Mickell Gladness

Heat Rumors: Harrellson, Gladness, Howard

Coming off a championship season and a summer in which they didn't lose any significant pieces, the Heat appear to have less uncertainty heading into the 2012/13 season than any other team in the NBA. Still, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel is able to identify 10 questions facing the Heat as they get set to open training camp. Here are the rest of the morning's notes from out of Miami:

  • In his latest mailbag, Winderman says he wouldn't mind seeing the Heat add a little more depth at point guard, perhaps a defensive-minded player.
  • The Heat are expected to keep two of Dexter Pittman, Josh Harrellson, Mickell Gladness, and Jarvis Varnado, says Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Of those four, Pittman has a leg up since his contract is guaranteed.
  • One Eastern Conference scout on a couple of Miami's options: "Harrellson can be exposed defensively, but he’s a better player than Gladness and more skilled. Gladness is athletic and long but has no offensive game. Harrellson can shoot it and plays his butt off."
  • Juwan Howard is still working out with the Heat and hopes to earn a one-year deal from the team, according to Jackson.
  • Terrel Harris and Garrett Temple will likely compete for the final perimeter spot, says Jackson.
  • Shane Battier tells Jackson that he thinks he could get away with playing primarily at power forward this season, if the team needs him there: "The regular season is not as physical as the playoffs. Guys aren’t hitting as hard."

Heat Sign Mickell Gladness, Jarvis Varnado

The Heat have signed a pair of bigs to make-good contracts, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Mickell Gladness and Jarvis Varnado have received invitations to the team's training camp, with a chance to earn a spot on the regular-season roster.

Gladness, 26, made his NBA debut in 2011/12, spending time with both the Heat and Warriors in his rookie season. The Alabama A&M product saw very limited minutes in his eight games for the Heat, but is viewed as a low-cost project, and didn't require a guaranteed contract.

Varnado, meanwhile, was the Heat's 41st overall pick in 2010, and has played overseas for the last two seasons. We heard a month ago from Emiliano Carchia of Sportando that Varnado would be leaving his team in Italy to join Miami's training camp, but the Heat didn't make it official until now.

The Heat now have 15 players under contract, but can continue to add players on non-guaranteed deals, up to a total of 20. Miami may not bring that many players to camp, but according to Winderman, the club is expected to offer non-guaranteed contracts to Terrel Harris and Robert Dozier, a 2009 second-rounder. The Heat have also worked out Josh Harrellson and Jerome Dyson this week.

Riley: Heat Don’t Need To Add Center

In an appearance on 560 WQAM in Miami, Heat president Pat Riley acknowledged that the team could use another big man, but said he didn't view it as an essential addition, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

"We definitely are going to continue to look for somebody in that spot," Riley said. "But unless there's an injury, we really don't need a center…. We signed Chris [Bosh], basically, in my mind, fully in my mind, not in the back of my mind, he was probably going to be our center in critical situations. Chris Bosh is a power forward, he's a Tim Duncan-type player, but when you watch the San Antonio Spurs play, Tim is in the middle. That's all there is to it."

Since acquiring their Big Three, the Heat have dealt with a hole at the center position, rotating players like Joel Anthony, Udonis Haslem, Dexter Pittman, and Ronny Turiaf in and out of the spot, with mixed results. Still, it's hard to argue with Riley when he says adding a big isn't a necessity, considering the team is coming off a championship.

If the Heat do add a big man, Darko Milicic has been rumored as one possibility. Winderman also points to Mickell Gladness and second-round pick Justin Hamilton as low-cost options. With no mid-level or bi-annual exceptions left to sign free agents, the Heat could only offer minimum-salary contracts.

Warriors Sign Mickell Gladness For Rest Of Season

In a tweet, Yahoo's Marc J. Spears reports that Golden State has signed Mickell Gladness for the rest of the season. It was reported yesterday that the signing was expected to be for the rest of the season as opposed to a 10-day deal. 

As our Chuck Myron wrote yesterday, Gladness began the season with the Heat, appearing in eight games before getting waived February 7th. He then signed two 10-day deals with Miami, despite interest from the Warriors when he signed the last one.

Warriors ‘Very Likely’ To Re-Sign Mickell Gladness

3:50pm: Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com reports the deal is likely to be for the rest of the season, and not another 10-day contract. Thompson is reporting it this way now, too. 

2:25pm: Mickell Gladness is "very likely" to get another 10-day contract with the Warriors, a source tells Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group (Twitter link). He's on the last day of a 10-day deal he signed earlier with the team.

