Heat acquires Jermaine O'Neal, 1st-rounder for Shawn Marion

Shawn Marion's final play as a member of the Miami Heat will be his game-winning dunk with 1.1 seconds left in Thursday night's game against the Chicago Bulls.

But he apparently will prove to be the gift that keeps on giving.

A party involved in the deal confirmed today that the Heat has finalized the long-rumored deal that will send Marion and seldom-used backup point guard Marcus Banks to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for center Jermaine O'Neal and forward Jamario Moon.

In addition, the Heat also will receive a future first-round pick from the Raptors.

According to a party with the details of the deal, the Heat will receive a first-round pick from Toronto in 2010, unless that pick is among the first 14 (lottery) selections.

Should Toronto be in the draft lottery in 2010, in essence not make next season's playoffs, the Heat then would receive a 2010 second-round pick from the Raptors.

The first-round pick then would be sent to the Heat in any year, from 2011 through 2014 that it is not among the first 14 selections (the next year Toronto makes the playoffs).

Should the Heat not get the first-round pick by 2014, it then would receive a 2015 first-round pick from the Raptors.

In addition, the Heat gained a $4 million trade exception in the transaction, which it can use to balance salaries in a deal for the next 12 months. To complete the transaction, the Heat will send cash to Toronto, with $3 million the maximum allowed by the league in such transactions.

The Heat has spent most of this breakthrough season searching for answers in the middle. In Thursday night's victory over the Bulls at the United Center, center Jamaal Magloire, who had started the previous nine games, was benched, with Joel Anthony starting but playing less than 10 minutes.

In addition to adding post-up play and interior defense, the Heat also made the reported trade with an eye on long-term financial matters. O'Neal's contract, which calls for $23 million next season, expires before the July 2010 start of an expected free-agency bonanza. Among players who will be free agents that summer are the Heat's Dwyane Wade, as well as LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Amare Stoudemire.

Moon's contract expires at the end of this season.

With the trade, the Heat will have to find answers at small forward, with Marion having served as its starter at that position. Among options to replace Marion in the lineup are rookie forward Michael Beasley, offseason free agent acquisition James Jones, defensive stopper Yakhouba Diawara or possibly Moon. Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

***BREAKING NEWS*** Raptors Acquire Marion From Heat

The Toronto Raptors have agreed to send Jermaine O'Neal and Jamario Moon to the Miami Heat in exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks, league sources told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher.

The deal is pending league approval, according to league sources. Source: ESPN.com


***UPDATE*** Yahoo! Sports: Heat close to landing Raptors’ O’Neal

The Miami Heat are close to completing a trade with the Toronto Raptors for Jermaine O’Neal, Jamario Moon and a future first-round pick in exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks, an NBA source said Friday. Source: Yahoo! Sports


Sources: Heat trade Marion, Banks to Raptors for O'Neal

The Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors completed a long-discussed trade Friday, with Miami sending forward Shawn Marion and guard Marcus Banks to Toronto for forward Jermaine O'Neal, according to two league sources.

The Heat will also receive guard Jamario Moon from Toronto, along with a conditional draft pick, while the Raptors will get cash considerations from Miami, believed to be the maximum $3 million allowed under league rules. Source: NBA.com


Source: The Miami Herald

The Miami Heat has agreed to trade forward Shawn Marion and point guard Marcus Banks to Toronto for center Jermaine O'Neal and small forward Jamario Moon, an agent for one of the players said Friday.

The deal is contingent on all the players passing physicals.

''The Heat gave us a head-ups that the deal is going down,'' said Michael Higgins, agent for Banks.

The long-rumored deal will give the Heat a center, filling one of its biggest weaknesses. O'Neal's contract runs through next season and will pay him $23 million in 2009-10.

Marion, earning $18.4 million this season, has a contract expiring after this season, and the Heat had not made any recent attempt to re-sign him.

