MiamiHoopsBlog.com

Ok. Yesterday we were successful in making a significant trade this off-season. The deal sending Antoine Walker, Michael Doleac, Wayne Simeon, and a future conditional draft pick for Ricky Davis and Mark Blount.

Immediately we have improved our offense. But here is what makes the move even more productive: Pat Riley freed himself from Walker’s abomination of a contract. I still don’t know how Riles got that sold but here’s some prospect of what next off-season could look like as reported by the Miami Herald’s Michael Wallace (no, not the 60 minutes guy)

The Heat could have as much as $21 million in expiring contracts next summer, making it a potential bidder for a 2008 free agents crop that could include Gilbert Arenas, Ron Artest, Corey Maggette, Elton Brand, Baron Davis and Jermaine O’Neal.

Pat, you’ve done it again.

Tags: NBA, Miami Heat, Local Topics, 2007 Offseason, Minnesota Timberwolves, News, The Groves Report!, Trades, Free Agency by Groves
No Comments »

In lue of the bucks matching our offer sheet for point guard Charlie Bell, let’s look at their off season moves:

They draft a Chinese guy, Jianlian Yi who wants to play in a city with a large Chinese population.

They overpay Mo Williams to the tune of 6 years $51M dollars.

They re-sign Desmond Mason, who “felt angry and betrayed when he left Milwaukee less than two years ago.”

Refuse to offer Charlie Bell a $3M a year contract until the Heat offers him $18.5M over five years. Since he is a restricted free agent however, they have the right to match the Heat’s over and thus retained him. All of this done after Bell states he does not want to play in Milwaukee and they signed Royal Ivey to fill his postion.

Oh, it’s not over. Here are some comments the GM, Larry Harris made after matching our offer:

“It’s going to sound funny saying this, but some things that Mo Williams did with his contract, (he) made a great sacrifice for Charlie Bell. I think that says a lot without going into too much detail,” Harris said. “I give Mo a lot of credit. He did some things to help us do what we needed to today.”

 “The sun will shine here just as it does in Miami,” Harris said.

Tags: NBA, Milwaukee Bucks, Off The Court, 2007 Offseason, The Groves Report!, Free Agency, News, Uncategorized by Groves
No Comments »

When you sign a free agent guard, and the biggest criticism about the move is that you might have overcrowded your backcourt, then you know you’ve done something right. Charlie Bell may not be a franchise player or even a starter at this point, but the Heat have added a solid rotation player and given themselves more flexibility in their backcourt. By adding Bell, they have added perimeter shooting, defense, and enough depth at guard to explore any trade where Jason Williams’ expiring contract could be the Heat’s biggest bargaining chip.

In looking at Charlie Bell’s stats last year, there’s one number that immediately jumped out at me: 82. Thats in, 82 games played. You don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes to deduce that Bell was pretty healthy last year. The same can’t be said for Miami’s group of guards who missed over 60 games combined (Wade, Williams, Gary Payton) due to injury.

 Of course, all of this could be a moot point if the Bucks decide to match the Heat’s offer sheet. If that happens, then Charlie Bell sucks and we never wanted him anyway.

Tags: Miami Heat, NBA, 2007 Offseason, Ben Ellingsworth, Free Agency by Ben Ellingsworth
No Comments »

From Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Restricted free agent guard Charlie Bell has received a five-year, $18 million offer from the Miami Heat, according to National Basketball Association sources.

The Milwaukee Bucks will have one week to match the offer or relinquish the rights to Bell.

Bell said on Saturday that he did not wish to return to the Bucks. Milwaukee had offered a three-year, $9 million contract to the former Michigan State player.

Bell’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, confirmed the Miami offer sheet and said Bell had visited with Heat officials in Miami on Friday and Saturday. Bell met with Heat president and head coach Pat Riley.

“I think he’s excited about it,” Bartelstein said. “He had a real good visit. Now it’s obvious the Bucks have to make a hard decision. I’m frustrated it came to this point, but it did.”

Click here for the full article.

The Bell story is also being reported by Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

In extending an offer sheet Monday to outside-shooting Bucks guard Charlie Bell, the Heat showed it is willing to invest more than $18 million on an already crowded backcourt.

After losing out on Bucks point guard Mo Williams earlier this offseason in free agency, the Heat on Monday put in a bid for his frequent 2006-07 Milwaukee backcourt partner.

However, because Bell is a restricted free agent, the Bucks now have until next Monday to decide whether to match the five-year, $18.3 million offer.

Click here for the full Sun-Sentinel article.

