Miami Heat Blog – Page 162 – NBA Blog

Darrell Arthur and Mario Chalmers each fined $20,000

The AP reports: Former Kansas teammates Darrell Arthur and Mario Chalmers were fined $20,000 apiece after being banished last week from the NBA rookie symposium, the league said Wednesday. Security at the resort near New York where the event took place found Arthur and Chalmers in a room with two women, and the scent of marijuana was detected.

InsideHoops.com editor says: The two players were chillin. Some women wanted them. They did what most guys would do. I’m randomly speculating that the women brought the marijuana, not the players. The guys probably felt like rock stars. And before it dawned on them to quickly smarten up and end the evening, they got caught.

Fan Poll Results: 8 East playoff teams

InsideHoops.com ran a poll for the last week asking fans to pick the eight Eastern conference teams they feel will make the playoffs in 2008-09.

The voting for the first four teams was pretty close, with the Celtics (592 votes), Cavaliers (588), Pistons (582) and Magic (578) taking the home-court seeds.

The Raptors (504) came in 5th, though from our experience Toronto fans, being very enthusiastic, tend to bump their team up slightly higher than tends to be expected. Though, if new Raptor Jermaine O’Neal can stay healthy and play anything like his old former All-Star self, this is a very reasonable prediction.

One vote later, coming in 6th, was the 76ers (503), who played better than expected last season and now add star power forward Elton Brand, who is returning from injury, to their mix.

The Wizards (459) came in 7th. They welcome a healthy Gilbert Arenas back.

And now, a dropoff.

Fans feel that last year’s #8 seed, the Hawks, won’t do as well in 2008-09. Rather than pick them to return to the playoffs, fans went with the Heat (294 votes). This is reasonable. Miami welcomes a healthy Dwayne Wade back, alongside Shawn Marion, who needs a contract, and superkid rookie Michael Beasley. The supporting cast is still weak, but slightly improved from last year.

The Bulls (195) finished 9th, just outside the playoff seedings. The Hawks (180) were 10th.

Here are the complete final results:

1) Celtics 592 votes
2) Cavs 588 votes
3) Pistons 582 votes
4) Magic 578 votes
5) Raptors 504 votes
6) Sixers 503 votes
7) Wizards 459 votes
8) Heat 294 votes
—
9) Bulls 195 votes
10) Hawks 180 votes
11) Bucks 83 votes
12) Nets 68 votes
13) Knicks 53 votes
14) Pacers 53 votes
15) Bobcats 43 votes

Heat waive Stephane Lasme

The Miami Heat announced today that they have requested waivers on forward Stephane Lasme. The 6’8” forward was originally signed to a 10-day contract by the HEAT on Mar. 21, 2008. He was signed for the remainder of the 2007-08 season on Apr. 10. In 16 games (four starts) last season, Lasme averaged 5.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.38 blocks and 18.9 minutes. Lasme was originally the 46th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors for whom he appeared in one game last season before being waived on Nov. 17.

InsideHoops.com editor says: I think Lasme is good enough to land 10-day contracts here and there, and maybe the occasional non-guaranteed deal, but he’ll have to keep improving and really prove himself worthy of a contract that lasts a while. I like him as a player.

Heat sign Jamaal Magloire

The Miami Heat announced today that they have signed free agent center Jamaal Magloire. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. According to multiple reports it’s either for the league minimum, or close.

Scroll down for InsideHoops.com’s opinion on the news.

“We are very fortunate to be able to come to terms with Jamaal Magliore,” said HEAT President Pat Riley. “We feel that he will dramatically support our post position. He is an excellent rebounder with a big body. On the defensive end he will plug up the paint and the offensive end he can score. We feel that this is definitely the right place for him to re-energize his career.”

A former NBA All-Star (2004), Magloire has averaged 8.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.03 blocks and 24.2 minutes during an eight-year NBA career which has included stints with the Hornets (Charlotte: 2000-02 and New Orleans: 2002-05), the Milwaukee Bucks (2005-06), the Portland Trail Blazers (2006-07), the New Jersey Nets (2007-08) and the Dallas Mavericks (2007-08). In his 537 NBA regular season games he has connected on 47.9 percent of his field goal attempts. Additionally, Magloire has appeared in 36 postseason contests and has averaged 9.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.11 blocks while hitting 47.7 percent of his field goal attempts.