The trade will allow the Heat to be a major player in free agency in summer 2010, when it is expected to try to sign Phoenix's Amar'e Stoudemire or Toronto's Chris Bosh. The Heat pursued a trade for Stoudemire in recent days, but the Suns are looking elsewhere. Source: The Miami Herald

Stoudemire talks include three-team trade

PHOENIX – As the Miami Heat continue their pursuit of All-Star forward Amare Stoudemire, Heat president Pat Riley has enlisted the Memphis Grizzlies to be a third-team facilitator with the Phoenix Suns, league sources said Thursday night.

The proposed multiplayer trade is fluid, but the framework would include the Suns receiving a package that includes Miami forward Shawn Marion and Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay. Miami would send rookie Michael Beasley to the Grizzlies. More players would be needed to balance out salary-cap rules.

“Miami knows that they can’t get this done directly with Phoenix,” one league executive said. “The big thing is that they know the Suns like Gay.”

Suns owner Robert Sarver directly called Memphis’ Michael Heisley to discuss trade possibilities between the two teams. The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported that the Grizzlies rejected a Suns’ proposal of Gay, forward Hakim Warrick and point guard Mike Conley for Stoudemire. It also reported the possibility of a three-way discussion.

Before the 2008 NBA draft, the Grizzlies tried hard to trade up to get Miami’s No. 2 pick to draft Beasley. The teams never came to terms, and Memphis ultimately worked the draft-day O.J. Mayo-Kevin Love trade. Gay hasn’t meshed well with Mayo, who took over as the Grizzlies’ top scorer.

For the Suns, Marion’s possible return would be an ironic turn of events. The Suns traded him to Miami one year ago for Shaquille O’Neal, and now, he’s attractive because of his expiring contract. The Heat have tried to shop Marion to bring back a strong low-post player, and have tried to get teams to take guard Marcus Banks with him, sources said.

The Heat believe they could sign Amare Stoudemire to a long-term extension before he has the ability to become a free agent in the summer of 2010. Phoenix seems determined to move Stoudemire before Thursday’s trade deadline. As the Suns try to change a failing chemistry, they’ve found a league that isn’t interested in taking Shaquille O’Neal and his contract.

The Portland Trail Blazers also have discussed a trade for Stoudemire, and sources said they have offered the expiring contract of Raef LaFrentz and rookie point guard Jerryd Bayless. The Chicago Bulls also continue to talk with the Suns about Stoudemire. Source: Yahoo! Sports

J. O'Neal Trade Talk Continues

Colangelo will most likely seek out whoever is in Phoenix representing the Miami Heat to discuss the still-alive talks involving Jermaine O'Neal and Shawn Marion. With the deadline coming right up against them, the sides will have to determine whether the financial and on-court implications can be hurdled.

Despite O'Neal's strong play – defensively, in particular – the Raptors are still seeking the financial relief (Marion's roughly $17 million salary comes off the books after the season) the deal would bring, and the undersized Heat can use a player of O'Neal's calibre. The two teams have traded medical records on the key players involved and there have been unconfirmed reports O'Neal has been examined in person by members of Miami's medical staff.

The possibility of an O'Neal trade seems to be the only serious one the Raptors are investigating, although things tend to heat up over the all-star weekend and on the final three days before the deadline. Source: Toronto Star

Stoudemire Deal Dead?

It appears the Bulls are fast becoming the favorite to trade for Phoenix Suns forward Amare Stoudemire. Those around the Miami Heat believe team president Pat Riley has given up on a deal for Stoudemire because the Suns don't want to take back forward Shawn Marion. The Heat has refocused on a trade for Toronto's Jermaine O'Neal before the NBA's deal deadline next Thursday. Source: Chicago Sun-Times

Marion was traded from Phoenix to Miami about a year ago for Shaquille O'Neal. Before the game, he was asked if he ever thought former Suns teammate Amare Stoudemire would follow him out of Phoenix. Stoudemire has been linked to the Bulls and Heat in trade talks.