We’ll have our take on this soon enough. I’ll go on the record right now by saying that I love this move, if it actually happens. There’s no telling what the Bucks are going to do. Until then, enjoy the articles and check back soon to hear our what we think about this.

Tags: Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, NBA, 2007 Offseason, News, Ben Ellingsworth, Free Agency by Ben Ellingsworth
No Comments »

After loosing the 2005 Eastern Conference Championship to the Detroit Pistons, Pat Riley radically and controversially dismantled that version of the Miami Heat and transformed it practically overnight. In the largest trades in NBA history, Miami acquired Antoine Walker, Jason Williams, Andre Emmet, Roberto Duenas (draft rights), and James Posey. Eddie Jones and Rasual Butler were sent packing in the trade along with Qyntel Woods, a few draft picks, and the draft rights to somebody named Albert Miralles.

Of all the guys the Heat acquired in that trade, I remember being most excited about James Posey. Walker had been and still is far from the player he once was when he first came up with the Celtics. Jason Williams was and is a quality player, but the questions about injuries were the same then as they are now. The other guys were throw-ins and never played any significant minutes for the Heat.

Posey certainly had some question marks hanging over his head at the time as well. After bouncing around from Denver, Houston, and finally Memphis, Posey put up some of his best career numbers in the 2003-2004 season for the Grizzlies (All 82 games played as a starter, 48% fgs, 39% 3pts, 13.7 ppg). Memphis even made the playoffs for the first time in their history that year and Posey started all 4 games before the Grizz were swept by the San Antonio Spurs. The 2004-2005 season was a disappointment for Posey. He struggled with injury and weight problems and only started 18 of the 50 games he played in for the Grizzlies that year.

But Pat Riley had and still has a history of resurecting careers. Posey seemed to fit the mold of a “Pat Riley Guy” to the T. He was a tough defender and a capable scorer who would give the Heat depth off the bench that is so crucial if you want to make a serious run at a championship.

James did not disappoint in the 2005-2006 season. He started 63 games that season and even reminded Heat fans of the late 90’s era Heat, when he was suspended in the first round of the 2006 playoffs for helping Kurt Heinrich meet the floor of the United Center. Antoine Walker took over as the starter for the majority of the playoff games, mostly because Walker was more effective in that role then he was as a bench player. But Posey was crucial as the Heat’s 6th man and averaged over 27 minutes per game in the playoffs. The Heat went on to win their first NBA Championship that year with JP shooting 42% from beyond the arc and hitting clutch shots along the way.

The defending champs were a major disappointment last season and could not not make it out of the first round of the playoffs. Posey’s numbers during the regular season were about the same as the championship year, although he only started 19 of the 71 games that he played in. Again, this was not necessarily an indictment of Posey’s play, but had more to do with Walker’s poor play as a bench player. That’s not to say that James didn’t have some problems along the way.

Midway through the 2006-2007 season, James Posey and Antoine Walker were suspended from the team for “Weight and Conditioning” violations. This raised some eyebrows since it coincided with Pat Riley going on leave to have surgery. #42 was also arrested during the season for a DUI charge. It’s possible that all of this contributed to the Heat not being as aggressive as some had hoped in regards to trying to resign him. Riley called Posey a “limited” player and was never clear if the Heat had any strong interest in resigning him.

And now James Posey begins the new chapter of his career with the Boston Celtics, who have gone through an even more dramatic transformation this offseason then Miami did heading into 2005-2006. It remains to be seen if the results will be as favorable.  But once again, Posey will bring his toughness and now, his championship experience to another contender as he is expected to be the 6th man on a team with title dreams. For all the big names on the Celtics, J.P. is the one with the jewelery that Pierce, KG, and Ray Allen have been chasing their entire careers.

Tags: Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies, NBA, 2007 Offseason, Ben Ellingsworth, Boston Celtics, Free Agency by Ben Ellingsworth
No Comments »

Celts pick Posey to get tough
By Mark Murphy
Boston Herald Sports Reporter
Sunday, August 26, 2007

Reggie Miller would have added a nice offensive punch off the bench.

But James Posey, the 6-foot-8 forward who agreed to a two-year, $7 million contract with the Celtics [team stats] yesterday, offers an upgrade in two areas of greater need.

The swingman, who alternated with Antoine Walker as sixth man when the Miami Heat won the 2006 NBA title, is one of the most energetic players in the league, as well as one of its finest defenders.

