Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southeast Rumors: LeBron, Bosh, Beaubois

February 17th, 2014 at 3:01pm CST by Chuck Myron

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert still believes strongly that LeBron James will entertain the idea of signing with the Cavs either this summer or next if the Heat‘s run of titles ends, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. There are plenty of hypotheticals in that statement, but if James does return, Kyrie Irving‘s development means the move would more closely resemble James’ decision to hook up with other stars in Miami than a simple homecoming, Berger opines. Here’s more from another of the Heat’s trio of big names:

Chris Bosh won’t pester LeBron about where he’ll choose to play next, but Bosh offered up a hint about his own free agency, explaining to Sam Amick of USA Today that he’s moved past the idea of being a team’s No. 1 option. “I’m over it,” Bosh said. “It’s just all about winning at the end of the day. It’s about being in the game. I mean everybody isn’t meant to take the last shot. Everybody isn’t going to be the MVP. It’s only for a very, very small percentage, for a small percentage of guys. I understand that, and I’m just lucky enough to be in this situation I am now, just competing at the highest level in the league. That’s good enough for me.”
There’s no chance Rodrigue Beaubois will work out for the Wizards, two sources tell J. Michael of CSNWashington.com, contradicting a weekend report that indicated Beaubois would audition for the Wizards and Grizzlies.
Gerald Wallace is still upset with the Bobcats for what he says happened when they traded him at the 2011 deadline, as he tells Jessica Camerato of Basketball Insiders. Wallace says the Bobcats told him they wouldn’t trade him, then dealt him anyway without giving him an explanation.

Eastern Notes: Heat, Nelson, Sixers

February 16th, 2014 at 12:16pm CST by Eddie Scarito

This Thursday’s trade deadline is an important date for many teams in the league. The right moves can not only help a franchise in their quest to make the playoffs this season, but also influence what a team can do in the off-season personnel wise. But it’s nine days later that is a potentially even more significant date for the Heat, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. March 1st is the date that players have to be waived by in order to be eligible for another team’s playoff roster, a date informally known as the buyout deadline. Winderman believes that since the Heat don’t have much to offer other teams in potential deals, the team will be more active in looking to pick up a player who has been waived, similar to them picking up Chris Andersen last year. Winderman also opines that any deadline moves the Heat might make would be salary dumps with avoiding luxury tax penalties in mind. Potential waiver candidates to keep an eye on are Caron Butler, Keith Bogans, Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, and Chris Kaman, according to the article.

Heat Notes: Deadline, Buyouts, LeBron

February 15th, 2014 at 10:24am CST by Cray Allred

LeBron James was asked about the prospect of signing in Dallas if and when he becomes a free agent, presumably for the Mavs, and gave the tongue-in-cheek answer, “Think the Dallas Cowboys will take me?” per Ethan J. Skolnick of Bleacher Report (via Twitter). Here’s some of the more realistic news out of Miami:

Ira Winderman of Sun Sentinel thinks that March 1 could be a more significant deadline for the Heat than the trade deadline on February 20, because that is the last date that players can be waived and remain eligible to play in the postseason. He notes that Chris Andersen was a significant buyout addition for Miami last year, and sees potential fits with NBA buyout candidates like Caron Butler, Chris Kaman, and Ben Gordon, as well as remaining free agents and players overseas.
Winderman cites the Heat’s lack of expendable assets, their history of deadline inactivity during the big-three era, and tax concerns as barriers to any big moves in Miami.
In the same piece, Winderman relays quotes from coach Erik Spoelstra on D-Leaguer Justin Hamilton. Hamilton was named a D-League All-Star while playing on the Heat’s affiliate in Sioux Falls, but Miami no longer holds his NBA rights. Said Spoelstra, “That’s what he needs to do, keep on playing well in the D-League and if it’s with us, great. If it’s somebody else, he just has to keep plugging away.”

Eastern Rumors: Sanders, Celtics, Bulls

February 14th, 2014 at 11:37am CST by Chuck Myron

A few Eastern Conference teams have picked up their play of late, but there are still only four East clubs with a record of .500 or better as the All-Star break arrives. Here’s the latest on the NBA’s weaker half:

Larry Sanders will be out at least six weeks after surgery to repair a fractured orbital bone, the Bucks announced. The team has reportedly been rejecting trade offers for the center, and today’s news makes it seem even less likely that he’ll be dealt.
Danny Ainge is “more open to a deal than most” NBA executives as the deadline approaches, but rivals believe he’d like to hang on to his future draft picks while adding as little money to the Celtics books as he can, writes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald.
The Bulls have been at 12 players since February 1st, and they were facing a Saturday deadline to add to their roster, but the league has granted the team an exception to its two-week limit on 12-man teams, tweets Mark Deeks of ShamSports (Twitter link). Chicago can stand pat until Monday.
Bleacher Report’s Ethan Skolnick identifies Caron Butler as a player the Heat may target if the Bucks agree to a buyout after the trade deadline, citing mutual admiration between the veteran small forward and Miami’s front office. Skolnick also says Butler or Shawn Marion could become a free agent replacement for Shane Battier this summer, when Battier is likely to retire (video link).

Odds & Ends: Griffin, Green, Draft, Heat

February 12th, 2014 at 4:27pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Nuggets and Grizzlies once offered their GM jobs to Cavs interim GM David Griffin, notes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, so Cleveland doesn’t exactly have an obscure talent at the helm as the trade deadline nears. Wojnarowski’s piece details some of the missteps of Griffin’s predecessor, Chris Grant, and points to the strong desire that Kyrie Irving held in 2012 for the team to draft Harrison Barnes rather than Dion Waiters. We passed along more from Wojnarowski in a pair of posts last night, and we’ll round up the latest from the NBA here:

Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report hears the Celtics are unlikely to move Jeff Green and have their eyes on building around Green, Rajon Rondo and Jared Sullinger (Twitter link).
Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com thinks Marcus Smart‘s fan-shoving incident has hurt his stock, but the main reason Goodman has Smart at No. 14 in his Insider-only mock draft is because his outside shot hasn’t improved. Goodman also details Bucks GM John Hammond‘s fondness for Joel Embiid and notes Thunder GM Sam Presti‘s affinity for Syracuse forward C.J. Fair.
Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel wonders if the Heat‘s decision to start Toney Douglas Tuesday night was a chance for the team to see what it has in him before the trade deadline. A Tuesday morning report suggested the Heat are prepared to waive Douglas if a more attractive option comes along.
The Nuggets aren’t likely to be particularly active at the deadline, writes Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post, but even if they are, coach Brian Shaw says he won’t have much input on the team’s personnel decisions until after the season.
Three-year NBA veteran Will Conroy, who played briefly for the Timberwolves last season, has signed with Rasta Vechta of Germany, the team announced (translation via Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia). Conroy recently parted ways with another German team.

Odds & Ends: Silver, Nets, Hill, Draft

February 11th, 2014 at 3:56pm CST by Chuck Myron

We’re 11 days into Adam Silver’s reign as NBA commissioner, and if no one’s noticed much of a difference from before, that’s by design, as Silver tells Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press.

“I’m not coming in with a five-point plan,” Silver said. “I’m not an outsider coming into the league. I’ve been part of this league for a long time and if there was something that I thought should’ve been done markedly different than the way it’s done now, I think David and I would have pushed each other to do it.”

Here’s more from Silver’s status-quo league:

A source puts the chances of the Nets making a trade between now and the deadline at less than 10%, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). That echoes what we heard from Grantland’s Zach Lowe earlier today.
Grant Hill is still drawing NBA interest during his first year of retirement, but the 41-year-old tells Sean Deveney of The Sporting News that he’s definitely not making a comeback.
The top 10 prospects are unchanged on the latest Insider-only draft board from Chad Ford of ESPN.com, though Swiss power forward Clint Capela jumps to No. 20 from outside the top 30.
Wizards camp invitee Xavier Silas has signed with a team in Argentina, tweets Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. The deal includes an escape clause that will allow him to ink an NBA deal at any point this season.
Udonis Haslem has never played for an NBA team other than the Heat, and the 11th-year vet doesn’t intend for that to ever change, as he tells Bleacher Report’s Ethan Skolnick. Haslem has a $4.62MM player option for next season.

Eastern Notes: Bobcats, Cheeks, Beasley

February 10th, 2014 at 7:37pm CST by Zachary Links

Bobcats owner Michael Jordan tells Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report that, so far, he’s very pleased with the job that coach Steve Clifford has done. “I’ve been impressed with several aspects of his coaching,” MJ said. “Steve has come in and quickly established an identity and a style of play for our team—hard-working, defensive-minded, playing inside-out basketball.” Here’s more out of the East..

Pistons players were caught off-guard by the dismissal of coach Maurice Cheeks, writes Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News. Chauncey Billups didn’t have anything bad to say about Cheeks but he’s hopeful that the move will help the club turn things around this season. “I don’t know if Mo’s the problem, but I do think [John Loyer] is more offensive-minded as far as details and small things.”
Heat forward Michael Beasley didn’t leave the Suns on the greatest terms but he’s still excited for Tuesday’s return to Phoenix, writes Ethan Skolnick of Bleacher Report.
Newly signed swingman Chris Johnson should bring energy and talent to a Celtics team in need of both, writes Chris Forsberg ESPN Boston.com.

LeBron Notes: Outlook In Miami, Cleveland, L.A.

February 8th, 2014 at 11:03am CST by Cray Allred

The unprecedented build up and meltdown surrounding LeBron James‘ decision to sign with the Heat four summers ago dwarfs the current speculation on the four-time MVP’s next venture into free agency, which is likely to occur if James opts out of his contract for next year and maximizes his earnings. James admitted in to Sean Highkin of USA Today that the team’s struggles in his first year after joining forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh caused him to question his unpopular decision at the time, “We weren’t playing good basketball, we were out of sync, and me and D-Wade were looking at each other like, ‘Did we make the right choice, man?'” Three finals appearances and two championships later, James is now easily at peace with the choice. Here are some more rumors on James’ future:

Bill Reiter of FOX Sports writes that the dysfunction surrounding the Cavs this year is due in large part to the ongoing void and desperation that remain from LeBron’s departure. Reiter says that the tantalizing possibility of a James homecoming next season played a significant part in the re-hiring of coach Mike Brown and the top overall draft selection of Anthony Bennett this year. The Cavs’ playoffs-or-bust goals for the season were an attempt to impress James and lure him back to a winning franchise, but basing the team’s identity around that hypothetical has led to the reports of locker room disarray and underperformance in Retier’s mind.
While most of the chatter around LeBron’s future centers on his decision to stay, and whether Wade and Bosh remain with him, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel [subscription-only] wonders if James could actually lure more talent to join him on the Heat in upcoming offseasons.
In the same space, Winderman still can’t rule out the possibility of James returning to the Cavs. The firing of GM Chris Grant could be the first of many moves that make the franchise a more appealing destination, including a new coach or a knockout draft choice.
Howard Beck and Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report discussed whether a sign-and-trade to the Clippers is a realistic possibility. The odds are stacked against such a move due to the Clippers’ lack of cap room, general legacy concerns for James, and a perceived aversion to the Clippers’ unpopular owner Donald Sterling.

Ray Allen Not Planning To Retire This Summer

February 7th, 2014 at 11:38am CST by Chuck Myron

A little more than a year ago, Ray Allen told Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times that he was thinking about retiring at the end of last season. The 18th-year veteran won’t rule it out for this summer, but he says stepping away from the game isn’t his plan, as Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel observes.

“At this point, I love how my body feels,” Allen said. “It’s 18 years for me. I love what I’ve done and how I’ve continued to feel.”

Allen, 38, is in the final season of a two-year deal. He could have opted out of the pact last summer in search of a multiyear contract, but he didn’t want to think beyond the 2013/14 season.

“I was like, ‘Let’s try it again and we’ll deal with that issue then,’ because nothing’s more important than the present,” Allen said. “And that’s the one thing I learned early in my career, is always be in the moment.”

The sharpshooter will make a final decision this summer about playing in 2014/15, but he says his desire to keep playing has much to do with his affection for working with his Heat teammates, calling his time in Miami the most fun he’s had in his career. It’ll be a pivotal summer for the Heat, with only Norris Cole on a guaranteed contract for next season. Each of the team’s three superstars can opt for free agency, Shane Battier is likely to retire, and Winderman suggests Rashard Lewis, James Jones and perhaps Udonis Haslem are nearing the end, too.

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Ray Allen

Western Rumors: Clippers, Aldridge, Gay

February 5th, 2014 at 12:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com examine the chances that the Clippers could wind up with LeBron James this summer, calling them “perhaps the most serious competitor” the Heat will face for the four-time MVP. The Clippers aren’t set to have cap space, but Miami had to pull off some last-minute moves to open up room for their free agent haul in 2010, and a source close to James tells the ESPN.com scribes that James will consider teams without cap room. It would require the Heat to cooperate, and league executives believe they’d ask for Blake Griffin as part of a sign-and-trade, according to Windhorst and Shelburne. While we wait to see if that scenario plays out, here’s more from the West:

LaMarcus Aldridge says he’ll make “winning and happiness and making sure my worth is valued” his priorities in his next contract negotiations, and tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com that he wants to wait until summer to talk about an extension. That’s the same timetable Blazers owner Paul Allen said he’ll take shortly after Aldridge revealed he’d be open to an extension.
Rudy Gay tells Marc Stein of ESPN.com that he isn’t leaning one way or another about whether to exercise his player option this summer, but he says he appreciates the on-court freedom the Kings have given him since December’s trade.
The Suns have assigned Archie Goodwin to the D-League, the team announced. The rookie performed well on his first trip to the Bakersfield Jam late last month, averaging 29.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in a pair of games.
Andre Roberson is back from yesterday’s assignment to the D-League, the Thunder announced. The power forward put up 20 points and 11 rebounds Tuesday for the Tulsa 66ers.