Four times in his career the 6’11”, 265-pound center has appeared in all 82 games during a season and five times in the past seven seasons he has played at least 81 games. His best season occurred during the 2003-04 campaign with the New Orleans Hornets where he was selected as an Eastern Conference All-Star and averaged career highs in both points (13.6 ppg) and rebounds (10.3 rpg) and was one of just 11 players in the NBA that season to average a double-double. He topped the Eastern Conference in scoring in the 2004 NBA All-Star Game with 19 points. Magloire finished the 2003-04 season ranked among the NBA leaders in offensive rebounding (5th), overall rebounding (7th) and field goal percentage (tied for 27th).

Magloire split the 2007-08 season between the New Jersey Nets and the Dallas Mavericks. He saw action in 31 games (two starts) and averaged 1.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 9.2 minutes.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Magloire is worth a shot. For whatever reason he seems to have gotten worse almost each season since his All-Star year. But he’s worth adding for the minimum. Mark Blount, who isn’t very good, is still the better center right now. It would be a pleasant surprise for the Heat if Magloire can overtake him. And there’s a chance that power forward Udonis Haslem winds up getting used as an extremely undersized center. I actually would enjoy seeing that; Haslem at center, Mike Beasley at power forward, Shawn Marion at small forward, playing fun small-ball. If the other team’s center is especially big and good then they could sit Haslem quickly, or slide him to the four quickly, and put in a real center. Anyway, Magloire is a low-risk addition.

Shaq and wife staying together

The Miami Herald (Joan Fleischman) reports: It’s official: Shaq and Shaunie will remain a team. NBA star Shaquille O’Neal’s attorney Ira Elegant wrote to Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Roberto Pineiro: “The parties have reconciled.” Pineiro signed the dismissal order on Friday. ”A happy ending,” says Shaunie’s lawyer, Marsha Elser. Elegant agrees. “An excellent result.” Shaq filed last September, when he played for the Miami Heat.

Web viewing of NBA games may soon exist

The Oklahoman (Mel Bracht) reports: Say you’re working late and can’t make it to the Ford Center to watch Oklahoma City’s new NBA team play its game that night. Instead, you log on to your computer and watch streaming video of the team’s game broadcast. Sound far-fetched? Not if the NBA has its way. The league is aggresively promoting three new Internet elements — video streaming in home markets, interactive TV and video-on-demand — for the upcoming season. Ed Desser, a media consultant for Oklahoma City’s team, said many details have yet to be worked out, and didn’t expect the team to offer the Internet elements anytime soon.

Heat sign Dorell Wright

The Miami Heat announced Thursday that they have re-signed guard/forward Dorell Wright. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Wright, who originally signed with the HEAT on July 27, 2004 after being drafted in the first round (19th overall) in the 2004 NBA Draft, has appeared in 133 games (55 starts). During his four-year NBA career in Miami, he has averaged 6.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 19.2 minutes while shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 79.2 percent from the foul line. Additionally, Wright has increased his points per game, rebounds per game and blocks per game averages while also increasing his offensive rebounds and games started in each of his four seasons with the HEAT. Over that same span, he has scored in double-figures on 34 occasions and has tallied eight double-doubles.

During the 2007-08 season, Wright appeared in 44 games (34 starts) and set career-highs with 7.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 0.93 blocks in 25.1 minutes while shooting a career-best 48.8 percent from the field. Wright also dished out 1.4 assists while leading the HEAT in blocks on 16 occasions, rebounds seven times, steals on five occasions, minutes four times and points once. Wright became the first player in HEAT franchise history to be perfect shooting from both the field and the free throw line with at least five attempts in each category after he shot 5-for-5 from the field and 7-for-7 from the foul line versus Toronto on February 4, 2008.