"Everybody's tradable in this league," Marion said. "They said the same thing about me: 'Man, I never thought they would trade Shawn.'

"Things happen. I wish him luck, whatever happens. Amare's a talented player. He's definitely one of the best scoring power forwards in this league. It's just a matter of where he goes and what system he's in, how it's going to work out."

The buzz in Miami suggests the Heat is not likely to land Stoudemire. But Marion, who has a $17 million expiring contract, is probably headed to Toronto with guard Marcus Banks for Jermaine O'Neal. Source: Arlington Heights Daily Herald

3-Way Team Deal in the Works?

While it appears the Grizzlies’ chances of acquiring Stoudemire have reached slim to none, they may still be involved in more than cursory discussions on another front.

Several NBA insiders asserted that Phoenix and Miami would like Memphis to facilitate a deal that would send Stoudemire to South Beach. One scenario has the Griz possibly acquiring Heat rookie forward Michael Beasley in the three-way transaction. Source: Memphis Commercial Appeal

Blazers Deal Dead. Suns Focus on East Teams.

The deal Portland was discussing with Phoenix involved LaMarcus Aldridge, Jerryd Bayless, and Raef LaFrentz's $12.7 million expiring contract. "That deal is dead," the person familiar with the talks said. One reason could be that Portland is really looking to acquire an elite point guard, according to an NBA team executive. That begs the question of whether Portland G.M. Kevin Pritchard was asking for Steve Nash. But according to another rival executive, the Suns have made it clear that Nash, Grant Hill, and Leandro Barbosa are "untouchable."

Half the NBA is going West for All-Star weekend. The Suns are looking East when it comes to trading Amare Stoudemire.

Talks between the Suns and Portland Trail Blazers about Stoudemire have unraveled, CBSSports.com has learned. Phoenix is now focused on Eastern Conference teams -- and not just Chicago.

The Bulls remain a serious contender due to Drew Gooden's expiring contract and Larry Hughes' expiring deal next season, plus the largest expiring trade exception in the league ($5.2 million). But Miami is the latest team to emerge as a serious landing spot for Stoudemire, a person with direct knowledge of the talks said Wednesday night. Source: CBSSports.com

Wade On Radio: WMVP 1000-AM

Miami star Dwyane Wade, a native of southwest suburban Robbins, had some interesting comments during an appearance on the "Waddle and Silvy Show" on WMVP 1000-AM.

On Amare Stoudemire trade rumors floating around the Bulls and the Heat: "You've got to be patient and you've got to build your team slowly. There are only certain teams like the Celtics and Lakers that can make one move and be in the championship right away. Other teams have to wait their turn and build their teams."

On the idea of playing for the Bulls someday: "I grew up watching the Bulls and just loving them. They became a part of my DNA as a basketball player. It only crossed my mind because people bring it up all of the time.

"Really, I'm kind of glad I didn't get drafted to Chicago. I'm kind of glad I got an opportunity to really make a name for myself somewhere else. It's a little tougher when you're from there, and Derrick Rose is doing a great job dealing with it. Big ups to him for that." Source: Arlington Heights Daily Herald

No Time To Panic

''I don't think we need to panic,'' forward Udonis Haslem said. ``Every team goes through ups and downs over 82 games, even the real good teams.

``Boston went through it. San Antonio did it, too. You have to bounce back and just have short memories.''

Wade said he hasn't even thought about the possibility he could be playing with different teammates after the All-Star break.

''I don't think it's personnel at all,'' Spoelstra said. ``The groups we have out there are the ones we were successful with earlier. We just need to get back to competing. We're not on break yet.'' Source: The Miami Herald

Pat Riley Eager to Trade

An official in contact with the Heat said Pat Riley has become increasingly eager to do something big before the Feb. 19 trade deadline, using Marion's expiring contract.

