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Greg Oden decision: Miami Heat it is

Greg Oden’s NBA comeback will be launched on South Beach.

Oden told ESPN.com on Friday night that he has chosen the two-time defending champion Miami Heat as his new team, capping a monthlong recruiting process which culminated with Oden spending this entire week making his final selection from a list of six suitors.

Referring to Miami, home of the two-time reigning champions, as the “best place” and “best fit” after years of knee troubles, Oden will report to the Heat on Monday and, according to sources close to the process, sign a two-year deal at the league minimum with a player option for Year 2.

The contract will pay $1.03 million in 2013-14 and $1.14 million in 2014-15 if Oden picks up that option. The 25-year-old has earned nearly $24 million in salary since being drafted No. 1 overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2007 but has appeared in only 82 career NBA games because of his many knee troubles.

Reported by Marc Stein and Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com

Speculation on LeBron James 2014 free agency already in high gear

Despite James winning consecutive championships and most valuable player of the year awards, the talk remains on his next move.

You don’t hear any discussions about the Heat possibly becoming the first team to three-peat since the Los Angeles Lakers in 2002, no one is talking about James perhaps ending his career in Miami.

Instead, there is only speculation of James playing everywhere from Dallas to Los Angeles to New York to even returning to Cleveland.

“I guess it’s a byproduct of the way the league is right now,” Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said.

“There’s always going to be speculation. That’s sort of the nature of the league. But he’s property of the Heat right now and no one can really talk about it.”

This should all sound familiar. James endured a similar struggle during the 2009-10 season, his first experience as a free agent.

Reported by Shandel Richardson of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Miami Heat, other teams watch Greg Oden workout

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra met with Greg Oden and watched him work out Tuesday in Indianapolis, as Miami continued to explore signing the seven-foot center whose career has been sidetracked by knee injuries.

Chet Kammerer, the Heat’s vice president/player personnel, joined Spoelstra at the workout, which was also attended by officials from the Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans.

Bill Duffy, one of Oden’s agents, said Oden likely will pick a team next week and that every team that has shown interest “remains under strong consideration.”

Besides the Heat, Kings and Pelicans, that list also includes the Mavericks and Spurs — who met with Oden previously — and the Atlanta Hawks, who will watch him work out Thursday.

Another of Oden’s agents, Mike Conley Sr., said last week the Heat has as good a chance of any team but stopped short of calling Miami the front-runner.

Reported by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald

Miami Heat waive Mike Miller via amnesty provision

Thanks for the memories, but the Miami Heat are ready to move on.

The Heat announced today that they have waived forward Mike Miller per the NBA’s Amnesty provision.

“After many discussions internally and a sincere effort to explore the trade market, we made a very difficult decision to use our Amnesty provision on Mike Miller,” said Heat President Pat Riley. “Mike had an incredible impact on the Miami Heat; helping us to three finals appearances and winning back-to-back World Championships. This was a very difficult decision for me personally, the Arison family, Erik and the entire Miami Heat organization. Mike was one of the best we have ever had here, and will be sorely missed. We wish Mike, his wife Jennifer and their family nothing but the best.”

Miller appeared in 59 regular season games (17 starts) with the Heat last season, averaging 4.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 15.3 minutes. He has appeared in 831 regular season games (549 starts) during his 13-year NBA career.

Although older and more banged up these days, Miller still has game left, and should be able to find plenty of low-level offers as a backup from teams across the league.

Rajon Rondo says he would never play for the Miami Heat

In a difficult off-season for the Boston Celtics that saw the team trade away veterans Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce and part ways with coach Doc Rivers, there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel.

Amid all the speculation surrounding Rajon Rondo’s future with the Celtics, the Celtics point guard wanted to make one thing perfectly clear.

“I will never play for the Miami Heat,” Rondo said at his basketball camp in Kentucky on whether he would ever take his talents to South Beach.

Reported by Campbell Abbott of the New York Daily News

Miami Heat remain interested in Greg Oden

Pat Riley said the Heat remain interested in free-agent center Greg Oden, who is expected to defer his decision until next month as he works his way back from career-long knee issues.

