Allen Iverson a later-rather-than-now issue for Heat

To a degree, an Allen Iverson-Heat marriage makes sense. For years, Pat Riley has run a last-chance saloon.

But it's not going to happen the first week of free-agent negotiations. It's not going to happen at the July 8 start of the free-agent signing period. And it's not going to happen until after the July 12 window opens for Dwyane Wade to be eligible to sign an extension.

Allen Iverson Iverson makes sense because Iverson may not have many other options. But until the Knicks spend their mid-level exception, until Larry Brown gets an official rejection from Bobcats management, and until the remaining precious little cap space around the league is spent, Iverson doesn't have to move to Plan B.

With the Heat already into the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax, anything paid to Iverson will be doubled on the books next season. So even with a $2 million contract, is he worth $4 million at this stage?

Then there is the matter of the Heat being guided by a coach entering his second year. Has Erik Spoelstra done anything to deserve this?

With the Heat, an Iverson contract would be for one year. Is that what Iverson wants or needs at this stage? And is that what you want to add alongside the impressionable youth of Michael Beasley, Mario Chalmers and Daequan Cook?

Oh, Iverson could help. But as a reserve. Finding backcourt offense with Wade on the bench has been an ongoing concern. Yet this is the same Iverson who said coming off the bench was intolerable last season in Detroit. Considering how much Wade wants and needs the ball in his hands, an Iverson-Wade backcourt could involve plenty of drama.

So why are we talking about Iverson? Because, as a league source said, there aren't many options out there for Iverson.

Yes, he might come cheap. But perhaps that says plenty about where Iverson stands at this point in his career. Source: SunSentinel.com

Artest To Lakers? Iverson To Grizzlies? No Luck For Heat?

Ron Artest has told Ken Berger of CBSSports.com that he will sign with the Los Angeles Lakers.

"I'm definitely going to L.A. -- to sign, yeah," Artest said in a phone interview. "Lakers, Lakers, Lakers. I'm in L.A. right now."

Artest said he met with Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss Thursday and previously had spoken with Lakers coach Phil Jackson. He was en route to his financial manager's office, where he planned to huddle on the phone with his agent, David Bauman, to finalize details.

The parameters of the deal still need to be agreed upon, however.

"I don't really care about the money," Artest said. "I'll play there for nothing. ... L.A. was very interested in me, and they got me." Source: Source: CBSSports.com



Iverson Interested In Joining Grizzlies

Allen Iverson has made it known through his representatives that he is interested in signing with the Memphis Grizzlies, according to multiple sources.

The Grizzlies front office is said to be internally weighing the pros and cons of possibly adding Iverson to the team's youth movement. Source: Commercial Appeal

Miami Heat has contacted Iverson and Artest

Miami Heat has contacted Iverson and Artest, insiders say
Heat president Pat Riley has contacted veterans Allen Iverson and Ron Artest for exploratory discussions after saying he didn't plan any major moves this summer.

Amid a cost-conscious approach to improving the roster this summer, the Miami Heat's attempts to upgrade through free agency apparently aren't being discounted.

Allen Iverson and Ron Artest are among a group of free agents who have been contacted by Heat president Pat Riley in the opening days of free-agency negotiations, league sources said Thursday.

Although the discussions are said to be exploratory, it signals a far more aggressive approach to free agency by the Heat than the team suggested in recent weeks.

Riley entered the start of the free agency negotiating period Wednesday saying he would be reluctant to spend the $5.5 million mid-level exception because the Heat already was past the league's anticipated dollar-for-dollar luxury tax on excessive payrolls.

Riley also had been unwilling to add contracts that extend beyond next summer, when the Heat will have spending flexibility to re-sign Dwyane Wade and another top-tier free agent to maximum contracts.

The team's stance had been that a significant roster overhaul would only take place this summer if there were an earlier commitment from Wade, who is eligible to sign a three-year contract extension July 12.

But the Heat appears to be covering both bases. Miami is taking the due diligence approach of lining up potential bargain options now if Wade doesn't extend his contract, while also keeping tabs on potential blockbuster trades in the event Wade does extend.

PROVEN OFFENSIVE THREAT

Iverson, a former league MVP who has averaged 27.1 points over 13 seasons, might be willing to accept an offer of one or two seasons in what is expected to be a tight market. He turned 34 last month and is coming off a rocky season in Detroit that ended with complaints about his role. He left the team before the playoffs to treat a back injury.

Although discussions with agent Leon Rose are believed to be in the initial stages, the Heat likely would be interested only if Iverson is willing to accept less than the full mid-level amount. Miami could also offer the $2 million veteran's exception.

Iverson has maintained a low profile since he left the Pistons. But he could address his future by next week in advance of his annual kids camp in Virginia.

A TOUGHER SELL

A much larger transaction would be required to land Artest, who is coming off a productive season in which he helped lead Houston to the second round of the playoffs, where it pushed the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers to seven games.