The official said the Jermaine O'Neal deal with Toronto (for Marion and Marcus Banks) still interests the Heat if it cannot acquire Amare Stoudemire (Miami's first choice) or if nothing more enticing surfaces. A published report in Chicago asserted that the Suns do not want Marion back and prefer the Bulls' Tyrus Thomas to Michael Beasley in a Stoudemire trade. According to a competing executive, Phoenix believes it can get more than what Miami has to offer.

The Heat -- which wants Stoudemire or Toronto's Chris Bosh in 2010 free agency -- hasn't had trade talks about Bosh. One downside to the O'Neal trade: It would give Miami $70 million in salary commitments for 11 players next season, leaving only about $2.5 million under the luxury-tax threshold to upgrade at small forward this summer. Source: The Miami Herald

ESPN Trade Watch: Top Wings on the Block

Marion has been at the top of the list of players most likely to be traded all season. Since the moment the Heat drafted Michael Beasley in June, it has been pretty clear that the Heat must move Marion this season or risk losing him for nothing in the summer when he hits free agency.

A number of teams are interested in Marion's talent. The question is, are any of them willing to meet his salary demands once summer arrives? The thought of that has scared off a number of would-be suitors. The Raptors have shown the most interest, but the Cavs, Hornets, Bulls and Kings, among others, are also in the hunt. Even the Suns might get involved if it's the right package for Amare Stoudemire. Source: ESPN.com

ESPN Trade Watch: Top Big Men on the Block

Word leaked last week that the Hornets had conversations with the Heat about a Shawn Marion-for-Chandler swap. Apparently the Hornets aren't as high on him as they were a year ago, and they could be in trouble with the luxury tax next season and need to clear some room.

O'Neal was traded this past June. And now, with the trade deadline swirling, he is at the center of the storm again. The Raptors are ready to move him and develop Andrea Bargnani at the 5. But can the Raptors find someone willing to pay the injury-prone O'Neal $30 million over the next season and a half?

The Heat have shown the most interest. The Knicks and the Bulls also might make some sense. Source: ESPN.com

Pistons Talking to Heat

The Detroit Pistons, whom the Bulls host tonight, also reportedly are talking to the Suns and Heat.

The Pistons reportedly have made Rasheed Wallace available. The league's trade deadline is Feb. 19. Source: Chicago Sun-Times

Suns May Prefer Tyrus Over Beasley

In a somewhat surprising development Monday, several sources indicated the Phoenix Suns do not have much interest in Miami's Michael Beasley and would prefer Tyrus Thomas in a trade for all-star power forward Amare Stoudemire.

The chatter on Monday, though, suggested the Suns aren't convinced Beasley would fit into their offensive system and they don't want to take back Marion, even for less than half a season. Marion has a $17 million expiring contract and was sent to Miami for Shaquille O'Neal a year ago. Source: Arlington Heights Daily Herald

But a source shot down one report that the Bulls and Miami Heat were the front-runners to land Stoudemire, saying the two teams that have offered the most for the All-Star forward have yet to be publicly identified.

According to Miami media, the Heat has been trying to get Suns president Steve Kerr to take back Shawn Marion, who went to Miami for Shaquille O'Neal last February. The Heat also likely would have to part with forward Michael Beasley, whom it selected with the second pick in the draft last summer after the Bulls took Derrick Rose. Source: Chicago Sun-Times

Chandler Still On Heat's Radar

With the trade deadline less than two weeks away, the rumors are increasing, and several possible deals involve Hornets starting center Tyson Chandler.

Chandler has been rumored in possible trades since December, when Sports Illustrated mentioned Chandler in a possible exchange for the Detroit Pistons' Rasheed Wallace. The latest rumor has Chandler going to the Miami Heat in exchange for power forward Shawn Marion, whose $17.1 million contract expires at the end of this season.

The only reason the Hornets would consider trading Chandler is because they might not be able to re-sign him when he becomes a free agent after the 2009-10 season.

