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Miami Heat acquire draft rights to James Ennis from Hawks

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have acquired the draft rights to guard/forward James Ennis (50th overall) from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for a future second round pick.

“We were happy to get into the draft,” said HEAT President Pat Riley. “We feel that James Ennis, with his size and athleticism, has a huge upside and someone we hope can develop into a high-quality NBA player.”

Ennis appeared in 67 collegiate games for Long Beach State during his junior and senior seasons and averaged 13.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.67 steals, 1.03 blocks and 31.0 minutes while shooting 49.3 percent from the field, 35.4 percent from three-point range and 78.8 percent from the foul line. Despite playing just two seasons for the 49ers, he finished fifth all-time in free throw percentage, fifth in total blocks (69) and ninth in total rebounds (582). Prior to his stint at LBSU, he played two junior college seasons, first at Oxnard College and then at Ventura College, where he totaled 1,053 points, including scoring in double-figures in 48-of-52 games.

During his senior season at Long Beach State, Ennis appeared in 33 games (32 starts) averaging 16.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.76 steals, 1.30 blocks and 33.1 minutes while shooting 49.1 percent from the field, 35.7 percent from three-point range and 83.4 percent from the foul line. He ranked first on the team in scoring average and rebounds per game. He scored in double-figures in each of his 33 games, including a 29-point, 15-rebound double-double vs. BYU-Hawaii on December 15. He capped his senior year as the Big West Conference Player of the Year.

Pat Riley reflects on latest title, looks ahead

”We’re the fugitive and they’re still coming after us,” said Riley, the Heat president. ”And that motivates the hell out of me. It really does, because I don’t want to get caught, not with what we have. And I don’t the players feeling like they can get caught, either. That’s why the improvement needs to come from within and we need to be smart about what we’re doing.”

Riley wrapped up the season with a 40-minute interview session Wednesday, opining on everything from his ninth championship season (”I’ve been lucky,” he said in a clear understatement) to coach Erik Spoelstra’s story that his boss came knocking on the door of his hotel suite after the 113-77 loss in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against San Antonio with three bottles of wine (”The wine was already there – and it was opened,” was Riley’s recollection).

Occasional laughs aside, Riley also pointed out repeatedly that the work awaiting the Heat in the coming months is serious.

”We’re just going to keep everything very fluid,” Riley said. ”I think that’s the key. What we just experienced, three straight years, (297) games, two consecutive world championships, we are so giddy about that and proud of our team and also excited that what we did three years ago has led us to this. The challenge is not ‘Can we win another championship?’ The challenge is how to manage it within the confines of a very punitive collective bargaining agreement.”

None of Riley’s proclamations about his hopes for next season’s roster were exactly surprising. First, as expected, he announced that the team is exercising its $4 million option on point guard Mario Chalmers, who has started every game in which he’s appeared in the past two seasons, with a knack for coming up big in the biggest moments.

Reported by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press

Heat exercising option to keep Mario Chalmers

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have exercised their team option on guard Mario Chalmers for the 2013-14 season.

Chalmers appeared in 77 games this season (all starts) and averaged 8.6 points, 3.5 assists, 2.2 rebounds, 1.53 steals and 26.9 minutes while shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from three-point range. Among league leaders, he finished 12th in steals-per-turnovers (0.99), 20th in steals per game and 25th in three-point field goal percentage. He made 10 three-point field goals at Sacramento on January 12, tying for the most during a single game in HEAT franchise history with Brian Shaw on April 8, 1993 at Milwaukee.

He started in all 23 postseason games during Miami’s 2013 championship run, averaging 9.4 points, 3.1 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 28.3 minutes while shooting 41.5 percent from the field. He surpassed Tim Hardaway (80) as the franchise all-time leader in career postseason three-point field goals made on May 8 vs. Chicago, capping the playoffs with 102 total. Additionally, he scored 20 points while shooting 7-of-11 from the field, including 4-of-5 from three-point range, vs. San Antonio in Miami’s Game Six win of the NBA Finals.

Chalmers was originally acquired in a draft night trade in 2008, signing with Miami on July 9, 2008 and then re-signing on December 9, 2011.

Rashard Lewis and James Jones exercise options to stay with Heat

The Miami HEAT announced today that both forward James Jones and forward Rashard Lewis, being smart to stick with a championship team — even one that barely gives them any minutes — have exercised their player options for the 2013-14 season.

Jones, a 10-year NBA veteran, appeared in 38 games with the HEAT this season, and has earned postseason berths in each of his five seasons with Miami, including two NBA Championships. The Miami native has appeared in 246 career games with the HEAT, averaging 4.2 points and 1.4 rebounds while shooting 39.8 percent from three-point range. He hit a career-high 123 three-point field goals during the 2010-11 season while capturing the 2011 NBA Three-Point Shootout title. Jones originally signed with the HEAT as a free agent on July 9, 2008.

