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Eastern Notes: Heat, Love, Celtics, Brand

June 2nd, 2014 at 7:44pm CST by Zachary Links

You might think that the Heat have been talking three-peat every day for the last three years, but you’d be mistaken.  “We talked about it from the first day, we talked about the legacy of this team,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, according to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. “The players that weren’t here that first year, they inherited all of those experiences. But it was only that first day. We’ve never brought it up since then.  It was about now tackling the challenges of the day‑to‑day life of an NBA season.”  More out of the Eastern Conference..

  • If Rajon Rondo made a pitch to Kevin Love to sell him on the Celtics, he’s not admitting it, as the Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn writes. “I talked to Kevin for about 39 seconds,” Rondo said. “It was all over the web? Well, we do work together. We played against each other. We compete, so when I saw Kevin, I spoke, wished him good luck on his time here in Boston.”  Rondo also reiterated his desire to retire with the C’s.
  • Elton Brand, who spent last season with the Hawks, intends to play a 16th NBA season, writes Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  Brand played 73 games, including 15 starts, for the Hawks last season after signing a $4MM deal.  That was the most games Brand has played in since he appeared in 86 regular season and postseason contests with the Sixers in 2010/11.
  • Shane Battier has signed on to be a college basketball analyst with ESPN next season and, as expected, will be retiring from the Heat, writes Jason McIntyre of The Big Lead.  Before he gets set for the broadcast booth, he’ll try and help the Heat capture a third consecutive title.  Battier received preliminary inquiries to run for a Senate seat in Michigan or work in the Pistons’ front office, but chose broadcasting first, tweets Ethan J. Skolnick of Bleacher Report.  Out of respect for the Finals, however, he’ll says he’ll wait until it’s all over before he addresses the new ESPN gig (link).
  • With the Clippers about to sell for $2 billion, John Gonzalez of CSNPhilly.com wonders how much the Sixers would go for if they were on the market.  Ultimately, Gonzalez feels that a $1 billion price tag for the Sixers isn’t implausible.
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Amico’s Latest: Allen, Battier, Rivers, Kerr

April 7th, 2014 at 9:30am CST by Chuck Myron

Ray Allen appears unlikely to return to the Heat next season, writes Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. League insiders nonetheless believe that if the Heat’s trio of stars return, there’s a strong chance the team will try to re-sign Allen, too, so it seems his future is contingent on what LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh decide to do. Indeed, those three will have much to say about what happens in free agency leaguewide, and Amico has more on the summer ahead and another member of the Heat as we highlight here:

  • Several teams are expected to court Heat forward Shane Battier for an executive job or a gig related to player development, Amico hears. Battier recently reiterated his plans to retire at season’s end.
  • The emergence of Brian Roberts has strengthened the belief around the league that the Pelicans will trade former lottery pick Austin Rivers this summer, according to Amico. Roberts is set to become a restricted free agent.
  • Sources tell Amico they wouldn’t be surprised if several teams aside from the Knicks try to convince Steve Kerr to run their basketball operations. Kerr has expressed a desire to coach, but it looks like the leaguewide interest in him is as an executive, the role he held with the Suns from 2007 to 2010.
  • Boris Diaw, Luol Deng, C.J. Miles, Marvin Williams, Luke Ridnour, Kris Humphries, Devin Harris and Jimmer Fredette are other free agents who appear unlikely to be back with their respective teams, Amico writes.
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Shane Battier Sure He Will Retire

March 29th, 2014 at 12:31pm CST by Cray Allred

Heat veteran Shane Battier has already said this would “probably” be his last year, but it appears that his pending retirement is now a certainty. Battier told reporters including Ethan J. Skolnick of Bleacher Report last night that his mind is made up (Twitter link). “It would take an act of God to change it and that act of God hasn’t come,” said Battier.

Battier is playing out the last year of the 3-year, $9.4MM deal he signed with Miami after the team lost in the 2011 Finals. The small forward has been instrumental in the Heat’s two subsequent championships, providing both the long-range shooting ability and defensive versatility that coach Erik Spoelstra has needed to fit his offensive and defensive schemes built around the unique strengths of LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

Battier has long been considered a player whose value isn’t evident in the box score, and was an early darling of the advanced metrics community. Still, his performance has waned of late. He spent much of last year’s title run out of the rotation, and is averaging career lows in minutes, points, and field goal percentage this season.