Chandler will make $11.8 million next season, and when that's combined with the $14.2 million that Peja Stojakovic will earn along with the first year of Chris Paul's three-year extension kicking in ($13.7 million) and David West's $9 million, the Hornets' payroll for next season is already projected to be at $76 million.

That would put them over the luxury tax threshold, which is estimated to be set between $72 million to $73 million for the 2009-10 season. The tax kicks in at $71.1 million this season -- the Hornets' combined current payroll is $67.8 million.

It appears the Hornets are more likely to move a player such as backup guard Morris Peterson or backup center Melvin Ely, who has an expiring contract, before the Feb. 19 trade deadline than break up their core group before seeing how far they could advance in the playoffs.

Chandler would attract more attention because he has one year remaining on his current deal after this season and he's only 26. Like last season, the Hornets' most pressing need is improving their bench.

"But I do suspect starting this week into next week, the phone lines are probably going to be ringing a lot more by GMs in this league. I'm sure Jeff is going to get a lot, and he's going to give a lot. The one thing you want to do is find out what the teams are willing to do. So you always want to inquire about certain things that you think can make you a better basketball team. I know he's been getting calls."

Read More... Source: New Orleans Times Picayune Blog

Heat Bench Ready?

We know the Heat’s starters can ball. Four of them _ Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem, Shawn Marion and Jamaal Magloire _ have played in playoff races and playoff games. And we’ll throw rookie Mario Chalmers in the mix because of how steadily he’s played considering he’s a first-year player.

As for the rest of the team, well, the pressure is on. They’ve performed very well so far. No, they’ve been outstanding. But season-long success is very much a wait-and-see proposition considering these guys have little or no experience in a playoff race.

Understand something: I truly like this team. They’re fun. They hustle. They work hard. I’m just not convinced there’s quality depth. I’m not convinced they’ll finish .500 (mostly because of an expectation of injuries).

I still have them hovering around 37 or 40 victories, which I realize means finishing 13-19 (in the case of 40 victories) the rest of the way.

I also realize a sub-.500 record still gets you in the playoffs, maybe even the No. 6 spot. And the Heat will certainly make the playoffs.

I’m just not sold on this bench yet. Source Palm Beach Post

Miami Heat Should Land Stoudemire as a Free Agent

It wouldn't be an easy offer to turn down. It would, after all, be consistent with all the other major moves Pat Riley has made, falling in line with his philosophy of winning as much as you can in the present while forgetting the future.

But it would simply be an act of impatience from an organization that has targeted the summer of 2010 as the point when it will officially rebuild a champion.

Giving up Beasley in exchange for Stoudemire now would essentially say the Heat believes that duo is enough to infiltrate the elite of the league either this year or next. And that's just not the case. Those two alone wouldn't be enough to match the depth of the Cavaliers, the dynamic inside-out game of the Magic or the often-suffocating defense of the Celtics.

If the Heat can go ahead with another move for Marion and set itself up for the free agent shopping spree of 2010, it could still sign a Stoudemire or a Chris Bosh without having to lose Beasley.

Just by waiting another year and a half, the Heat gives itself the opportunity to develop the type of depth that the Lakers have used to climb to the top of the league. It would allow the Heat to see exactly how much better Beasley, who turned 20 last month, can be with some experience and real playing time (not the sporadic handful of minutes he sees now). It would set up the franchise for the long-term so it can be a consistent contender like the Spurs rather than a pieced-together one-hit wonder like Miami a few years ago.

The fear, of course, would be the uncertainty of free agency. If Bosh and Stoudemire, which would presumably be the Heat's top two targets, choose to sign elsewhere, the Heat's plan would appear to have failed miserably.

PLACE TO BE

But it should be easy for the Heat to convince itself it's a desirable destination. There's the lure of playing with Dwyane Wade, of living in Miami, of avoiding a state income tax and of a franchise that is among the most respected in the league. And if that still fails to land one of the two attractive big men, there will be several other options in that free agent class, including Joe Johnson, Josh Howard and possibly Dirk Nowitzki and Yao Ming.

