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Ron Rothstein retires from coaching

Ron Rothstein retires from coaching

The Miami HEAT announced today that former head coach and long-time assistant Ron Rothstein has retired from coaching and will join the HEAT Broadcast team and serve as a Corporate Liaison. The HEAT also announced that long-time assistant and Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo will become a pro scout and serve as a Community Liaison.

“Both Ron and Bob were instrumental in the success of the HEAT and their contributions to our three championships cannot be overstated,” said HEAT President Pat Riley. “They are HEAT lifers and I’m happy that they will continue to be an important part of the organization as they evolve into their new roles within the HEAT family.”

“I want to thank Ron and Bob for their guidance, wisdom and dedication that they provided to me when I took over as head coach,” said HEAT Head Coach Erik Spoelstra. “I especially want to thank them for all their hard work and support these past six seasons. They were a huge part of all our team success. Moving forward, having their great basketball minds just down the hall will continue to be invaluable.”

Rothstein, with over 40 years of experience in the game of basketball, will join the HEAT broadcast team and bring his vast knowledge of the game to the Sun Sports studio. For Rothstein, it marks a return to the broadcasting field in which he previously served as a color commentator for the Detroit Pistons during the 1991-92 NBA season. He will also serve the South Florida community in his additional role as Corporate Liaison. Rothstein, an original HEAT employee who has served the organization for 16 years in various capacities, became the organization’s first head coach on July 12, 1988 and guided them for three seasons, increasing the team’s victory total each year. During his 26 years on an NBA bench, his teams made 18 postseason appearances, highlighted by three NBA championships, six Eastern Conference championships, six NBA Finals appearances, nine Eastern Conference Finals appearances and nine divisional championships.

McAdoo, a former NBA MVP and Hall of Famer, will take his 33 years of combined NBA experience, 19 as a coach (all with the HEAT) and 14 as a player, into the world of player personnel and scouting where he will serve as one of the lead scouts under HEAT Vice President, Player Personnel Chet Kammerer. In his new role, McAdoo’s duties will include scouting on the NBA, college and international levels. Generally considered one of the greatest shooting big men in league history, the five-time NBA All-Star captured three consecutive scoring titles from 1973-74 through 1975-76 and was named NBA Rookie of the Year in 1973. In 1982, he was a member of Pat Riley’s first championship team in Los Angeles and later played professionally in Italy where his teams went on to win the Italian Championship three times and the European Championship twice. In 2008, he was named as one of the 50 most influential personalities in European Club Basketball over the last half century and in 2014 he was named the best foreign player to play in European Basketball. In addition to his role as scout, McAdoo will also serve in the capacity of Community Liaison.

Andre Dawkins added to Heat camp roster

Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting on the Heat:

The Miami Heat’s Duke replenishment program continues.

In the wake of losing forward Shane Battier to retirement and ESPN’s broadcast booth, the Heat have added a third former Blue Devil to their training-camp roster, with a recent workout by undrafted Duke guard Andre Dawkins cementing an invitation.

Dawkins joins former Duke players Luol Deng and Josh McRoberts as ex-Blue Devils who have been added this offseason.

“He had about 12 or 13 teams who had expressed interest,” agent John Spencer said Tuesday of Dawkins, “but we had already agreed a while back that he was going to be with them come training camp.”

Heat reassign longtime assistants McAdoo, Rothstein

Here’s the Miami Herald reporting on the Heat coaching staff:

Heat reassign longtime assistants McAdoo, Rothstein

Two longtime assistant coaches for the Heat will no longer be regular contributors to the day-to-day operations of the team.

Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo and Heat coaching legend Ron Rothstein have been reassigned by the team, the Miami Herald confirmed Monday. McAdoo and Rothstein were both originally hired as assistants by Heat president Pat Riley. Yahoo Sports first reported the story.

With McAdoo and Rothstein likely off the bench, assistants David Fizdale, Dan Craig and Juwan Howard are expected to assume more prominent roles.

Miami Heat sign Shannon Brown

Miami Heat sign Shannon Brown

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed guard Shannon Brown.

Brown, an eight-year NBA veteran, has appeared in 403 career NBA regular season games (58 starts) and averaged 7.7 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 18.0 minutes while shooting 42 percent from the field, 33.1 percent from three-point range and 80.7 percent from the foul line. He split the 2013-14 season between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks, appearing in 29 total games (one start) and averaging 2.2 points and 1.0 rebounds in 8.7 minutes of action while shooting 36.4 percent from the field. He scored a season-high 14 points, on 4-of-7 from the field and a perfect 6-of-6 from the foul line, in a 109-98 win vs. Brooklyn on April 15, 2014.

Brown, who won back-to-back NBA Championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and 2010, has appeared in 55 career postseason games and averaged 5.2 points, 1.3 rebounds and 13.9 minutes while shooting 42.2 percent from the field, 34.1 percent from three-point range and 72.7 percent from the foul line.

He was originally drafted in the first round (25th overall) by Cleveland in the 2006 NBA Draft.

The HEAT’s roster now stands at 16.

Shabazz Napier still getting used to the feel of a pro basketball

Here’s the Washington Post blog reporting on a Miami Heat rookie:

Some might be tempted to scoff at Miami Heat rookie Shabazz Napier’s excuse for his poor NBA Summer League performance — the ball. Like many aspects of NCAA and NBA basketball, the actual ball is not the same, a lesson Napier is learning the hard way.