That combination makes Posey one of the NBA’s most highly regarded role players, and it has earned him a reputation for tough defense and the eternal scorn of Chicago fans after two playoff appearances against the Bulls.

As playoff matchups against Richard Hamilton, Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson and, in particular, the Bulls’ Luol Deng and Tyrus Thomas have illustrated, Posey is a rugged defender who relishes tough assignments. His defense on Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki during the 2006 Finals was vital to Miami’s defeat of the Mavericks. His rough play against Deng, Thomas and Kirk Hinrich over the last two playoff seasons has earned Posey two ejections.

In terms of grit, no addition could have been more important for a Celtics team that already has Paul Pierce [stats], Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.

“The sixth-man role in Boston has always had a special meaning, and that is a role that James is perfectly suited to - that he thrives in,” Posey’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, said yesterday.

Posey, who had been close to signing a deal with New Jersey, was initially considered too expensive for the Celtics when director of basketball operations Danny Ainge expressed interest in early July.

But after Miller decided Thursday night to remain retired, the talks with Posey gained new life.

A downturn in the free agent market also had helped lower Posey’s price. The Celtics, with approximately $3.5 million of their $5.6 million mid-level exception left after signing Eddie House, suddenly became one of the best deals remaining on the market. Reportedly, the Nets had only their $1.8 million biannual exception to offer.

But it was the allure of playing with Pierce, Garnett and Allen that ultimately won Posey over.

“He got the taste of winning a championship in Miami, and you don’t lose that taste,” Bartelstein said. “Financially there were some better situations he passed up, but he’s very excited to be with the Celtics.”

Posey’s contract includes a player’s option for the second season.

Click Here for the link to the original story in the Boston Herald.

Tags: NBA, Miami Heat, 2007 Offseason, Boston Celtics, News, The Groves Report!, Free Agency by Groves
1 Comment »

James Posey may be getting close to joining  Jason Kidd and the New Jersey Nets next season rather then returning to the Miami Heat.

From the New York Post:

“We’ve been talking and talking for a while,” Posey’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, confirmed yesterday. “And while it’s hard to get into specifics, yes, the Nets are in the running. I would think there will be a decision soon.”

It is still possible that Posey could end up returning to the Heat, but either way an answer appears to be comming soon.

From the South Florida Sun Sentinel:

“I don’t want to get into the teams, but I expect something to get done later [Friday] or [Saturday],” Bartelstein said.

Tags: Miami Heat, New Jersey Nets, NBA, 2007 Offseason, Rumors, Ben Ellingsworth, Free Agency by Ben Ellingsworth
No Comments »

Well, there’s not a whole hell of a lot going on in the sports world today, or rather at all really since the Garnett trade so I thought I’d put some rumors that are supposedly dead.

1. Reggie Miller has put to rest the rumors that he’s coming back to the NBA and accepting Danny Ainge’s offer to come play for the C’s. He says that although he’s been doing twice-a-day workouts to see if his body could handle the “physical stress” of playing an entire NBA season, he says that he now knows that he cannot put up with the “mental stress” of playing. I’m glad Reggie decided not to come back because if he did I would’ve burned him here for the shit he talked about Karl Malone for joining the Lakers in search of a ring and all the other vets he was ragging on for doing the same and also I’m glad he didn’t come back because I too understand the “mental stress” of working out, playing basketball as a job, collecting a million-plus paycheck and getting laid in practically every city you go visit to play the local team. Actually, no, I lie, I don’t know what that ‘mental stress’ is but I sure as hell would like to find out. I just suspect that since Reggie retired, his wife probably put his nuts in her purse and that’s the real reason he’s not coming back.

2. There’s a slight possibility that Riley’s constant denial of The Heat going after Ron Artest may actually be valid; thus rendering that rumor dead. But, then again, it IS Riles and he’s known for being somewhat of a ‘chess master’; never revealing anything until the very last moment, so by then, the competition is left helpless to counter attack and the fans are left wondering, season ticket in hand, “Who the fuck is Alexander Johnson.” LOL.

3. And last but not least; speaking of Miami, I have quite a girl. She gave me the heads up regarding a rumor stemming from an extremely reliable source within her office, that Cuban Communist Dictator Fidel Castro died earlier today. As the story goes: her coworker is dating some dude who’s brother is a high-ranking official in the Cuban military and he called him from Cuba within the past hour to inform him that yes, the man died today and so he passed the information back to her. Schools and shops were immediately closed and the word is supposedly slowly making its way over here but the Cuban government is trying to keep this, for obvious reasons, under wraps as much as possible.