“We do have interest in him and we will track him,” he said.

Riley said the Heat were not in contact with center Andrew Bynum, who ultimately took a free-agent deal from the Cleveland Cavaliers larger than the Heat could have offered.

As for spending more on coach Erik Spoelstra, whose contract is approaching its end, Riley said, “He’s one of the family here and as soon as that is broached, I’m sure it will be broached in a very positive manner.”

Under the new formula that goes into effect starting this coming season, the Heat, by currently standing $16 million over the $71,748,000 luxury-tax threshold set Tuesday by the NBA, would have to write a tax check to the league of $33.6 million at season’s end.

Reported by Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Coach Jason Kidd says Nets can hang with Heat

With the acquisitions of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry finally made official Friday, Brooklyn Nets coach Jason Kidd wasted no time setting his team’s next target on the defending champion Miami Heat.

“They’re the blueprint, they’re the champs, they won it twice in a row, [and] they could have won it three times in a row,” Kidd said Friday. “They put that team together to try to win championships, and they’ve had a lot of success. So if you want to compete with them, you’ve got to have the horses. And I think we have that.”

Kidd spoke for the first time Friday about those high profile additions to the Nets’ roster after the league finally cleared the trade that sent Garnett, Pierce, Terry and D.J. White to Brooklyn, with the Boston Celtics receiving Gerald Wallace, MarShon Brooks, Kris Humphries, Keith Bogans, Kris Joseph and first-round draft picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018. The Celtics also have the right to swap first-round picks with the Nets in 2017.

The deal was agreed to June 27, but was held up due to the league moratorium on player movement, as well as minor contract stipulations.

— Reported by Michael Wallace of ESPN.com

Miami Heat have no plans to use amnesty clause

For now, the prospects of paying a big luxury-tax bill next year is not enough to dissuade the Miami Heat from its plan to keep the its current championship core intact.

Heat president Pat Riley said Friday that the team does not currently plan to use its one-time amnesty option as a way of lightening its looming tax load, with the team’s focus instead being on simply finding ways to get better.

“Right now, we’re not using amnesty, no,” Riley said.

Amnesty would allow the Heat to essentially cut one player and pay whatever is left on his contract, but without that salary counting against the team’s cap space or add to future luxury-tax bills. Miami is currently in line to pay more than $30 million in tax for the coming season, though could shave off at least one-quarter of that by parting with someone like Joel Anthony or Mike Miller.

Reported by the Associated Press

Miami Heat re-sign Chris Andersen

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

“We are ecstatic that Chris Andersen has decided to stay with the Miami HEAT,” said HEAT President Pat Riley. “We would not have won the championship without him and we are looking forward to him having an even better season next year.”

Andersen appeared in 42 regular season games with the HEAT last season, helping Miami to a 39-3 record (.929) over that span, marking the highest winning percentage by any player in NBA history playing in at least 40 games during a single season. The 11-year NBA veteran averaged 4.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.05 blocks and 14.9 minutes while shooting 57.7 percent from the field. Additionally, he appeared in 20 postseason games during the HEAT’s championship run and averaged 6.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.10 blocks and 15.2 minutes while shooting 80.7 percent (46-of-57) from the field, becoming the first player in NBA postseason history to take at least 35 shots and shoot better than 75 percent from the field. He also connected on a perfect 7-of-7 from the field vs. Indiana during Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 22, marking the most made field goals without a miss during a single postseason game in HEAT franchise history.

“I’m excited to be back with the HEAT,” said Chris Andersen. “I believe we have an opportunity to repeat and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Andersen was originally signed to a 10-day contract by the HEAT on January 20, 2013 and then re-signed to a second 10-day contract on January 30 before signing for the remainder of the season on February 8.

Chris Bosh to promote NBA on India tour

Having recently helped the Heat win a second-consecutive NBA title, Chris Bosh will turn his attention to helping the league conquer a new frontier.

The eight-time All-Star will visit Mumbai, India, July 16-18, to participate in a series of activities to help grow interest in the game. Having gained a stronghold in China, the NBA has targeted India and its population of more than 1 billion as the next lucrative international market.

Reported by Craig Davis of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel