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Finally, Shaun Livingston Has a Team

Tom ZillerPosted Oct 3rd 2008 1:11PM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: Clippers, Heat, Timberwolves, Warriors

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel (via Peninsula is Mightier) reports resolution in the odyssey to find Shaun Livingston an NBA home. Livingston will apparently sign a two-year contract with Miami, and expects to play later this season.

If it seems Livingston has received a ton of press considering the low likelihood he'll be a difference-maker this season, it's because he has. But that's all owed to the remarkable potential he showed in spurts through the 2006-07 season with the Clippers. He's young, skilled and dynamic. Why wouldn't folks place a small bet on him? That's what the Heat have done here.

If he can help this year, all the bigger reason for Miami to reel him in. The Heat currently have Chris Quinn, Mario Chalmers and Marcus Banks at the point. Quinn and Banks could be acceptable back-ups and last-string starters. Chalmers is a rookie who might be a very poor man's Mike Bibby someday. None of these guys, at this point, could be starters on a contending team. Livingston doesn't meet that threshold either, but he has the potential to in the near future if he recovers decently. With little on the line, it's a good acquisition. And in few other locales (Golden State, New York) will Livingston have a bigger opportunity to earn minutes than in Miami.

Chalmers and Arthur Fined but Not Suspended

Matt WatsonPosted Sep 10th 2008 5:15PM by Matt Watson (author feed)
Filed under: Grizzlies, Heat, NBA Transactions

Darrell Arthur and Mario ChalmersTom Ziller alluded to it in this morning's Essentials, but in case you missed it, the NBA has decided to fine Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur $20,000 for their Rookie Symposium shenanigans. Losing 20 large stings, but the upside is that neither rookie will be suspended.

That's huge for Chalmers in particular since he's competing for a starting job -- the last thing he would have needed would be to let his competition get a head start early in the year. The whole debacle has still been an early stain on the rookies' careers, but Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel has some advice for turning things around:
Chalmers should thrust himself into community initiatives, should provide more than the amount of appearances required by the collective-bargaining agreement (yes, many of those "feel good" appearances actually are contractually bound), should be a keynote speaker at next year's rookie program about how a momentary lapse can lead to weeks of humiliation.

And then, close to the end of the season, the players' association and league quietly should either make the fine go away or make it become a very public chartable donation.
If Arthur and Chalmers really wanted to restore their good names, they could make a public show of doubling their fine, giving the NBA their $20K and giving another $20K to a local drug abuse prevention program. It'd be a small fraction of their annual income -- Arthur will make $977,00 this year; Chalmers, $700,000 -- but would provide priceless PR to help change the negative first impression they've already made with their new fans.

Apparently, Only the Jayhawks' Ladies Smoked

Tom ZillerPosted Sep 6th 2008 12:24PM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: Grizzlies, Heat

As the backlash from a brilliant decision to host a hotel party at the beginning of the NBA's rookie orientation camp fades, both players involved have come clean ... sort of. I mean, both players (Darrell Arthur and Mario Chalmers, ex-Kansas teammates) admit they were in the hotel room. And they admit they allowed the ladies in. But the weed? Oh no, no weed for them, absolutely not, no way.

From the Lawrence Journal-World, Chalmers apologizes:
"Everyone who knows me knows I am a good person and I pride myself on doing the right thing," Chalmers said. "I am embarrassed this happened. I broke the rules, but I did not smoke marijuana."
Arthur gets his remorse on in the Memphis Commercial-Appeal:
"About the marijuana," Arthur said, "I didn't have any. I didn't have anything to do with marijuana or anything like that. I'd like to clear that up."
It doesn't appear the league will test the pair, which seems inconsistent with NBA policy, which allows offseason tests if there is reason to believe toking has occurred. I'm not saying the NBA should proactively test and punish summertime smokers. But if other guys are getting hit with violations and eventual mandatory suspensions, it's only fair these dudes get their lumps, too.

And not to say ladies don't smoke -- but the players are asking us to stretch the contours of common sense if they want us to believe they really weren't involved in any way with the weed being passed around that night. There was enough smoke to set off the alarm. Someone furiously flushed the evidence. Two young ladies were responsible for all that? Uh huh.

Beasley Involved in the Rookie Weed Bust?

Tom ZillerPosted Sep 5th 2008 11:18AM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: Heat, NBA Media Watch, NBA Rumors

According to the Kansas City Star, ESPN's initial report concerning the Darrell Arthur-Mario Chalmers weed and women bust at the NBA's rookie orientation mentioned a third player at the scene of the crime: #2 pick Michael Beasley. The Star reports Beasley's name has since been scrubbed from ESPN's accounts.