So if this news does crack the 90 mile gap between Key West, FL. and Cuba, my suggestion to my fellow Miami residents is watch out because the streets are going to be hectic tonight. People are going to be waving flags, banging pots and pans and whatever other objects they can create noise (music) with. There will probably be people dancing on cars, shooting guns in the air and whatnot. So I guess now all the Cubans here who ‘claim’ to have been millionaires back in Cuba will be packing their shit up and will be going back…..no?…….yeah, I didn’t think so either. Just remember; you heard it here FIRST!

Tags: NBA, Non Basketball, Local Topics, 2007 Offseason, Rumors, News, Echoflow Knows!, Free Agency by Erik Sierra
4 Comments »

After a great trip to L.A., I’m back in Miami and scouring the Internet for the latest hoops news. Unfortunately, the biggest story right now is a tragic one. 25 year old Eddie Griffin was killed last week when his vehicle collided with a train. It’s been said that Griffin had issues with alcohol and some are speculating that alcohol could have played a part in this horrific accident. From KHOU.com

“He was a secret binge drinker. He was not going out partying and doing all this wild stuff,” attorney Rusty Hardin said. “He was sitting in a room by himself drinking, and no one knew that was happening.” Hardin represented Griffin in an assault charge case several years ago.

In the running for the “Most Boring Story” of the summer is the Reggie Miller comeback drama. Am I the only person who thinks Reggie is being a prick for even considering this? I guess Reggie and everybody else outside of Indiana are not even thinking about how die-hard Pacers fans feel about his possible comeback, where he would be whoring out his services and coming off the bench for a ring. I know guys do this all the time but Miller is one of those guys who is an icon for the team he played with his entire career. This would be like Larry Bird coming back in 1995 to help someone like the Rockets win a title. But apparently, Reggie is still mulling it over.

Stephon Marbury, who is completely insane, thinks that Michael Vick is getting a raw deal from the press. Although I did think he made an interesting point about how hunting is considered a sport and dogfighting isn’t. I don’t agree with him but I hadn’t really thought of that.

I thought this article was really interesting. It contradicts some of the arguments about the NBA’s talent level being diluted.

“Nellie Ball” may be in jeopardy in the Bay area. Don Nelson and the Warriors seem to be at a stalemate.  

Ira Winderman is just as confused as we are about what Antoine Walker’s role on the Miami Heat will bethis year. I think that anything that prevents him from, you know, actually playing sounds like a great role for him. Maybe he can work the arepa stand in the AAA.

I also noticed that Ira has not commented about the Ron Artest buzz. I’m guessing because its bullshit. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald is a joke. I would be willing to bet a lot of money that there is no credence to his blurb about the Heat pursuing Artest. That’s not to say that it isn’t possible but I don’t think he has any information to support that. I believe he just puts things in his “Roundup” articles to generate buzz. I’ve even joked before about making up rumors about Artest comming to the Heat and then a few days later, its in his toilet rag of a newspaper. Look, I may be just some fan writing about my dumb ass opinions on basketball, but I don’t go out there and make things up. This guy works for a major newspaper. If your going to put something in your article, at least give us a hint on where that information is coming from. And please, don’t use the unnamed “source” thing either. Nobody likes you Barry and everyone knows that you have no real sources.

And finally, “Beware ze Milky Pirate.” (I got this from a “source“)

Tags: NBA, Miami Heat, Off The Court, 2007 Offseason, Trades, News, Rumors, Ben Ellingsworth, Free Agency by Ben Ellingsworth
No Comments »

Free agents sit and wait for payday

NBA teams have full rosters and payrolls, making them loathe to spend on an average talent field

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

GEOFFREY C. ARNOLD The Oregonian Staff

Ruben Patterson remains confident he will play in the NBA this season, even though he’s waiting to sign a contract. Count Patterson, who finished last season with Milwaukee, among free agents who are trying to secure deals as teams finalize their rosters and money evaporates.

“No question it makes it harder,” said John Hammond, the Detroit Pistons’ vice president of player personnel. “You can count heads around the league right now, and many teams have (the maximum) 15 players, or more, in some circumstances.”

Advertisement This year’s free agent class, with few superstars, was considered average at best. Many teams chose to wait for next year’s class, with players such as Tim Duncan and Jermaine O’Neal possibly becoming available. That left some players — such as Patterson, P.J. Brown, Anderson Varejao, Earl Boykins, Adonal Foyle, Troy Hudson, Chris Webber, James Posey and Mickael Pietrus — waiting.

