from their backcourt, and though we haven't heard anything specific, Darren Wolfson of ESPN Radio 1500 reported earlier that Minnesota is attempting to work out a trade to free cap room for Anthony Tolliver.
Mario Chalmers, whose continued development has apparently impressed his bosses with the Heat, sees himself among the league's elite point guards, but that might be stretching it a bit, as Winderman writes.
Michael Lee of The Washington Post has more on Martell Webster's signing with the Wizards, which became official today. Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld hopes Webster can improve the team's outside shooting, but Webster, who sees himself as "more of an all-around player," doesn't want to be typecast as a three-point specialist.
Dwight Howard's decision to fly to China for a promotional appearance two weeks after saying his injured back would not allow him to travel to Orlando for his children's basketball camp in Orlando is another sign the former Magic center wanted out of town all along, opines Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.

Earlier reports:

Shane Battier tells Andrew Beaton of The Chronicle (Duke's student newspaper) that he'd love to recruit former Duke players for the Heat: "We’ve got a pretty full roster, so we didn’t recruit any Duke guys this summer. But, if the opportunity arises, I won’t be afraid to make a phone call."
Newest Wizard Martell Websterspoke to WashingtonWizards.com about signing with Washington and what he expects to bring to the team.
Dwyane Wade has returned to the court for the first time since undergoing knee surgery, as Winderman writes.
In examining four teams he believes are "set up to fail" in the 2012/13 season, Derek Page of HoopsWorld names two Southeast squads: The Bobcats and the Magic.

Kyler On Gasol, Randolph, Boozer, Heat, Perkins

August 28th, 2012 at 9:31am CST by Luke Adams

In his latest NBA AM piece for HoopsWorld, Steve Kyler examines a few players that may not be a part of their respective teams' long-term plans. Let's round up the highlights from Kyler's piece….

According to Kyler, 2012/13 is "likely [Pau] Gasol's last season with the Lakers," and some people even believe he'll be dealt by the trade deadline if Dwight Howard is healthy and dominant. However, it's more likely that the team commits to the current roster for the full season and re-evaluates things next July. Given the $19MM+ Gasol is owed in 2013/14, along with the CBA's more punitive luxury tax penalties, the odds Pau remains with the team until the end of his contract are "astronomically small," says Kyler.
The Grizzlies shopped Zach Randolph around the time of the draft, but didn't find a suitor with serious interest. Of the Memphis players with big, long-term deals, Randolph is probably the one the team is most open to moving, says Kyler.
Bulls sources maintained this summer that amnestying Carlos Boozer has "never been a real consideration," but the team figures to revisit that issue in future offseasons.
Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem are both future amnesty candidates for the Heat, though Miller could end up eventually retiring for medical reasons.
If one or more of the Thunder's big-man projects (Cole Aldrich, Hasheem Thabeet, Daniel Orton) shows promise and consistency this season, Oklahoma City could be faced with a decision on Kendrick Perkins. His contract and health questions may make him a trade or amnesty candidate, particularly if the team locks up James Harden to a big contract.

Odds & Ends: Nuggets, Harrellson, Playoffs

August 27th, 2012 at 7:34pm CST by Alex Lee

Here is the latest news and notes from around the NBA on Monday night:

With Andre Iguodala on board, the new-look Nuggets are drawing plenty of attentions from the fans in Denver. Aaron Lopez of Nuggets.com addresses expectations, the projected starting lineup and more in a summer mailbag.
According to his agent, free agent big man Josh Harrellson will visit three more teams in the next week or two, tweets Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports. His agent wouldn't disclose the teams. Harrellson worked out for the Heat last week, but hadn't received an offer from the team as of Friday.
Chris Bernucca from Sheridan Hoops gives his take on how the Eastern Conference will shake out this season, and puts the Hawks, Bulls, Bucks and Raptors on the playoff bubble. Bernucca provided his Western Conference analysis over the weekend.

Heat Notes: Riley, Howard, Rotation, Miller

August 27th, 2012 at 2:02pm CST by Luke Adams

In his list of the top five general managers in the NBA, Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld names Pat Riley the league's "top dog." I'm not sure I totally agree with Brigham's rankings, which place the GMs of all the league's consensus title contenders (Heat, Lakers, Thunder, Spurs, and Celtics) in the top five. Still, Riley has definitely had a successful offseason, adding Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis to a team that's already coming off a title. Let's round up the rest of today's Heat-related updates from around the web….