The possibilities are far too numerous for the Heat to pull this particular trigger right now and give up on a potential cornerstone in Beasley.

And that's really what this debate boils down to. Will Beasley be a consistent 20-point, 10-rebound player who will be a matchup nightmare for the next 15 years? Or will he be little more than he is now, a streaky but inconsistent scorer with no concept of the defense?

Beasley didn't offer much of an argument for himself Sunday, managing just four points in 13 minutes despite being guarded by DeSagana Diop and someone named Alexis Ajinca for most of his time of the floor.

There's more there. It's impossible to measure just how large of an adjustment it is for Beasley to go from main collegiate attraction to occasional NBA sideshow. But the gifts are there. And giving him up for Stoudemire right now would be giving up that gift far too soon. Especially when they could play together 20 months from now. Source: The Miami Herald

Aggressive Bids For Stoudemire

The best "power" power forward in the league, Amare Stoudemire, will have as many as a dozen suitors now that Phoenix has made public its desire to trade him, but the Nets figure to be one of the few teams that can satisfy the Suns' need for youth, draft picks, and expiring contracts.

Their best offer, according to a general manager who has an understanding of Kerr's wish list, probably would have to include forwards Yi Jianlian and Ryan Anderson, along with one of the three first-round picks the Nets own over the next two summers. The GM requested anonymity because he was discussing another team's players.

Said the aforementioned GM: "I think the Nets could make a quality offer, though it depends largely on how the Suns feel about (Yi). But Amare could make a lot of teams formidable overnight."

That includes Detroit, Miami, Chicago and Portland, who are among the many who figure to make aggressive bids. Source NJ.com

Jones Adjusting

It has been almost a month since James Jones returned from wrist surgery, and this sharp-shooting forward is still trying to get into midseason form.

Acquired as a free agent last summer, Jones entered Saturday averaging 3.6 points in just under 13 minutes a game.

Physically, Jones said he feels good. But adjusting to a new team without the benefit of training camp hasn't been easy.

''It's been a little bit tougher than I expected,'' Jones said. ``You have to pick your spots and do as much as you can, but you can't simulate game shape until you get playing more serious game minutes.'' Source: The Miami Herald

Cook Could Return Tonight Against Charlotte

Philadelphia - Heat guard Daequan Cook could return tonight against Charlotte after missing the past three games with a bruised left thigh.

Coach Erik Spoelstra said Cook, who suffered the injury Jan. 31 against Dallas, did some court work in Miami on Saturday.

"Jay [Sabol, the Heat trainer] said it is going to be partly up to [Cook]," Spoelstra said Saturday. "He will have to see how he feels. He has not run [full] speed yet on the court. He was able to shoot today and had a workout with the therapist."

Cook is second to Chris Quinn among Heat guards in 3-point field goal percentage at 41. He is scheduled to compete in the 3-point shooting contest during All-Star weekend in Phoenix on Saturday. Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Miami May Not Be So Hot On Boozer

An NBA source said the Heat might not be as interested as some thought in Utah forward Carlos Boozer this summer because of his injury woes and the allure of the 2010 free agent market. Boozer lives in Miami during the offseason and can opt out of his contract this summer. But by passing on Boozer, Miami would not only be able to re-sign Dwyane Wade next year but could try to pair him with one of the elite players in the 2010 free agent class. Keep in mind that Wade and LeBron James - the marquee free agent next year - are close friends who have openly talked about playing together. Wade, plus heralded rookie forward Michael Beasley and a marquee 2010 free agent (i.e. James, Chris Bosh, Dirk Nowitzki, Amare Stoudemire, Yao Ming) could make the Heat title contenders again. The source added that struggling Sacramento is having a "fire sale" and is open to trading everyone but star guard Kevin Martin. Source: The Boston Globe