Category: Miami Heat Blog

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Alonzo Mourning humbled to make Basketball Hall of Fame

Here’s the Miami Herald reporting on retired NBA center Alonzo Mourning, who will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame this August:

Alonzo Mourning humbled to make Hall of Fame

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame made official Monday what has been known for days: Alonzo Mourning will be among those inducted in the 2014 class, in a ceremony scheduled for August in Springfield, Mass.

Mourning becomes the second Heat player to be inducted into the Hall, joining Gary Payton.

“I’m humbled and I’m truly honored,” Mourning said. “I’m very, very grateful. … If my life ended today, I’ve lived a storybook life.”

Mourning credited his family, Heat president Pat Riley and former Georgetown coach John Thompson, “who helped contribute so much to my life, not just as an athlete, but as a person. Big John taught me more about life than he did about basketball.”

Mourning said it “would only be fitting” if two people – presumably Riley and Thompson – are part of presenting him during his induction, adding it would be difficult to pick one over the other.

Will Heat stars stick with Miami past this season?

Here’s ESPN.com reporting on the Miami Heat, who for now still have a championship-contending roster:

Miami Heat teammates Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh all have opt-outs in their contracts at the end of this season, but no collective decision has been made as to whether they will all choose to test the free agent waters.

The three met before they made their free agent decision in 2010 and could have another such meeting before their June 30 opt-out deadlines, which allows them to leave in 2014, 2015 or 2016.

Wade revealed on Tuesday as part of an interview for the cover story of an upcoming issue of ESPN The Magazine that the three, who have gone to three straight Finals and won the last two, plan to have that conversation at some point.

“I’m at a position where I don’t really have to worry about it,” said Wade, who also won a title for the Heat in 2006. “I’ve been with the same organization for now 11 years. We’ve won multiple championships, so it’s no reason where I need to think about that yet. I’m not at a point where we are a bad team and I need to think about the future so right now I’m really focused on just enjoying this team, enjoying our quest to try to ‘Three-peat.’ And when the season is over, and whatever happens, then I will sit down and I will sit down with Chris and I will sit down with Bron and I will sit down and make the best decision for myself and my family.”

Mike Miller, Heat prepare for Miami reunion

Here’s ESPN Miami reporting on the Heat and one of their former sharpshooters, Mike Miller:

Mike Miller, Heat prepare for Miami reunion

Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade can’t figure out which of the two he misses more about former teammate Mike Miller. For at least one night, though, Wade is certain he doesn’t want to experience either Miller’s laugh or shot much on Friday.

That’s when Miller, unsung hero of the past two NBA Finals for the Heat, returns with the Memphis Grizzlies to face his former team at AmericanAirlines Arena. It’s Miller’s first appearance back in Miami since the Heat waived him with the league’s amnesty clause in a shrewd financial move last summer that still has his former teammates unhappy with the team’s decision.

But the organization hopes to leave any hard feelings in the past Friday, and will use the occasion to present Miller his 2013 championship ring and also honor him with a minute-long video tribute before the start of the Heat’s game against the Grizzlies.

“You have a connection, and it’s special from that standpoint,” Wade said of Miller, who was part of the Heat’s 2010 free-agency signing class highlighted by LeBron James and Chris Bosh. “He was my locker mate. Obviously, his unbelievable shooting ability is something that not many people have, but just his infectious laugh and how he was in the locker room, we miss that. But hopefully we don’t hear him laugh at all when we see him [Friday night].”

Heat send Justin Hamilton to D-League, briefly

The Miami HEAT announced today that center Justin Hamilton will join the Sioux Falls Skyforce for their NBA Development League home games this Friday and Saturday against the Idaho Stampede. Following Saturday night’s game, he will re-join the HEAT in Miami for their contest against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night.

Hamilton, who was signed by the HEAT on March 14, appeared in 37 games (all starts) with the Skyforce earlier this season and averaged 19.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.03 blocks, 1.5 assists and 35.8 minutes while shooting 49.1 percent from the field, 38.5 percent from three-point range and 81.2 percent from the foul line. The 2014 NBA D-League All-Star has not appeared in a game with Miami this season.