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Shane Battier Will “Probably” Retire

November 24th, 2013 at 2:14pm CST by Zachary Links

Heat forward Shane Battier says that he’ll “probably” retire after this season, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.

“In all honesty, this is probably my last year, and so, I’m not saving myself for anything,” he said. “My mindset is really, ‘Just go ’til the wheels fall off.’ If that means I crash and burn at Christmas, that’s the way I go out. “But I’m not saving myself for anything. My role now, with this starting lineup, is just playing my tail off and bring energy and, you know, go as long as I can go.”

Battier has found himself the starting power forward the past seven games and leads the NBA with eight charges drawn.  Couple that with some serious banging down low for rebounds, and Battier has taken a beating early on in the 2013/14 campaign.  Coming into 2013/14, Battier owned career averages of 9.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks over 904 career games with the Rockets, Grizzlies, and Heat.  The former Duke star has been to the playoffs in nine of his 12 seasons in the NBA.

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Heat Rumors: Workouts, Beasley, Battier

September 9th, 2013 at 2:01pm CST by Luke Adams

2:01pm: Former Ohio State guard Je'Kel Foster will work out for the Heat as well, reports Charania. As our international tracker shows, Foster played in Germany last season.

1:33pm: In addition to the players mentioned below, the Heat also plan to work out free agents Julyan Stone and Vander Blue this week, according to Winderman.

1:15pm: Word broke over the weekend that the Heat may be considering the possibility of bringing back former second overall pick Michael Beasley, following his release by the Suns. While Miami's apparent level of interest varied from report to report, you can certainly make the case that Beasley would be a low-risk addition on a minimum-salary contract. Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel acknowledges as much in his latest mailbag, but notes that the Heat have been reluctant to add other potential off-court distractions such as Stephen Jackson and DeShawn Stevenson, making a reunion with Beasley a long shot.

Here's more on the Heat:

  • Former Heat swingman Yakhouba Diawara expects to sign a deal with a Eurocup team this week, but will work out for Miami before then, according to Shams Charania of RealGM.com. The Pepperdine product has been weighing NBA and overseas options, and will work out for the Magic as well, but is likely to continue his career in Europe. As our international player movement tracker shows, Diaware played for Venezia in Italy in 2012/13.
  • Justin Holiday, released earlier this offseason by the Sixers, will also work out for the Heat, reports Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Holiday, who is set to work out for the Jazz as well, aims to earn an NBA roster spot, and views an overseas contract as his Plan B, as he tells Haynes. Although he played in the D-League last season, Holiday isn't currently considering that possibility.
  • Shane Battier will contemplate the possibility of retiring when his current contract expires in 2014, but isn't ruling out free agent opportunities yet, as Winderman details at the Sun Sentinel. "This door is always open," Battier said of continuing his career for multiple years. "This is not a farewell tour, no. But if it is, it is. And I'll enjoy this year and try to make the most of it."
  • 2012 second-rounder Justin Hamilton confirmed that he has signed with the Heat, via a tweet. We heard yesterday that Hamilton would be in camp with the team.
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Shane Battier To Retire After Next Year

June 8th, 2013 at 4:02pm CST by Zachary Links

As he gets ready for Game 2 of the 2013 Finals against the Spurs, Shane Battier is thinking quite a bit about his future in the NBA.  The veteran forward indicated to Alex Kennedy of USA Today that he probably has one more year of basketball left.

"I think I have one more year," Battier said. "My contract is up next year, and I'll reassess where I am, but we'll see. It's a good possibility, a good possibility. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, and everything in this league is negotiable, but at that point I'll be 36 and it may be time to do something else."

Battier has averaged 9.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks over 904 career games with the Rockets, Grizzlies, and Heat.  The former Duke star has been to the playoffs in nine of his 12 seasons in the NBA. 

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Heat Rumors: Harrellson, Gladness, Howard

September 26th, 2012 at 10:10am CST by Luke Adams

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."
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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.
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Odds & Ends: Bosh, Battier, Harden, Sixers

June 11th, 2012 at 8:30pm CST by Michael Pina

One of the most highly anticipated NBA Finals in recent history doesn't kick off until tomorrow night, but here are a few links relating to both teams involved—as well as some that, unfortunately for them, are not.

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Odds & Ends: Woodson, Van Gundy, Jazz, Perkins

May 8th, 2012 at 10:38pm CST by Daniel Seco

With an exciting night of NBA playoff madness still underway, we take a break from the action to catch up on the latest news and happenings from around the league.

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