Is there a chance that Juwan Howard returns to Miami this season? Here's what Dwyane Wade told Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (Sulia link) about the possibility: "Obviously, if he comes into camp and we've got open spots, Juwan is a guy who has meant so much to us, we would love him around, no matter what the case may be. If it's around as a player? Yeah. If it's around as part of the coaching staff, we just want him to be here. And hopefully he'll want to stay here and everyone can do whatever they can to make it happen."
Asked in a mailbag if Miami's roster might be a little heavy on three-point shooters, Winderman argues that there's no such thing as having too many good outside shooters. Winderman expects coach Erik Spoelstra to ride the hot hand among a group that includes Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis, Mike Miller, James Jones, and Shane Battier.
It appears Miller will forgo back surgery, and he says he's healthy, but Winderman believes the veteran shooter's status going forward could be perpetually "day-to-day."

Eastern Notes: Haslem, Wade, Collins

August 26th, 2012 at 9:03am CST by Daniel Seco

The Heat enter the 2012/13 season as the team to beat given their status as reigning NBA champions, but will face numerous improved squads on a nightly basis. From the Sixers' deeper frontcourt to a reloaded Nets team, Miami faces an uphill battle as it looks to take home another ring. Here's the latest from around the Eastern Conference…

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel says the Heat should be able to count on Udonis Haslem as the team's backup center even after having a disappointing season last year. The big man's struggles most likely stemmed from his continued recovery from a previous foot injury. Beyond Haslem, the Heat have few options to provide depth to their frontcourt and may have to add pieces during the season like they did last year.
Dwyane Wade spoke with Winderman about how the Heat's style of play evolved over the course of the season to best fit the players they had on their roster and their respective skill-set. "You never know what player is going to start off and be playing a certain way and you switch things up a little bit," Wade said. "But we have that luxury, because we have not only three marquee players, but we have a lot of other players on our team that's very capable, highly capable, and very good."
Sixers head coach Doug Collins says that he sees himself continuing to coach in Philadelphia for four or five years, writes Marc Narducci of The Philadelphia Inquirer. He also wants to make it clear that he's not campaigning for Coach K's former spot as the head coach of USA Basketball. "It's a tremendous honor that somebody would even throw my name out there," Collins said. "It's four years down the road and I understand in this business you hope you are an active coach at the time."

Heat Notes: Howard, Lewis, Andersen, Pittman

August 25th, 2012 at 10:25am CST by Zachary Links

News and notes out of South Beach courtesy of the Sun Sentinel's Ira Winderman..

It's not yet known if Juwan Howard, who turns 40 in February, will return for a third season with the Heat, but he has been working out at AmericanAirlines Arena. Dwyane Wade suggested that Howard could return to Miami as an assistant coach. The Heat are expected to keep their coaching staff intact, but Howard could be tacked on as an extra assistant who sits behind the bench.
While there has been a great deal of talk surrounding the idea of "position-less" basketball in Miami, Wade says that due to the team's evolution over the years, it would be foolish to assume anything about plans for 2012/13. The club's direction will have a large impact on how the newly-acquired Rashard Lewis will be used.
In the mailbag, a reader asks if the club will be able to lure both Josh Harrellson and Chris Andersen to camp without guaranteed deals. Winderman writes that Harrellson doesn't seem likely to land a guaranteed deal but Anderson has already turned down a lucrative overseas deal and will likely will be seeking a guarantee.
The bigger issue could be if the Heat would be willing to eat Dexter Pittman's salary to allow for multiple additions in the frontcourt. Pittman is set to earn $854K next season.

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Miami Heat

Josh Harrellson Works Out For Heat

August 24th, 2012 at 8:07am CST by Luke Adams

FRIDAY, 8:07am: The Heat are still weighing their options at center and haven't made Harrellson an offer, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. However, Harrellson's agent, Merle Scott, said his client had a good workout, and that the two sides are scheduled to talk again next week.

THURSDAY, 11:52am: Free agent big man Josh Harrellson worked out with the Heat this morning, according to Tom Haberstroh of ESPN.com. Harrellson himself hinted at the workout yesterday, tweeting: "Miami!!! Ready to impress!"

Harrellson was traded earlier this summer by the Knicks as part of the sign-and-trade deal that sent Marcus Camby to New York. The 23-year-old's time with the Rockets was short-lived, however, as the team waived him last week in order to clear a roster spot to sign Carlos Delfino.

Since he went unclaimed on waivers, Harrellson is now free to sign with any club except the Knicks, who are ineligible to re-add him until next July. While Heat president Pat Riley has said his team doesn't need to add a center, Harrellson would be a good fit for a team that's expected to play some combination of Chris Bosh, Udonis Haslem, Joel Anthony, and Dexter Pittman in the middle.