Lewis, a 15-year NBA veteran, appeared in 55 games (nine starts) with the HEAT this season averaging 5.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 14.4 minutes while shooting 41.4 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from three-point range. He scored in double-figures 13 times this season, including a season-high 19 points twice, first vs. Boston on April 12 and then at Cleveland on April 15. He appeared in 11 postseason games during Miami’s championship run this season totaling 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks while shooting 40 percent from the field in 47 minutes of action. He was originally signed by the HEAT as a free agent on July 11, 2012.

Heat owner Micky Arison to step down as CEO of Carnival Cruises

Miami-based Carnival Corp. & PLC announced Tuesday that longtime Chairman and CEO Micky Arison will step down as company CEO, but continue as chairman in a move to split the two roles.

Carnival said business leader and 12-year board member Arnold W. Donald will assume the CEO role effective July 3, Carnival said in a news release Tuesday.

Arison has held the role of CEO since 1979, and as chairman he’ll continue to provide board level oversight and will remain the company’s largest shareholder, Carnival said.

Donald in turn will lead the executive team, focusing initially on achieving the company’s long-term strategic goals.

Carnival said the move to split the roles has received unanimous approval from the company’s nominating and governance committee as well as the full board of directors.

Reported by Arlene Satchell of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Udonis Haslem savors his third championship with Heat

Mr. 305 can now boast of being a three-time champ.

In a locker room of cigar-toting, champagne-soaked Heat players late Thursday night, many of whom celebrated winning back-to-back rings, forward Udonis Haslem grinned as he reflected on his third title in his decade-long career.

The Miami native and Dwyane Wade are the only ones to have played on all three Heat championship teams, winning the franchise’s first together in 2006 and then the past two years as co-captains.

They’re two of just seven active NBA players with three or more championship rings — Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher have five, San Antonio’s Tim Duncan has four and Spurs teammates Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili each have three.

It’s something Haslem, who turned 33 years old on the day the Heat won Game 2 against the Spurs, didn’t envision after he left the University of Florida and played a year in France.

“I would have never guessed it,” Haslem said after the Game 7 triumph. “Undrafted, going overseas, I worked, man. I gave it my heart, my soul, sacrificed. And it all just paid off. I’m thankful. I’m blessed. I’m very blessed.”

Reported by Steve Gorten of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Dwyane Wade hopes to leave knee problems behind

Dwyane Wade knocked on the table at the interview podium.

He then asked, `Is this wood?”

That was his thinking after being asked if he would need surgery on his left knee that bothered him since early March. Wade said he doesn’t expect another procedure in the offseason and that rest is all he needs.

“Hopefully no surgery,” Wade said. “Obviously there will be a few treatments me and Doc will talk about, but it won’t be surgery. Treatments, I hope. A lot of rest is going to be key for them. My knees right now, they’re still on fire because I have this hot stuff on my legs. But hopefully no surgery at all.”

It was the second straight year Wade dealt with knee issues. He had surgery last summer on his right knee after the Miami Heat won the title. He played through pain for most of the past four months, but was in the lineup every game in the playoffs except for Game 4 against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round.

Reported by Shandel Richardson of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Dwyane Wade needed knee drained to play Game 7 of Finals

Dwyane Wade had his left knee drained one day before Game 7 of the NBA Finals, then got about eight hours of game-day therapy just so he could play in the title-clinching win for the Miami Heat.

Wade tells The Associated Press that his left knee was swollen ”like a coconut” after a collision with San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili in Game 6 of the finals. It was drained the following day, then was swollen yet again when he woke up on the morning of Game 7.

Reported by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press

City officials ban backpacks for Miami Heat championship parade

The Heat will have their championship parade Monday, and city officials say fans will not be allowed to carry backpacks.

An estimated 400,000 fans packed the route last season after the Heat won the 2012 title. The parade will be followed by an event for season-ticket holders at the team’s home arena, where the parade will end.

Several major events have not allowed fans to carry backpacks or bags of a certain size after the Boston Marathon bombings earlier this year, including the Penn Relays and horse racing’s Triple Crown races.

Reported by the Associated Press

President Obama calls Heat coach Erik Spoelstra

The White House says President Barack Obama has congratulated the Miami Heat’s head coach on winning the NBA championship the second year in a row.

Obama called Coach Erik Spoelstra on Friday afternoon. The White House says Obama pointed out the team’s relentless determination and noted it was a historic season for the team and for its MVP, LeBron James.

The White House says Obama told the coach that he’ll have the team to the White House to congratulate them in person on their victory.

Reported by the Associated Press