Miami Heat Blog – Page 53 – NBA Blog

Video: Alonzo Mourning best career plays

Enjoy these video highlights of some of Alonzo Mourning’s best career plays:

Ray Allen still undecided about future

Here’s the Hartford Courant reporting on NBA veteran Ray Allen:

Ray Allen could play one more year in the NBA. He is wanted, and he knows it.

Or he could retire with no regrets, all business finished. All the years of solid play and diligent work at conditioning have put him, at 39, in this rare position — to script his own ending, and take his time doing it.

“I’m not in any rush [to make a decision],” Allen said during a break in the Citi Ray Allen Basketball ProCamp at East Granby High on Saturday morning. “I’ve played 18 years, and the way I look at my career, I’m content with everything that I’ve done. I just want to take this summer and see how it goes.”

Allen, an All-American who scored 1,922 points at UConn, is back in Connecticut doing his usual summer round of good works, including hosting this camp for 200 boys and girls in grades 1 through 12. Last week, his Ray of Hope Foundation provided a new computer lab for Ponus Ridge Middle School in Norwalk, something he has done for other schools across the state. On Monday, he will host his annual golf tournament, benefiting his foundation, at the TPC in Cromwell.

Miami Heat sign Shawne Williams

The Miami Heat announced today that they have signed forward Shawne Williams.

Williams, a six-year NBA veteran, has appeared in 251 career regular season games (36 starts) averaging 5.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 17.1 minutes while shooting 40.3 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from three-point range and 73.3 percent from the foul line. He has appeared in four career postseason games and averaged 8.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.00 steals, 1.00 blocks and 25.3 minutes while shooting 41.7 percent (10-of-24) from the field, 42.9 percent (6-of-14) from three-point range and 75 percent (6-of-8) from the foul line.

He split the 2013-14 season between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League. Williams appeared in 36 games (13 starts) with the Lakers last season and averaged 5.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 20.9 minutes. He also appeared in 23 games (21 starts) with the L.A. D-Fenders and averaged 20.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.09 blocks, 1.7 assists and 31.5 minutes while shooting 45.6 percent from the field, 41.8 percent from three-point range and 80.6 percent from the foul line. He was named the NBA D-League Performer of the Week on March 17 after averaging 26.3 points, including a 34-point game at Canton on March 15 while helping the team to a perfect 3-0 week. Additionally, he appeared in two postseason games with the D-Fenders, totaling 22 points, 20 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block.

Williams was originally drafted in the first round (17th overall) by Indiana in the 2006 NBA Draft.

Heat likely keeping Justin Hamilton

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

Center Justin Hamilton is poised to become the 12th player under guaranteed contract to the Miami Heat, when his partial guarantee kicks in Friday.

Hamilton, an outside-shooting 7-footer who finished last season with the Heat, has an $816,000 contract for 2014-15 that becomes 50-percent guaranteed if not waived on or before Aug. 1, and 75-percent guarantee if he is on the roster on Dec. 1. All NBA contracts become guaranteed for the season the second week of January.

“I think we’re probably going to move forward,” Heat President Pat Riley said. “We like Justin and what he’s done in the summer league, from that standpoint. There have obviously been discussions with Justin and his agent. So he wants to be here and we want him to be here.”

Because of his Croatian lineage, Hamilton has drawn interest from European teams. He spent part of the 2012-13 season in Latvia, after he was acquired by the Heat in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft out of LSU, and then split this past season between the Heat’s NBA Development League franchise, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, and the Charlotte Bobcats and Heat.

Mario Chalmers may play some shooting guard for Heat

Here’s the Miami Herald with an interesting update on the Heat backcourt:

Heat president Pat Riley said Wednesday that he sees an evolving role for starting point guard Mario Chalmers, while insisting LeBron James’ praise of Shabazz Napier had no influence on Miami trading up to draft him.

On the decision to give Chalmers a two-year, $8.3 million contract after a poor NBA Finals performance, Riley said: “Mario is a big-game player. He learned more than ever in this [Finals] that you can never take anything for granted at this level of play.

“We’re looking at Mario differently in this roster. He’s a point guard, but we’re also looking at him as a [shooting guard]. Mario can be very effective as a long-armed [shooting guard] who can shoot the three.”

Heat officially re-sign Chris Bosh

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have re-signed forward Chris Bosh. The agreement has been known for a while now, but actually became official today.