Why? Because some combination of police, hotel security and NBA officials decided Beasley wasn't involved in the weed possession. And ESPN's not the only media outlet to scrub Beasley's name: the Palm Beach Post's story on the matter previously cited Beasley, but no longer mentions the Heat rookie.

Why all the secrecy about Beasley? If he was in the room but found to be innocent of wrong-doing ... that's a good sign, something reassuring about him. Any negative suspicion regarding his involvement is only going to be intensified by the whispers resulting from ESPN's backtracking. The only other answer: Beasley wasn't in the room to begin with. In that case, ESPN needs to do more than remove his name from the accounts and hope everyone forgets. It needs to issue a correction and an apology. You can't just disappear mistakes in this age.

NBA Rookie Camp Lesson No. 1: Don't Smoke Dope at NBA Rookie Camp

Tom ZillerPosted Sep 3rd 2008 3:27PM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: Grizzlies, Heat, NBA Police Blotter

There is a good deal of disagreement among the greater community of citizen judges when it comes to grown adults and marijuana. Some think it's not a big deal, others want heads lopped off. It's a similar sentiment when you break it down to a sporting population: many would argue it's fine in the offseason, others see it as an unforgivable offense for someone making so much dang money. The NBA, for whatever reason, is at center stage in this war over whether we should give two shakes to whether our athletes burn.

In the interest of unity, then, let me offer a basic tenet I believe we can all subscribe to: it is a bad idea to smoke dope while at a rookie camp which has the central aim of telling you not to smoke dope. The NBA's rookie camp does that and more: league officials go over basic rules of conduct, offer lessons on money management and fiscal prudence, educate educate educate. The anti-drug facet is a major pillar, by all accounts.

Kansas products Mario Chalmers of the Heat and Darrell Arthur of Memphis got busted with marijuana in their hotel room at the camp, according to ESPN's Chris Broussard. The pair got sent home. Fines and suspensions are on the way. (Also, I assume they didn't get their weed back.)

I guess when you're fiendin' you're fiendin' ... but seriously: at least wait until rookie camp is over, OK? There are, like, 51 weeks out of the year when you're not sitting under the eagle-eyed watch of Secaucus. Use your noodle. (Also: Marcus Banks, opening night starter for your Miami Heat!)

Tyronn Lue Is in Miami...Miami is Short On Point Guards...You Do the Math.

Matt MoorePosted Jul 13th 2008 11:11PM by Matt Moore (author feed)
Filed under: Heat, Eastern, NBA Rumors

If Tyronn Lue worked at your office, he would be the guy who attends all the 401(k) meetings, files all his life insurance documents in a prompt manner, and takes advantage of all those little programs that your work offers but that you don't get involved in because you've got indoor soccer practice or whatever. Because the one thing you have to say for the guy is he's at least realistic about his situation, and looking to maximize what he has.

After signing with the Mavericks last season in pursuit of a championship, Lue is in Miami tonight. He's there for Zo's Summer Groove. He told the Sun-Sentinels' Ira Winderman, though, that he's scheduled for a 5:30AM physical with the Heat. While the Heat say nothing is imminent, it would make a lot of sense. The Heat need a veteran point guard so that Dwyane Wade doesn't have to, and while Mario Chalmers' performance in Summer League play was impressive, you still want a veteran guy to limit turnovers.

Not only is Lue going to a team that could use him, but he's also apparently willing to sign for the lower-level exception. All told, this is pretty reasonable. It's kind of strange, with Phoenix and Boston both with interest in him, and both of those teams having much more of a chance at a championship. But Lue apparently sees a chance to play immediately, and there's something to be said for that. What, I'm not exactly sure. But something.

FanHouse's Interview with Dwyane Wade

Will BrinsonPosted Jul 9th 2008 4:30PM by Will Brinson (author feed)
Filed under: Heat, Eastern, NBA Fans, NBA Media Watch, Miami, The Word


This morning, World Champion NBA guard and All-World charity machine Dwyane Wade took some time out of his busy day -- chillin' in the G2 lounge is hard work, people -- to answer some questions from FanHouse about blogging diarying, the Olympics, Mike Beasley, Supernintendo Chalmers, Zo's Summer Groove and his iPod.

Will Brinson: Dwyane, what's up, man? Good morning and thanks for taking time to chat with FanHouse.

Dwyane Wade: Good morning, Will. Thanks for having me on, man.

