Spurs' star Horry flirts with Heat once again
Miami's Damon Jones reportedly is choosing free agency.
By Chris Perkins
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Friday, July 01, 2005
MIAMI — Just as he did at this time last year, forward Robert Horry, one of the stars of the San Antonio Spurs' championship run, is indicating that he might have an interest in joining the Miami Heat.
"His first choice would probably be San Antonio," said Robert Barr, Horry's agent, "but Miami is close. He wanted to go to Miami last year."
For players in the final year of their contract, and for players with a player or team option, Thursday was the day they could become free agents.
However, the league has an exception stating that if a player and the team mutually agree, the deadline could be extended to July 22, when the new collective bargaining agreement becomes official.
The deadline was extended because some players, such as Heat center Shaquille O'Neal, might find there were clauses in the new agreement that affect their status or income.
The Heat and O'Neal, who has a player option and one year remaining on his contract, have reached an agreement on an extension.
That means that, in theory, O'Neal could become a free agent July 22 and then sign a contract extension with Miami that evening. O'Neal is scheduled to earn $30 million next season from the Heat, but no other team can offer more than $15 million.
The Heat did not expect guards Damon Jones and Keyon Dooling to exercise their player options to return. Jones reportedly made his decision to become a free agent Thursday. Dooling also is expected to test the free-agent market and might be offered a starting job elsewhere.
Among the Heat's other free agents are guard Steve Smith, forwards Udonis Haslem (restricted), Shandon Anderson and Christian Laettner, and center Wang Zhi-Zhi.
Teams and players could begin negotiating at 12:01 a.m. today but can't sign until July 22.
That could put free-agent point guards such as Seattle's Antonio Daniels, Memphis Earl Watson and Washington's Steve Blake, a restricted free agent, in Miami's sights.
Some top players who did not use that free-agent extension and are on the market and available to talk with any team they desire are Seattle guard Ray Allen, Milwaukee guard Michael Redd and Cleveland center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
The same is true for Horry, 34, who declined the player option on his two-year, $2.3 million contract.
The Heat could use Horry's playmaking ability. His performance in Game 5 of the NBA Finals (21 points and a game-winning three-pointer with 5.8 seconds left in overtime) against Detroit was a key to San Antonio winning its third le.
It was Horry's sixth le; he won three with O'Neal when they played with the Los Angeles Lakers and the players have a fondness for each other.
"He'd love to play with the Big Fella," Barr said. "If Miami has interest, I'm sure he'd listen."
The Heat's financial situation has hardly changed from a year ago, meaning it'll likely only have part of the mid-level exception to offer Horry. Last year that was $5.2 million. This year it might rise slightly.
That would still be a raise for Horry, who will likely be signing his final contract this season. It's not known how much money he'll be seeking. Last year Miami spilt its mid-level exception between Jones and center Michael Doleac, but if the Heat opts to spend part of that exception on Horry it might be able to sign him.
"He loves Miami and he loves the Big Fella," Barr said. "We'll see what happens."
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