According to multiple reports, it’s a five-year contract worth a bit over $118 million.

“Chris Bosh is a two-time NBA champion and one of the most versatile big men in the league,” said HEAT President Pat Riley. “His unique skillset makes him one of the best players in the game today. I’ve always felt he was committed to this organization, this staff and this city. I think he’s going to have the opportunity of a lifetime leading this team next season and having the nine-time NBA All-Star back in the fold was a big key for us. We are very blessed to have him.”

Bosh, a two-time NBA champion, has appeared in 796 games (784 starts) during his 11-year NBA career, averaging 19.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.10 blocks and 35.9 minutes, while shooting 49.8 percent from the floor and 80 percent from the foul line. The nine-time NBA All-Star has appeared in 287 games (all starts) for the HEAT over the last four seasons, averaging 17.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 34.1 minutes while shooting 50.9 percent from the field and 81.3 percent from the foul line. Among the HEAT’s all-time leaders, he ranks third in free throw percentage, fourth in field goal percentage, seventh in blocks (273), ninth in free throws made (1,077) and defensive rebounds (1,652), 10th in points (4,976), field goals made (1,894), total rebounds (2,116), and double-figure scoring efforts (260), 11th in double-doubles (60), 12th in starts, 13th in offensive rebounds (464), and minutes (9,787), 16th in games played and 18th in steals (256).

Last season, Bosh started all 79 games in which he appeared and averaged 16.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.01 steals and 32.0 minutes while shooting 51.6 percent from the field and 82 percent from the foul line. He totaled a career-high 80 steals and connected on a career-high 74 three-point field goals. He has now totaled 111 treys during his HEAT career, the most by a player 6’11” or taller in franchise history. Bosh scored his 15,000th career point on March 12 vs. Brooklyn, recorded his 1,500th career assist on December 8 at Detroit and went a perfect 9-of-9 from the field on January 4 at Orlando, tying for the most makes without a miss during a single game in HEAT history. He earned Player of the Week honors on December 29 and improved Miami’s record to a perfect 12-0 when scoring at least 30 points as a member of the HEAT, including a 37-point effort on December 28 at Portland, a game in which he hit the game-winning three-point attempt with five-tenths of a second remaining to give Miami a, 108-107, victory.

Bosh has appeared in 78 postseason games (74 starts) with the HEAT and averaged 14.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.14 blocks, 1.1 assists and 34.7 minutes while shooting 48.1 percent from the field, 40.6 percent from three-point range and 79 percent from the foul line. Last postseason, he shot 69.2 percent (9-of-13) from three-point range in Round One against Charlotte, the highest three-point field goal percentage during a four-game series in HEAT postseason history. He has now appeared in the NBA Finals in each of his four seasons in Miami, helping the HEAT become just the third NBA franchise to make four-straight NBA Finals appearances.

Processing the Miami loss of LeBron

Here’s the Miami Herald pondering the Heat loss of LeBron James in free agency:

We felt rejected and dejected. We felt sorrow and shock. We felt disappointment and loss. We felt appreciation and anger. There was no right way for Heat fans to feel, no easy consensus when LeBron James announced Miami was just a temporary stop on his way back home.

More than a week later, there is still little agreement on what regard South Florida has or should have for LeBron. Some would throw him a parade. Others would throw him under a bus.

Do you feel fortunate for what you had? Or is the feeling closer to betrayal?

James’ departure, amicable on the surface, not so much underneath, was neither simple nor neat.

Is the man who famously took his talents to South Beach now welcome back in the arena he helped light up for four seasons? That will be the Litmus test, won’t it? His welcome back, or lack thereof. The NBA’s 2014-15 regular-season schedule will be released this week, and you’ll circle in red the first time LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers come to town. But are you sure what emotions you will bring?

Scottie Pippen not surprised LeBron went back to Cleveland

Here’s ESPN Chicago reporting Scottie Pippen’s reaction to LeBron James leaving the Miami Heat to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers:

Chicago Bulls great Scottie Pippen doesn’t know what it’s like to lose in the NBA Finals, but he figures LeBron James learned a lesson in doing just that for a second time in four tries with the Miami Heat.

After judging the slam-dunk championship at the Nike Chi League all-star festivities Saturday, Pippen was asked if he was surprised James left for the Cleveland Cavaliers following Miami’s one-sided loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the Finals.