WB: For there not being any games on, the NBA is pretty hectic right now, and suddenly the East looks pretty tough, especially with yesterday's craziness. What are your thoughts on where the Heat stand for 2008-09 in terms of addressing needs at the draft and free agency to get back to where you guys were a few years ago?

DW: Well, we were very excited about the guys we picked up in the draft this year. You know Beasley has a chance to be special -- a great player -- and Chalmers is a guy that could shock a lot of people. I can't believe he even fell to the second round, to the 34th pick, so we're very, very excited about getting those two guys.

I think we approach free agency very cautiously as well. We have a couple names, a couple guys we're targeting. But it's all about putting the right pieces together, not about the big names every summer, it's about adding the right pieces to the team and Coach Riley has done a great job with that.
Continue Reading FanHouse's Interview with Dwyane Wade

Miami Extends Offer to Jones, Already Wants to Give Chalmers a Raise

Matt WatsonPosted Jul 9th 2008 12:59AM by Matt Watson (author feed)
Filed under: Heat, Eastern, NBA Rumors, Miami

James JonesAs currently constructed, the Heat don't have a whole lot of room under the salary cap, but they may be able to fill a glaring need for outside shooting by inking James Jones, who hit 43.7% of his shots from long distance last year for the Trail Blazers. From Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel:
With the free-agent signing period to commence at midnight, a five-year offer has been extended to Jones, starting at $4 million for next season. The final three years of the contract would be conditional, to protect the Heat for the 2010 free-agency period.
Jones has yet to commit, but working in the team's favor is the fact that he'd be returning home -- he was born and raised in Miami and spent four years at the University of Miami before being drafted. Winderman doesn't offer up any other info about the last three conditional seasons, but I'm going to go out on a limb and predict those will be team option years.
Continue Reading Miami Extends Offer to Jones, Already Wants to Give Chalmers a Raise

Beasley's Dominance Punctuates First Day of Orlando Summer League

Matt MoorePosted Jul 7th 2008 10:30PM by Matt Moore (author feed)
Filed under: Nets, Bulls, Pacers, Heat, Magic, Eastern, Chicago, Indianapolis, Miami, Summer League, Oklahoma City

Hey, it's the first day. It's the Summer League. It was one game. The first game. Of the Summer League. It's a long week, a long season, a long career. And I'm going to doubt any of that makes Chicago fans that were paying attention to the first day of the NBA's Orlando Summer League feel better, or Miami fans feel worse about today's little exhibition.

Michael Beasley was, in a word, brilliant. 28 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, and a block in 22 minutes. He could have been playing against D-Leaguers, the Harlem Globetrotters, or Mrs. Wormtail's second grade class, those are some slick numbers. That he did it against No.1 overall pick Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls, in the midst of a 94-70 whupping made it all the more emphatic. The Heat dominated this game, even as Chicago started Rose, Joakim Noah, and Tyrus Thomas, who you may recognize as starters and heavy rotation guys. Not exactly a pretty start, even if its easy to brush off, given the absurd context of the Magic's practice facility in a meaningless exhibition in which D-League MVP Kasib Powell scored 15 and Keith Langford and Demetris Nichols led the Bulls. Beasley's game was in full effect today, as he worked his mid-range, long-range, post-work, and driving abilities. In a league that's meant to be used as a scrimmage clinic, Beasley put on one.
Continue Reading Beasley's Dominance Punctuates First Day of Orlando Summer League

Chalmers Falls to #34, Might Become Miami's Opening Day Starting PG

Tom ZillerPosted Jun 26th 2008 11:04PM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: Heat, Timberwolves, NBA Draft, Miami

Some legitimate draft boards had Mario Chalmers as high as #12 earlier this week. Instead, the Jayhawk product fell all the way into the second round, slipping to Minnesota at #34. The Wolves promptly swapped Chalmers for two Miami second-rounders ... and hey, isn't Chalmers the best point guard on the Heat roster as of today?

With Miami taking Michael Beasley with the #2 pick, they have a desperate need at the point. Jason Williams is a free agent and didn't play well at all last season. Chris Quinn is not the answer. Neither is Blake Ahearn. Chalmers, though, projects to be a contributor, a Mike Bibby style shoot-first fellow.

Miami could use Shawn Marion or Udonis Haslem to get themselves a point guard on the trade market -- Kirk Hinrich, Luke Ridnour, and maybe Raymond Felton are some guys who should be available -- but there are no guarantees. Chalmers finding himself fall into Adam Silver's domain could turn up roses. Having Dwyane Wade and Beasley to run with isn't going to hurt.
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