Miami Heat Blog – Page 139 – NBA Blog

Nets CEO Brett Yormark snaps at bag-wearing fan

New Jersey Nets CEO Brett Yormark has a good reputation. But every once in a while, even the best executives are prone to get emotional, especially during an especially dismal season like this one. Here’s what went down in New Jersey Monday, as the team lost to the Miami Heat.

Julian Garcia of the New York Daily News reports:

With the Nets trailing 79-67 between the third and fourth quarters, Yormark left his courtside seat and passed Chris Lisi of Middletown, N.J., who was sitting in the second row and wearing a paper bag over his head. Yormark then walked back toward Lisi, and in full view of reporters and photographers got into a shouting match with Lisi and a pal.

As Yormark jabbed his finger toward Lisi as he shouted something, Lisi pulled out a pair of tickets and waved them back at the CEO, who then stomped away as security personnel approached.

A Yormark spokesperson said the executive had no comment regarding the incident, but Lisi claimed that Yormark had incited it by asking him why he had the bag over his head. When Lisi sarcastically answered, “Because the Nets are so good,” Yormark snapped at him. Neither Lisi nor his companion, who joined in the shouting match, is a season-ticket holder, and they seemed to be unaware of whom they were arguing with.

It’s probably best to chalk this one up to every human being needing to let some steam off once in a while.

Heat sign Kenny Hasbrouck to 10-day contract

The Miami Heat announced today that they have signed guard Kenny Hasbrouck to a 10-day contract, making him the 25th Gatorade NBA Development League call-up this season. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Hasbrouck, a 6’3”, 195-pound guard, has appeared in 10 games (nine starts) with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Development League averaging 16.9 points, 2.9 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.60 steals in 32.3 minutes of action, leading the team to a 7-3 record, while shooting 50.4 percent from the field, 38.1 percent from three-point range and 80.6 percent from the free throw line. He scored a season-high 29 points at Bakersfield on March 6 and posted three consecutive 20-point games after scoring 20 vs. Springfield on February 26, 21 vs. Bakersfield on February 29 and then 24 at Springfield on March 1.

Hasbrouck was undrafted out of Siena College where he played four seasons appearing in 129 career games (all starts) and averaged 14.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.92 steals in 31.1 minutes while shooting 44.5 percent from the field, 37.6 percent from three-point range and 74.0 percent from the line. He became the third fastest player to reach 1,000 points in Siena Division I history and graduated as the school’s all-time leader in steals (248). The two-time MAAC tournament MVP had his number 41 jersey retired by Siena at a season ending banquet on April 27, 2009.

Hasbrouck will wear number 4.

Rafer Alston suspended by Heat for rest of season

The Miami Heat announced today that guard Rafer Alston has been placed on the suspended list and has been suspended for the remainder of the season.

He had already been suspended “indefinitely” by the team. But it has now been extended until the season is over.

“While we are aware, through media reports, of the personal issue that Rafer is going through, we still have not heard from him,” said Heat President Pat Riley. “As stated before, our thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family during this time, but we are at the point where we must move forward with the rest of the season during our playoff push. Therefore, we are placing Rafer on the suspended list and suspending him for the reminder of the season. We wish Rafer nothing but the best and thank him for his contributions.”

Alston appeared in 25 games (all starts) for the Heat this season averaging 6.6 points, 2.9 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 26.2 minutes.

Heat suspend Dorell Wright two games

Miami Heat President Pat Riley announced today that Dorell Wright has been suspended for two games for conduct detrimental to the team.

“This is out of character for Dorell, we feel he’s a good person and that he will learn from this mistake,” Riley stated.

Wright’s suspension will start with tonight’s game vs. Chicago and conclude with Sunday’s game vs. Philadelphia.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports:

In the wake of his Thursday arrest in Miami Beach for driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license, Miami Heat forward Dorell Wright has been suspended without pay by the team for two games.

Wright missed Friday’s game against the Chicago Bulls at AmericanAirlines Arena and all will miss Sunday’s home game against the Philadelphia 76ers…

Wright, who played 22 minutes in Wednesday night’s 108-97 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at AmericanAirlines Arena, was stopped at 3:37 a.m. Thursday in his 2005 Bentley for erratic driving.

Wright, 24, was cited after changing lanes without signaling, with the police report noting he was traveling 52 mph in a 35 mph zone on Alton Road. The report noted the California native nearly struck a taxi after changing lanes and then had difficulty putting his white Bentley in park.

Dorell Wright charged with DUI

Michael Wallace of the Miami Herald reports:

The latest episode came early Thursday, when forward Dorell Wright was arrested on South Beach and charged with DUI and driving with a suspended license.

According to the arrest report, Wright, 24, was stopped at 3:37 a.m. in his 2005 Bentley near the intersection of Alton Road and Eighth Street. Officers said they saw Wright driving erratically and, when they approached his car, observed “red and watery eyes, odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath and slurred speech.”

Wright was also accused of driving 52 miles an hour in a 25 mph zone, and of operating his vehicle without proper proof of insurance available.

