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08-30-2008, 07:55 AM
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basketball/heat/sfl-flspheat30newsbaug30,0,1250216.story
Magloire shores up depth
By Ira Winderman | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
August 30, 2008
The Heat added to its depth at center Friday by agreeing to terms with free agent Jamaal Magloire.
Although terms were not immediately available, Heat President Pat Riley said earlier in the day the team was looking for a player willing to take the veteran's minimum.
While the Heat has depth at center, its starting job remains in flux.
After the midseason trade of Shaquille O'Neal, Mark Blount emerged as the Heat's primary starting center last season, with rookie Joel Anthony also given time as the Heat careened to a league-worst 15-67.
Those two are under contract, with Alonzo Mourning, who is still recovering from December's devastating knee injury, also expected to return once his rehabilitation is complete, which might not be until 2009. David Padgett, an undrafted center out of Louisville, also is working this offseason with the Heat.
Magloire's career has been in a free fall since he was named to the 2004 NBA All-Star Game while a member of the Hornets.
His scoring average then dropped into single digits after he was traded in the 2005 offseason to Milwaukee. The following summer he was traded to Portland, where he was beaten out for the starting job by Joel Przybilla. He split last season between New Jersey and Dallas, almost exclusively as an end-of-bench reserve.
The Heat had looked into Theo Ratliff, Lorenzen Wright and D.J. Mbenga and three other veteran centers before settling on Magloire, 30.
Riley said at the start of the offseason he could envision the team opening with incumbent starting power forward Udonis Haslem at center, as a means of also getting trade-deadline acquisition Shawn Marion and first-round draft choice Michael Beasley into the starting lineup.
The Toronto native becomes the second Canadian on the Heat roster, with Anthony from Montreal.
Ira Winderman can be reached at [email protected]
Magloire shores up depth
By Ira Winderman | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
August 30, 2008
The Heat added to its depth at center Friday by agreeing to terms with free agent Jamaal Magloire.
Although terms were not immediately available, Heat President Pat Riley said earlier in the day the team was looking for a player willing to take the veteran's minimum.
While the Heat has depth at center, its starting job remains in flux.
After the midseason trade of Shaquille O'Neal, Mark Blount emerged as the Heat's primary starting center last season, with rookie Joel Anthony also given time as the Heat careened to a league-worst 15-67.
Those two are under contract, with Alonzo Mourning, who is still recovering from December's devastating knee injury, also expected to return once his rehabilitation is complete, which might not be until 2009. David Padgett, an undrafted center out of Louisville, also is working this offseason with the Heat.
Magloire's career has been in a free fall since he was named to the 2004 NBA All-Star Game while a member of the Hornets.
His scoring average then dropped into single digits after he was traded in the 2005 offseason to Milwaukee. The following summer he was traded to Portland, where he was beaten out for the starting job by Joel Przybilla. He split last season between New Jersey and Dallas, almost exclusively as an end-of-bench reserve.
The Heat had looked into Theo Ratliff, Lorenzen Wright and D.J. Mbenga and three other veteran centers before settling on Magloire, 30.
Riley said at the start of the offseason he could envision the team opening with incumbent starting power forward Udonis Haslem at center, as a means of also getting trade-deadline acquisition Shawn Marion and first-round draft choice Michael Beasley into the starting lineup.
The Toronto native becomes the second Canadian on the Heat roster, with Anthony from Montreal.
Ira Winderman can be reached at [email protected]