“[M]y biggest thing is getting comfortable with that basketball,” Napier told the Associated Press. “That’s one of my biggest problems and it’s kind of ironic, because it’s a basketball. But it’s different than a college basketball.”

Both NCAA and NBA basketballs measure 29.5 inches, but the materials can vary. In the NBA, regulation balls are composed of leather, while in college, the balls can be made of pebbled rubber. Napier’s problems might be compounded by him never having touched an NBA ball until the combine.

Mike Beasley remains available in free agency

Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting on Miami Heat free agent forward Michael Beasley:

Mike Beasley remains available in free agency

“I’ve grown,” he said. “Just like you can look back and say I did a lot of things I’m not proud of. Take it in stride, grow up and move on with life. So, I’ve grown. I’m more mature about situations.

“I’m definitely not as social as I used to be. That’s just because of trust issues. Just trust issues. I’m not going to get into all that. But I definitely don’t have as many friends as I used to have. That’s definitely by choice.”

He stressed that he lived alone, “me and the mosquitoes that bite me.”

Now he stands alone, again, for a second consecutive summer. He remains a scorer and a shooter, the league now left to decide whether he still is an NBA player.

A year ago, coach Erik Spoelstra said the mandate was basic for Beasley, “Embrace our culture. Embrace the routine. Embrace the work.”

Of course, what matters most is to be embraced in response.

Three weeks ago, Heat President Pat Riley said Beasley was “still a consideration.”

Instead, No. 8 belongs to another, the Heat seemingly having moved on. Again.

Loyalty helped Chris Andersen stay with Heat

Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting on the Heat. Note that while loyalty probably was a factor, we have to assume that nice money was a factor. Anyway, here’s the Sun Sentinel:

Chris Andersen discusses why he stuck with Heat

Just as LeBron James cited going home as a reason for his free-agency return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chris Andersen said Saturday among the reasons he re-signed with the Miami Heat was because South Florida felt like home.

“It was definitely the loyalty from the fans and from the team,” said the Texas native who signed a two-year, $10.3 million contract with the Heat last month. “That had a big part of it. And it’s matter of me ending my career in a place that I’d be happy at and am familiar with.”

Andersen’s popularity was evident during his Saturday promotional appearance at the grand opening of the new Dick’s Sporting Goods location in Coral Springs, as he was mobbed by fans during an afternoon autograph session, with fans, including a few Birdman lookalikes, arriving before daybreak. The store’s supply of bracelets needed for his autograph was exhausted well before his arrival.

Miami Heat sign Reggie Williams

reggie williams

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed guard Reggie Williams.

Williams, a five-year NBA veteran, has appeared in 180 regular season career games (32 starts) averaging 8.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 19.7 minutes while shooting 46.0 percent from the field, 37.1 percent from three-point range and 74.3 percent from the foul line. The 6’6”, 210-guard has previously played in the NBA for the Golden State Warriors (2009-11), Charlotte Bobcats (2011-13) and Oklahoma City Thunder (2013-14). He enjoyed his finest NBA season as a member of the Warriors in 2010-11 when he appeared in 80 games (nine starts) and averaged 9.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 20.3 minutes while shooting 42.3 percent from three-point range, connecting on a career-high 102 three-point field goals.

He split the 2013-14 season between the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League and the San Miguel Beermen of the Philippine Basketball Association. He appeared in three games for the Thunder and averaged 3.7 points and 5.7 minutes. He also appeared in 25 games (21 starts) for Tulsa and averaged 20.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists while shooting 47.7 percent from the field, 35.9 percent from three-point range and 73.2 percent from the foul line. In 10 games (all starts) for San Miguel, Williams averaged 29.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 44.8 minutes while shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from three-point range.

Williams, who led the NCAA in scoring average in consecutive seasons (2006-07 and 2007-08) at Virginia Military Institute, went undrafted by the NBA upon graduation. After playing overseas in France for one season with JDA Dijon, he was drafted by the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the 2009 NBA Development League Draft. In his lone season with the Skyforce, Williams was named to the 2010 NBA D-League All-Star Team and earned All-NBA D-League First Team honors after averaging 26.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 40.0 minutes while shooting 57.6 percent from the field, 41.0 percent from three-point range and 82.4 percent from the foul line.

Miami Heat sign guard Tyler Johnson

Miami Heat sign guard Tyler Johnson

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed guard Tyler Johnson.

Most recently, Johnson appeared in 11 Summer League games with the HEAT and averaged 12.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 22.2 minutes while shooting 54.8 percent from the field, 46.7 percent from three-point range and 81.4 percent from the foul line.

Johnson played four seasons at Fresno State University, appearing in 127 career games (87 starts) and averaged 10.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.10 steals and 27.9 minutes while shooting 45.6 percent from the field, 37.4 percent from three-point range and 71.6 percent from the foul line. He finished his collegiate career ranked No. 16 on Fresno State’s all-time scoring list (1,346 career points). As a senior, he was named to the All-Mountain West Second Team and shot 43.2 percent from three-point range, the sixth-highest single-season three-point field goal percentage in school history.