Miami Heat Blog – Page 107 – NBA Blog

Kevin Durant wanted Shane Battier to sign with Thunder

In his first game back in Memphis since Game 6 of the second round of the playoffs, Durant admitted that his lobbying last month for former Grizzlies forward Shane Battier was real.

“I was dead serious,” said Durant, who used Twitter in late November to attempt to recruit Battier. “I wanted him since last year, after we beat them in the playoffs. I was telling a few of the guys, ‘Shane would be a good fit here for us.’ He was a guy I was looking forward to playing with, but Miami jumped in and took him.”

Durant said he understood why Battier chose to sign with the Heat.

“Let’s be real,” Durant said. “Guys like LeBron (James) and D-Wade and (Chris) Bosh, they’re lobbying for you as well. And it was me and Nazr Mohammed and Nick Collison lobbying for him. And you look at the names there, you look at Miami, the weather and just that whole aura around those guys and of course he’s going to pick them. But it’s a decision that he made for him and his family. You can’t really be upset about it.

“Shane’s an unbelievable player, a great teammate from what I’ve heard. I wish him the best. If he would have come here it would have been perfect for us.”

— Via Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman

Chris Bosh still trying to find place in offense

Much was made here and elsewhere of the muscle that Chris Bosh added this offseason, especially visible in his upper arms.

And yet, in the second preseason and regular season opener, Bosh hasn’t managed to do much in the low post.

It’s too early to make too much of this, especially since foul trouble limited Bosh’s minutes, and hurt his rhythm, in Dallas. But it bears watching. With Erik Spoelstra tailoring much of the offense to the versatile talents of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and encouraging them not only to push the pace but also to sometimes set up camp down low, Bosh is the guy who could get left behind.

After Tuesday’s shootaround, Bosh acknowledged that it remained “a feeling out process.”

— Via Ethan J. Skolnick of the Palm Beach Post Blog

Shawn Marion breaks finger in loss to Heat

Shawn Marion suffered a broken left pinky in Sunday’s game against the Miami Heat, but said he doesn’t expect it to keep him out Monday against Denver.

“It hurts like hell,” he said. “But I’m a warrior.”

Marion said he hurt the finger – which already was mangled from previous injuries suffered in his career – during the third quarter when he was trying to make a defensive play.

— Via Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News

Derrick Rose still mad about losing to Heat in 2011 playoffs

On the eve of a new season, Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose admitted that he still hasn’t completely gotten over the fact that his team lost in five games to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals last spring.

“I’m not over it yet,” he said before the Bulls’ Saturday morning practice at UCLA. “I’m still thinking about it. That was one of the things that is still driving me right now is wanting to be able to be in that position again to see what I’m going to do about it. I think I’ve been preparing myself for it, but we will have to see.”

Rose said he can still remember the disappointment he felt after the game that night.

— Via Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago

Miami Heat waive guard Eddie House

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have request waivers on guard Eddie House.

House appeared in 56 games (one start) with the HEAT last season and averaged 6.5 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 17.5 minutes while shooting 39.9 percent from the field, 38.9 percent from three-point range and 95 percent from the foul line. Additionally, he appeared in seven postseason games with Miami and averaged 1.6 points in 6.9 minutes of action while shooting 23.5 percent from the field and 30 percent from three-point range.

The 11-year NBA veteran previously signed with the HEAT on August 3, 2010.

Rafer Alston seeks NBA comeback

Veteran point guard Rafer Alston seemed done with the NBA, but has apparently had a change of heart and is looking to extend his pro career.

Alston’s agent and long-time friend Eddie Lau on Wednesday told InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner that the guard, who last played in the NBA for the Miami Heat and New Jersey Nets in the 2009-10 season, wants to return to the league. Lau says he is in contact with multiple teams.

The 6-2, 175-pound Alston has an NBA career average of 10.1 points, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game.

Lately, he’s been coaching at the high school level.

Knicks sign guard Mike Bibby

New York Knickerbockers Senior Vice President, Basketball Operations and Interim General Manager Glen Grunwald announced today that the team has signed free agent guard Mike Bibby. Per team policy, terms of the deal will not be disclosed.

“Mike is a veteran point guard who we know can be successful in our system,” Grunwald said. “He’s an effective player who has a long track record of leading his teams to postseason success.”