“I wasn’t surprised, I kind of figured he’d go back [to Cleveland],” Pippen said at Whitney Young High School. “I don’t know if he could hold that team up. I think [Dwyane] Wade’s physical ability had him thinking like, ‘Hey, maybe this is not the place I need to be.’

“It was a great run for them. They weren’t as successful as they thought they would be, but you went to the Finals four times, so you can’t hold your head down too much about that.”

Miami Heat re-sign Chris Andersen

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have re-signed forward/center Chris Andersen.

“Chris Andersen has had two great seasons with us and without him, we would not have been able to win the 2013 NBA Championship,” said HEAT President Pat Riley. “I’m happy he decided to come back and we’re looking forward to a great season from him in the power rotation.”

Andersen, a 12-year NBA veteran has appeared in 596 career NBA regular season games (10 starts) and averaged 5.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.53 blocks and 17.8 minutes while shooting 52.9 percent from the field. Last season, Andersen appeared in 72 regular season games with the HEAT and averaged 6.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.35 blocks and 19.4 minutes. He shot a career-high 64.4 percent from the field, after previously shooting a career-high 57.7 percent from the field in his first season with Miami in 2012-13. He also blocked six shots off the HEAT bench on March 9 at Chicago, tying the team single-game record for blocks by a reserve. Additionally, Andersen shot a perfect 7-of-7 off the bench on January 7 vs. New Orleans, tying the second-most made field goals without a miss by a HEAT reserve in franchise history. That effort also tied the best shooting performance of his career with his perfect 7-of-7 game vs. Washington on March 25, 2011.

Andersen has appeared in 38 postseason career games with the HEAT, spanning two seasons, and averaged 5.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.05 blocks and 16.3 minutes while shooting 69.3 percent from the field, helping Miami to consecutive NBA Finals appearances, including the 2013 NBA Championship.

Miami Heat re-sign Udonis Haslem

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have re-signed forward Udonis Haslem.

“Udonis Haslem has been a fixture in Miami over the last 11 years,” said HEAT President Pat Riley. “He’s a team player, an encompassing all-purpose player, that would play just about any position or role in order to win. It’s been such a privilege and honor to have him with the organization and I’m so happy that he decided to come back.”

Haslem, a three-time NBA Champion, has played his entire 11-year NBA career with the HEAT, appearing in 715 regular season games (473 starts) averaging 8.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 28.0 minutes while shooting 49.5 percent from the field and 76 percent from the foul line. He became the HEAT’s all-time offensive rebound leader, surpassing Alonzo Mourning (1,505), on April 11 vs. Indiana. Additionally, Haslem was already Miami’s franchise leader in defensive and total rebounds, becoming the first non-drafted player in NBA history to be their team’s all-time rebounding leader. Among the HEAT’s all-time franchise leaders, he ranks first in total rebounds (5,332), defensive rebounds (3,821) and offensive rebounds (1,511), second in games played, games started, minutes played (19,987), third in double-doubles (130), fourth in double-figure points off the bench (70), sixth in field goals made (2,484), eighth in total points (6,127), ninth in free throws made (1,159) and 10th in steals (390) and blocked shots (231).

The Miami native appeared in 46 games (18 starts) with the HEAT last season, averaging 3.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 14.2 minutes while shooting 50.7 percent from the field, his sixth season shooting at least 50 percent from the floor. He served as a team captain for the seventh-straight year, tying Alonzo Mourning for the franchise mark. He finished second on the team in charges drawn (17) and blocked a career-tying three shots on January 18 at Charlotte. He also scored his 6,000th career point on December 28 at Portland and grabbed his 1,500th career offensive rebound on April 2 vs. Milwaukee.

Haslem, who along with Dwyane Wade, is only one of two players to have played on each of the HEAT’s three NBA Championship teams, has appeared in 138 postseason career games (84 starts) and averaged 5.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 22.5 minutes while shooting 47.9 percent from the field. Last season, he appeared in 16 postseason games (six starts) and averaged 2.5 points and 2.6 rebounds in 10.6 minutes of action while shooting 45.9 percent from the field. He helped lead Miami to a perfect 6-0 record in each of the games he started as the HEAT made their fourth consecutive NBA Finals appearance.