Miami Heat Blog – Page 140 – NBA Blog

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.

Dwyane Wade to take summer classes

Michael Wallace of the Miami Herald reports:

With both the Heat and the U.S. national team awaiting a decision regarding his immediate future plans, star guard Dwyane Wade confirmed his first summer commitment.

He is headed back to school. Wade plans to enroll in online courses at Marquette to work toward an undergraduate communications degree.

Wade, 28, discussed his intentions in advance of Saturday’s game against the Bucks at the Bradley Center. Wade played his college games at the same arena, where Marquette retired his No. 3 jersey in 2007.

Part of the agreement to honor Wade at that time was that he would eventually try to complete his degree.

“It’s a process,” said Wade, who has about 30 college credits remaining. “It’s something that will take a while because I don’t have a normal schedule. But it’s something that we’ll get completed.”

Mario Chalmers wants his starting spot back

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports:

Though Rafer Alston figures to remain the Heat’s starting point guard this season barring an injury or something unforeseen, Mario Chalmers continues to express his desire to regain that spot.

“Time to get back on my [game]. Tired of sittin’ on the bench,” Chalmers said Sunday on Twitter. “Gotta get back to the way I was.”

Before Monday’s game, Chalmers did not back away from those comments. “I’m ready to get back that spot,” he said. “The team needs me back there. I want my spot back. I think there’s a great chance I can get it back.”

Though Chalmers said he accepts whatever role he is given, starting is “more meaningful,” he said, “because I started every game last season. It’s my fault that I lost it” — initially, to Carlos Arroyo before Alston was signed.

Heat sign Rafer Alston

The Miami Heat announced today that they have signed free agent guard Rafer Alston. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We are thrilled to have Skip back in a Heat uniform, as he brings another set of skills and experience to the point guard position,” said Heat President Pat Riley. “From his time in Miami, we know both his game and him as a person, and we had a great experience with him in the past. We are very happy to have Skip back in the Heat family.”

Alston, who was placed on waivers by the New Jersey Nets on January 5, has appeared in 27 games (13 starts) this season for the Nets. He has averaged 9.7 points, 3.9 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.00 steals in 28.4 minutes per game.

Currently playing in his 11th NBA season, Alston was originally drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 39th selection in the 1998 NBA Draft. He has played for six different NBA teams in his career, averaging 10.3 points, 4.8 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.22 steals in 646 games (427 starts). As a member of the Orlando Magic last season, he was the team’s starting point guard during their playoff run, averaging 12.2 points, 4.1 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.43 steals while leading them to the NBA Finals.

He spent the 2003-04 season with the Heat, after signing as a free agent on September 4, 2003. Alston appeared in all 82 games (28 starts) for the Heat in 2003-04, averaging 10.2 points, 4.5 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.39 steals in 31.5 minutes per game. He helped guide the Heat to their first playoff appearance after a two-year absence and still holds the franchise record for most consecutive games with a three-point field goal made with 48.

Prior to joining the NBA, he earned the nickname “Skip to my Lou” playing in the Rucker Park tournament on the And-1 Mix Tape Tour.

The Heat roster now stands at 14. Alston will once again wear number 11.

Nets waive Rafer Alston, trade for Chris Quinn from Heat

Nets waive Rafer Alston, acquire Chris Quinn from Heat

The New Jersey Nets have acquired guard Chris Quinn from the Miami Heat along with the Heat’s second round draft pick in 2012 and cash considerations in exchange for the Nets’ 2010 second round draft pick (protected 31-50), Nets President Rod Thorn announced today.

In a separate transaction, the Nets have requested waivers on guard Rafer Alston.

According to ESPN.com, “the Nets used a trade exception to take on Quinn’s $1 million contract and complete the trade. Two league sources told ESPN.com’s Chris Sheridan that Alston agreed to give back nearly $1 million of his $5.25 million salary to gain his freedom from the Nets.”