Bibby, 6-2, 195-pounds, holds career averages of 15.2 points, 5.7 assists, 1.20 steals and 34.7 minutes in 962 games (946 starts) over 13 NBA seasons with Vancouver, Sacramento, Atlanta, Washington and Miami. The Cherry Hill, NJ-native posted 8.6 points, 3.3 assists and 0.60 steals over 28.6 minutes in 80 games (68 starts) with Atlanta, Washington and Miami last season. He started all 20 postseason games for the Miami Heat, averaging 3.6 points, 1.1 assists and 0.55 steals over 20.8 minutes.

The University of Arizona alum was originally selected after his sophomore season by Vancouver in the first round (second overall) in the 1998 NBA Draft. He appeared in 100 postseason games (100 starts) and averaged 13.0 points, 4.1 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.10 steals over 33.6 minutes.

Heat sign center Eddy Curry

— via the Heat

The Miami Heat announced today that they have signed free agent center Eddy Curry. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Curry, a nine-year NBA veteran, has appeared in 511 games (410 starts) and averaged 13.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 25.4 minutes while shooting 54.5 percent from the field and 64.2 percent from the foul line. He last played for the New York Knicks appearing in 222 games (208 starts) and averaged 15.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 28.5 minutes while shooting 56.3 percent from the field. He is currently New York’s all-time franchise leader in field goal percentage (1,228-of-2,180). Additionally, his 57.6 percent shooting from the field during the 2006-07 campaign stands as the second-best single-season mark in Knickerbockers history.

He has ranked among the NBA’s Top 5 players in field goal percentage four times over his career. He finished first in 2002-03 (.585), second in 2005-06 (.563), fourth in 2006-07 (.576) and fifth in 2004-05 (.538). After leading the NBA in field goal percentage during the 2002-03 season, he became the first Chicago Bull to lead the NBA in a major stat category since Michael Jordan in 1997-98 (scoring, 28.7) and the first Chicago player to pace the league in field goal percentage since Artis Gilmore in 1981-82 (.652).

Curry was originally drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the first round (4th overall) of the 2001 NBA Draft, the youngest draft choice in their franchise’s history.

InsideHoops.com hears that Curry has lost 50-70 pounds and is in good shape right now.

Read NBA fan reaction or share your views in this basketball forum topic.

Heat re-sign Juwan Howard

The Miami Heat announced today that they have re-signed free agent forward Juwan Howard. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Howard has appeared in 1,173 regular season games (898 starts) with seven teams over 17 seasons. During his career, he has averaged 13.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 31.0 minutes while shooting 47 percent from the field and 76.4 percent from the foul line. He appeared in 57 games last season with the Heat averaging 2.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 10.4 minutes while shooting 44 percent from the field and a career-best 82.9 percent from the foul line.

The former NBA All-Star has appeared in 40 postseason games (13 starts) and averaged 6.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 20.9 minutes while shooting 39.8 percent from the field and 75.8 percent from the foul line. He appeared in 11 postseason contests last season with the Heat totaling 17 points, 10 rebounds and one assist in 60 minutes of action while shooting 4-of-9 from the field and 9-of-13 from the foul line as Miami made their way to the 2011 NBA Finals.

Howard originally signed with the Heat as a free agent on July 20, 2010.

Heat re-sign forward James Jones

The Miami Heat announced today that they have re-signed free agent forward James Jones. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Jones has appeared in 447 regular season career games (73 starts) over eight seasons. During his NBA career, with four different teams, he has averaged 6.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 18.9 minutes while shooting 40.2 percent from the field, 40.2 percent from three-point range and 85.7 percent from the foul line. He has scored in double-figures on 114 occasions and has shot at least 82 percent from the foul line every season of his career.

During the last three seasons with the Heat, Jones appeared in 157 regular season games (15 starts) averaging 5.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 17.1 minutes while shooting 39.7 percent from the field, 40.8 percent from three-point range and 83.2 percent from the foul line. The 2010 NBA All-Star Three-Point Shootout Champion ranks among Miami’s all-time leaders, placing fourth in three-point field goal percentage, 15th in three-point field goals made (193) and 19th three-point field goal attempts (473).

Jones originally signed with the Heat as a free agent on July 9, 2008 before being waived by the club on June 29, 2010. He was then re-signed on July 19, 2010 before becoming a free agent for the 2011-12 season.