The 6'11", 220-pound Gladness has played a total of 44 minutes in six games with Golden State, hitting on six of 12 shots from the floor and recording six blocks. The Warriors are short on big men with Andris Biedrins out with a groin injury, and have signed both Gladness and Keith Benson to 10-day deals in the last two weeks, as our 10-day tracker shows.

Gladness began the season with the Heat, and appeared in just eight games before getting waived February 7. He then signed a pair of 10-day deals with Miami, despite interest from the Warriors when he signed the last one.  If he re-ups with the Warriors as expected, it will be his fourth 10-day deal this season.

Warriors Sign Mickell Gladness

The Warriors have officially signed Mickell Gladness to a 10-day contract, according to a team release. The Warriors reportedly had been set to sign J.J. Hickson, but the forward was unexpectedly claimed by Portland before he could clear waivers.

Gladness, 25, signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Heat this season, appearing in eight games for Miami. Over the last three seasons, he has played mostly in the D-League, averaging 4.6 PPG and 3.8 RPG in 81 career D-League contests.

Scott Schroeder of RidiculousUpside.com first reported that the Warriors would sign Gladness.

Heat Re-Sign Mickell Gladness

Mickell Gladness has signed sign a second 10-day contract with the Heat, the team confirmed today (hat tip to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel). Gladness had been offered a 10-day deal by the Warriors, but preferred to stay with the Heat.

Gladness was waived by the Heat earlier this month, before his contract became guaranteed for the season, but signed a 10-day contract shortly thereafter. If the Heat intend to keep the 25-year-old for longer than ten more days, they'll have to sign him to a rest-of-season deal after March 9th.

In eight games for the Heat this year, Gladness has logged 28 minutes, recording two points and 11 rebounds. Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida first reported that the big man would sign a second 10-day contract with Miami.

Warriors Offer Mickell Gladness 10-Day Contract

The Warriors have offered Mickell Gladness a 10-day contract, tweets Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida. However, Gladness hopes to sign a second 10-day deal with the Heat. He's expected to find out on Tuesday whether the Heat want to bring him back.

The Heat waived Gladness in early February rather than guarantee his contract for the remainder of the season, but brought him back within a week on a 10-day contract. When that deal expired last week, Tomasson said that if the Heat offered a second 10-day deal, it would happen after the All-Star break.

Gladness, who has appeared in eight games this season, prefers to sign with the Heat because they were "the first ones to give me a chance," he tells Tomasson (Twitter link).

Odds & Ends: Gordon, Chandler, Celtics, Martin

As we look forward to a busy evening schedule highlighted by Hawks/Knicks and Mavericks/Lakers matchups, here are a few Wednesday links that we haven't covered elsewhere:

  • Asked about the possibility of signing with his hometown Pacers as a restricted free agent this summer, Eric Gordon sounded intrigued by the possibility, as Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star writes. "Coming back here would be a lot of pressure," Gordon said. "But I think it would be good for the fans. We'll see. You never know where this summer will take me."
  • Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post is curious to see how much money and how many years the Nuggets will offer Wilson Chandler, who may not be a future starter for the team. The Raptors' interest in Chandler may have an impact on his negotiations with Denver as well.
  • Injuries could force the Celtics to sign or trade for a big man, says A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com.
  • Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld explores what the future holds for Kevin Martin, who doesn't appreciate the way the Rockets are handling his contract situation, according to Ingram.
  • If the Heat sign Mickell Gladness to a second 10-day contract, it will likely happen after the All-Star break, tweets Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida. With Joel Przybilla headed to Portland, I'd be surprised if Miami didn't re-sign Gladness, whose first 10-day deal just expired.

Heat Re-Sign Gladness To 10-Day Contract

After clearing the 48-hour waiver window, the Heat have re-signed center Mickell Gladness to a ten-day contract.

According to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, who broke the story via Twitter, Gladness can be signed to up to two 10-day contracts (they don't have to be consecutive), after which he must be signed for the entire season or released. Gladness, 25, made his NBA debut with the Heat in December and is currently averaging 1.3 RPG in limited action this season. The former Alabama A&M star has spent most of his career in the NBA Developmental League having averaged 4.5 PPG and 3.7 RPG with the Dakota Wizards and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in 77 games.

One player who should be happy to see Gladness return to the Heat is Terrel Harriswho was known to eat dinner on the road with his fellow rookie.