But injury concerns with center Yao Ming, who might miss all of next season with a foot injury, could force the Rockets into a rebuilding stage. That could make Artest, a free agent, available in sign-and-trade offers.

Agent David Bauman said Thursday that Artest wouldn't be interested in a one-year deal from the Heat or any suitor, which might also include Houston.

''We've talked to a handful of teams, and there's some mutual interest,'' Bauman said Thursday. ``But it would be inappropriate for me to mention everyone we're looking at.''

Artest, 29, has averaged 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.1 steals in 10 seasons. He is considered one of the NBA's best two-way players at small forward because of his rugged, lock-down perimeter defense.

The Heat has long had interest in both Iverson and Artest. Miami was among the teams that inquired about Iverson when he was traded from Philadelphia to Denver three years ago, and from the Nuggets to Detroit at the start of last season.

Artest has been a Heat target at least since his time in Sacramento, where he spent three seasons before he was traded to the Rockets last year.

Whereas Artest appears to have numerous suitors, including Cleveland, Houston and Orlando, Iverson's options are reportedly more limited. Charlotte, coached by Larry Brown, has been the only other team mentioned in connection with Iverson. Brown coached Iverson in Philadelphia, where the two led the Sixers to the 2001 NBA Finals.

PERIMETER SHOOTING WANTED

The Heat would like to get more perimeter scoring around Wade, who had the best statistical season of his career last season. He led the league in scoring at 30.2 points per game and was third in MVP voting.

But Miami was eliminated by Atlanta in the first round of the playoffs after Wade didn't get enough help from a roster that relied heavily on young players Michael Beasley, Mario Chalmers and Daequan Cook.

Immediately after the season, Riley talked about addressing the team's lack of offensive punch in the playoffs. But he also cautioned that improvements might have to come from within because of the team's luxury-tax situation and desire to ''protect our [salary] room'' for 2010. Source: The Miami Herald

Is Riles burning up the 602 area code?

Stoudemire is just the kind of low-post terror that could convince a fella with options -- say, an all-world guard who was born and raised in Chicago, which will be a major player in 2010, and who will himself be a free agent in 2010 -- to stay on South Beach. A package of Michael Beasley -- whom Miami's management does not, to put it charitably, seem enamored with -- Mark Blount ($7.9 million expiring deal) and James Jones (partial guarantees in each of his three remaining seasons after this upcoming one, which would seem to be music to Suns owner Robert Sarver's ears), could get Stoudemire to Miami in time for happy hour at The Clevelander. Plus, Phoenix would get him out of the Western Conference instead of having him dunk on its collective bean in Warriors gear three or four times a year. Source: NBA.com

Did the Heat offer Beasley for No. 2?

In the wake of the NBA Draft, you start to hear rumors about what teams supposedly were attempting to do. Such after-the-fact stuff generally has little shelf life, either because the speculation is inaccurate or, by that point, meaningless.

And yet, it was not easy to simply dismiss a report in Saturday's Memphis Commercial Appeal that said the Heat, on draft night, offered Michael Beasley for the No. 2 overall selection. We generally tend to believe reports connected, even if somewhat obtusely, to Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace (pictured below), the former Heat personnel executive.

Chris Wallace But, just to make sure, we took time to get the opposing view. And here's the latest: The Heat on Saturday said it was the Grizzlies that contacted it and tried to trade the No. 2 pick for Michael Beasley, not the other way around. A Heat spokesman confirmed that it was the Grizzlies who made the overtures.

In addition, that same report in the Commercial Appeal said that the Heat offered starting point guard Mario Chalmers for the No. 27 pick. Again, a Heat spokesman quickly corrected that it was Memphis that attempted to peddle No. 27 pick for Chalmers.

That part of the corrected equation makes plenty of sense. Chalmers, according to numerous insiders, has been the star of the Heat's offseason workouts.

Still, what we know now is that the Grizzlies have interest in Beasley, that there, indeed, is a market for the forward. What we've always known is the pervading sense that Heat President Pat Riley has never been totally comfortable with Beasley, seemingly cornered into selecting him at No. 2 in 2008. Recall, in advance of that selection last June, all the posturing when it came to O.J. Mayo and even Brook Lopez. And, make no mistake, the choice would have been Derrick Rose if the point guard had not gone at No. 1 to the Bulls.

The fallout? Apparently Riley can have No. 2 pick Hasheem Thabeet for Beasley. Riley, in a conversation a week ago, did stress how he was, is and will remain a center guy. Remember, Riley's first rebuilding project with the Heat came behind the shot blocking and rebounding of Alonzo Mourning.

Beasley for Thabeet? Nah, wouldn't do it. Somehow, it's nice to have players who also can score the ball.

And so goes another day of NBA rumors and surprisingly swift Heat reaction. Source: Sun-Sentinel.com