Heat suspend Rafer Alston

The Miami Heat announced tonight that Rafer Alston, while having made contact with the team via text message, has made himself otherwise unavailable to the team. As a result he has been suspended indefinitely.

It’s quite possible the Heat will part ways with Alston in the coming days.

Alston, who is in his 11th NBA season, was signed as a free agent by the Heat on January 7, 2010. He has appeared in 52 games this season (38 starts) with the Heat and New Jersey Nets and has averaged 8.2 points, 3.4 assists, 2.5 rebounds, 0.96 steals and 27.3 minutes. He started all 25 games in which he appeared for Miami this season and averaged 6.6 points, 2.9 assists, 2.2 rebounds, 0.92 steals and 26.2 minutes.

The Heat played at home Saturday night, beating the Atlanta Hawks 100-94. Alston was not at the game.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports:

Alston failed to report for practice Friday, which the team did not initially disclose, and then did not appear at Saturday’s victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

His abrupt departure from the team came a day after he was demoted from his starting role in Thursday’s overtime victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Alston, who was signed Jan. 7 to add punch to a shaky rotation at point guard, was benched for the final three quarters of Tuesday’s victory over the Golden State Warriors and then replaced in the starting lineup Thursday by Carlos Arroyo, not seeing any action in that game.

Carlos Arroyo arrested: traffic violation, resisting arrest

Michael Wallace of the Miami Herald reports:

Carlos Arroyo arrested for traffic violation and resisting arrest

Heat point guard Carlos Arroyo was arrested Friday in Coral Gables and is facing charges for a traffic violation and resisting arrest.

According to the arrest report, Arroyo was spotted at 8:41 a.m. driving slow enough along the 7100 block of Old Cutler Road to the point that he was said to be impeding traffic.

Arroyo apparently was on his way to the Heat’s practice at AmericanAirlines Arena. He did not attend the workout in advance of Saturday’s game against Milwaukee…

Arroyo, 30, eventually stopped but “attempted to resist” being handcuffed when he exited his car. He was also accused of being “confrontational and challenging” and “posing a threat to both himself and officers,” the report said.

Heat tried to trade for Carlos Boozer

Marc Stein and Chad Ford of ESPN report:

The Miami Heat spent the final hour-plus before the NBA’s Thursday afternoon trading deadline trying to convince the Utah Jazz to surrender Carlos Boozer, according to NBA front-office sources.

The Jazz, though, would not relent before the trade buzzer sounded, one source close to the process told ESPN The Magazine’s Ric Bucher.

One source with knowledge of Utah’s thinking told ESPN.com from the start of Thursday’s discussions that a trade was “unlikely,” but the teams were still talking entering the last half-hour before the deadline hit.

ESPN.com reported earlier Thursday that the Heat and Jazz had opened discussions on a Boozer deal. Yahoo! Sports reported that the Wizards were recruited as a third team to try to help facilitate the deal, but one source told ESPN.com that the Wizards were no longer involved in the talks.

Rafer Alston happy Nets let him go

Howard Kussoy of the New York Post reports:

A member of the Heat since being signed on Jan. 7, after clearing waivers, Alston suffered with the Nets as they opened the season with an NBA-record 18 straight losses. Less than a year removed from playing in the NBA Finals for the Orlando Magic, Alston remained with the Nets as their record hit 3-30.

The indignity would soon end, as Alston escaped NBA’s Shawshank, crawling through a river of losses and coming out clean on the other side, finding serenity on the beach.

“The one common question I always get [from other players] is ‘How tough was it? or ‘It must’ve been tough.’ It was,” Alston said. “I don’t think any player in this league wants to go through setting the record for the most consecutive losses and then being where they’re at now. You played as hard as you can and you did everything to stay in the game and then you’d still lose the game. That was the hard part.”

Stan Van Gundy to coach 2010 East All-Star team

Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy will coach the Eastern Conference All-Stars for the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, to be played on Sunday, Feb. 14, at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

With a 91-86 road victory tonight over the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills, the Magic (32-16, .667) clinched the second-best record in the Eastern Conference through Jan. 31. The Cleveland Cavaliers’ Mike Brown coached the East in last year’s game and is not eligible for the honor this season.

In his third year as coach, Van Gundy has Orlando poised to win its third straight Southeast Division title and back in title contention a season after guiding the Magic to The Finals. The Magic posted a 111-53 mark during Van Gundy’s first two years at the helm. Including his two-plus-year sting as head coach of the Miami Heat, Van Gundy has earned NBA Eastern Conference Coach of the Month honors on five occasions. With a 255-142 (.642) overall coaching record, Van Gundy is almost certainly assured of owning one of the top winning percentages in league annals when he reaches the minimum requirement of 400 games coached.

George Karl of the Denver Nuggets earned the right to coach the Western Conference earlier this week and will man the sidelines of his fourth NBA All-Star Game of his 22-year NBA coaching career. Los Angeles’ Phil Jackson, who coached last year’s West squad, is not eligible to coach this year’s All-Star Game.

The NBA All-Star Game will broadcast live on TNT, ESPN Radio and in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide at 8 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 14, from Arlington.