“There has never been a better person that has played for the Miami Heat than Chris Quinn,” said Heat President Pat Riley. “He is one of the hardest working, most dedicated people that we’ve ever experienced. We want to wish Chris nothing but the very best as he moves on in his career.”

Quinn, currently in his fourth NBA season out of Notre Dame, holds career averages 5.6 ppg and 2.2 apg in 168 games. He has been inactive for each of the Heat’s games during the 2009-10 season.

Alston, who was originally acquired via trade on June 25, 2009 from Orlando, has played in 27 games (13 starts) for the Nets this season, with averages of 9.7 ppg, 3.9 apg and 2.8 rpg. Currently in his 11th NBA season, Alston holds career averages of 10.3 ppg, 4.8 apg, and 2.8 rpg in 646 games.

Blazers sign Shavlik Randolph

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed forward Shavlik Randolph, it was announced today by General Manager Kevin Pritchard.

Randolph, 26, rejoins the Trail Blazers after averaging 1.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.7 minutes in 10 games with Portland last season.

Portland was allowed to sign Randolph and bring its roster to 16 players after the NBA awarded the team its second hardship exemption of the season on Tuesday.

The Duke University product has career averages of 2.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 8.3 minutes in 91 games (seven starts) with Philadelphia, Portland and Miami.

Randolph (6-10, 240) appeared in two games for Miami this season, netting two points, seven rebounds and a blocked shot in 23 minutes before being waived on Dec. 14.

He will wear No. 42 with the Trail Blazers.

Dwyane Wade shooting is off

Israel Gutierrez of the Miami Herald reports:

Everyone who has seen [Dwyane] Wade play more than once is trying to figure out why, exactly, a player in his prime with an improving team around him is having the worst shooting season of his life.

The scientists are coming from his own front office (that would be Riley) and national and local experts alike, all of them attempting to devise the perfect theory for the most unusual development in what has been an otherwise predictable season.

Everyone seemed to have settled on the conditioning theory, because it seems to make the most sense.

This season, Wade is not coming off an Olympic run, and he is not coming off a summer where he built his legs back up from scratch, and he is not playing with as much to prove as he did last season, when he led the league in scoring and was third in MVP voting.

Heat waive Shavlik Randolph

The Miami Heat announced today that they have requested waivers on forward Shavlik Randolph.

“Shavlik was the ultimate professional,” said Heat President Pat Riley. “He always brought an absolute effort, dedication and discipline to the court each and every day. We wish him nothing but the best.”

Randolph, a 6’10”, 236-pound forward, appeared in two games with the Heat this season totaling two points, seven rebounds and one block in 23 minutes of action. Over the course of his five-year NBA career, he has appeared in 91 games (seven starts) averaging 2.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 8.3 minutes while shooting 44.7 percent from the field.

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LeBron James done talking about 2010 free agency

The AP reports:

Frustrated by the repeated questions about his future, LeBron James said Wednesday that he won’t talk about his possible free agency next summer until after this season.

The Cleveland star and reigning NBA MVP said before the Cavaliers’ game against Orlando that all the talk is “getting old.”

“This free agent talk is getting old. It’s getting old and I think I’m going to stop. Tonight will be the last time I answer any more free agent questions until the offseason,” James said.

“I think I owe it to myself, and I owe it to my teammates. It’s just getting old. I’m focusing on this season, and this is going to be a really good season for us. I don’t want anymore distractions for my teammates, for my organization, for my family. This will be the last time I answer a free agent question for the rest of the year.”

The official InsideHoops.com opinion is that it’s most likely LeBron winds up re-signing with the Cavs in 2010. Talk of him going to the Knicks, or maybe the Heat or elsewhere also could be legit. But there’s no reason to think LeBron knows for a fact where he’d go. It makes sense to wait until the time comes and see the roster situation on all these teams before having a sure opinion. He’d probably love to star in New York’s Madison Square Garden, but only if he’ll be surrounded by real ballers, not fill-in guys that drag him down.