Patterson said this is the longest he has waited before knowing what jersey he will wear when camp begins in October. The former Trail Blazers forward acknowledges he’s getting a little nervous. “You could say that. I know it’s the middle of August,” Patterson said last week during a telephone interview from Cincinnati. “You got a lot of guys who haven’t signed.” Some of them will sign, but others won’t. Even those who do sign a contract probably will not get the kind of deal they envisioned when the free agent period began July 1. Then, there was plenty of money available from teams. Now, with many rosters essentially set, many teams want to avoid paying the luxury tax, a dollar-for-dollar penalty for teams that exceed the team payroll salary limit. “If there’s a free agent available and you pay him $1.5 million, it’s going to cost you $3 million ($1.5 million in salary and $1.5 million tax) with the luxury tax,” Hammond said. “It makes it pretty difficult.”

Patterson’s options decreased further when teams decided to consider signing retired players Allan Houston, Reggie Miller, Charles Oakley and Anfernee Hardaway. Hardaway, 36, who last played during the 2005 season, signed with Miami on Aug. 9. Miller, who retired two seasons ago after spending his entire 18-year career in Indiana, is considering a comeback offer from the Boston Celtics. An arthritic left knee forced Houston to retire in October 2005 after 12 NBA seasons, but he’s also working out in preparation for the season.

Patterson said he would prefer to sign with Boston or Miami, and added he’s not concerned about Hardaway signing with the Heat and Miller considering the Celtics.

“It’s going to be interesting,” Patterson said. “Reggie is what, 41, 42? He’s going to be just shooting threes, and he isn’t going to be a 30- to 40-minute per night guy.

“You look at those squads (Boston and Miami) — where’s the stopper? The energy guy? The defensive guy? That’s me. I’m the only guy they’re missing.”

Some players who had breakthrough seasons, which in the past might have translated to big pay raises, had trouble cashing in this offseason.

Golden State’s Matt Barnes attempted to sign a new deal after coming off a strong season during the Warriors’ playoff run. Barnes had hoped to receive a multiyear deal that included a team’s entire $5.36 million annual mid-level exception early in the free agent period. He didn’t receive many offers and signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal with Golden State on Aug. 13.

“I’m sure I’m not the only one the market got up on,” Barnes told reporters last week.

Former Blazers forward Ime Udoka signed a free agent deal with San Antonio for two years and about $2 million, less than he and his agent had sought.

Miami reportedly was interested in Pietrus, but the Heat, with a team payroll of $69.5 million, exceeds the luxury tax threshold and backed off.

Another problem for some players is the lack of competing offers, which weakens their bargaining position.

A player’s current team isn’t going to bid against itself, so decision-makers -wait to see if a player receives an offer. Stars such as Vince Carter or Chauncey Billups — two of the big-name free agents going into the summer — didn’t need to fret about such issues. However, for Patterson, a lack of competing — or any — offers is a big problem.

The unsigned free agents know teams are reluctant to spend much money at this point of the summer. Twenty-two of the league’s 30 teams have payrolls that exceed the salary cap ($55.63 million ), and eight teams exceed the luxury tax limit ($67.865 million).

“There used to be a salary cap number that teams looked at; now people are worried about the tax number,” Hammond said. “That’s what everybody is working around.”

Players who held out or scorned a less lucrative deal in search of something better sometimes regret their decision. That’s what happened to Bonzi Wells two seasons ago. Wells, coming off a stellar playoff performance with Sacramento, rejected a five-year, $37 million deal from the Kings, thinking he could command more on the open market. The market dried up, and he signed a two-year, $4.5 million contract with Houston.

“There’s a certain amount of anxiety that exists with agents if their guy doesn’t sign early in the process,” Hammond said. “Then you have the fear factor — some agents might be saying, ‘Here it is August and my guy is still not signed.’ ”

Patterson would be thrilled to sign a one-year deal at this stage of the offseason. The veteran forward wants to play basketball, and he’s angling to play for a championship contender.

“I’m 32. I’m not old yet, but I’m up there. I’m just trying to win a championship, even if it’s a one-year or two-year deal, I’ll be happy,” Patterson said. “I’m just going to sit back, relax and see what happens.”

Geoffrey C. Arnold: 503-221-8556; geoffreyarnold@news.oregonian.com Catch his radio show, “Spirit in Sports,” Sundays at 5 p.m. on KPDQ 93.9 FM

Tags: Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, NBA, 2007 Offseason, Free Agency, Uncategorized by Groves
1 Comment »