Heat waive Bobby Jones

The Heat have now cut Bobby Jones for what feels like the 194th time. This marks the 2,294th time (give or take) Jones has been waived in his short NBA career. InsideHoops.com still believes he deserves to someday make a roster and stay on it for a season or two. Here’s the news:

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have requested waivers on forward Bobby Jones. Jones was claimed off waivers by the HEAT on Aug. 5 after being waived by the New York Knicks on July 29.

Jones, whose first stint with the HEAT began on Mar. 12, 2008 after signing a 10-day contract, appeared in six games with Miami during the 2007-08 season and averaged 8.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 23.8 minutes. Overall he appeared in 47 games last season, with five teams including the HEAT, and averaged 3.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 11.3 minutes per game.

Clippers sign Jason Williams

The Clippers have had an interesting summer. Elton Brand and Corey Maggette are gone. They signed Baron Davis, got Marcus Camby basically for free in a trade, and added Eric Gordon in the Draft. But with Davis, Jason Hart and Mike Taylor, it seemed the point guard spot was filled, but apparently not, as Davis now has a terrific backup in former Heat PG Jason Williams. The Los Angeles Times reports that the deal is just for one year. Though J-Will has looked pretty washed up recently, maybe he has something left. He certainly should be decent in limited minutes, like 3 per quarter or so. So Taylor may be gone.

Here’s the news:

The Los Angeles Clippers today signed free agent guard Jason Williams, according to Vice President of Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced.

A veteran of 10 NBA seasons, Williams joins the Clippers after playing the last three years for Miami, where he helped the Heat to the 2006 NBA Championship. Williams, 32, has played in 679 career regular season games and averaged 11.4 points, 6.3 assists and 2.4 rebounds for a total of three teams. The six-foot-one, 180 pound point guard has also started and played in 53 career playoff contests, averaging 9.8 points, 3.7 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 0.9 steals.

“Jason is an experienced and proven player,” Baylor said. “He is a terrific ball handler with great passing ability and court vision.”

Playing alongside new Clippers teammate Ricky Davis with the Heat last season, Williams averaged 8.8 points, 1.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 28.1 minutes while appearing in 67 games. The West Virginia native finished eighth in the league with a 3.37 assists per turnover ratio and 12th with a 0.91 steals per turnover ratio.

“We are excited to add Jason to our squad,” Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy said. “He brings added veteran leadership and playoff experience to our backcourt.”

Drafted by the Sacramento Kings in 1998 following his junior year at the University of Florida, Williams was named to the 1999 NBA All-Rookie Team following an electrifying first season that saw him average 12.8 points and 6.0 assists. Over the next nine seasons, Williams has emerged as one of the most dependable point guards in the NBA, averaging double-figures in scoring and at least five assists per game in eight of his ten years in the league.

Williams moved to Memphis for the 2001-02 season and over the next four seasons became the Grizzlies all-time assists leader and all-time leader in three-point field goals attempted. Williams joined Miami prior to the 2005-06 season that ended with an NBA Championship.

The Clippers new-look roster now stands at 14 players as Los Angeles has revamped its roster by adding a total of 10 new faces for the 2008-09 season.

Heat sign Yakhouba Diawara

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed free agent guard/forward Yakhouba Diawara. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Diawara spent the previous two seasons playing for the Denver Nuggets. During the 2007-08 season, he played in 54 games (14 starts), averaging 2.8 points and 1.1 rebounds in 10.0 minutes per game, while shooting 41.0 percent from the field. In his first season in the NBA, he played in 64 games (19 starts) and averaged 4.4 points and 1.7 rebounds in 18.4 minutes per game.

During the 2005-06 season, Diawara played in 20 games for JDA Dijon Bourgogne of the French League where he averaged 16.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. He also played 25 games for Climamio Bologna of the Italian League, where he averaged 10.6 points and 3.8 rebounds.

He was a member of the HEAT’s 2005 Summer League squad, playing in two games and averaging 5.0 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 57.1 percent from the field.

He played for two seasons at Pepperdine (2003-05), averaging 15.5 points and 6.0 rebounds over his two years. He was also named First Team All-West Coast Conference as a junior. He spent his first two collegiate seasons at Southern Idaho Junior College.