Jermaine O'Neal, Jamario Moon call swap to the Miami Heat 'a perfect fit'

O'Neal & Moon Press Conference Video

BY SARAH ROTHSCHILD
srothschild@MiamiHerald.com

One player is motivated to prove he still can be an elite center despite injures. The other is in the final year of his contract and finds himself not only auditioning to stay beyond the season, but for a starting job now.

Together, center Jermaine O'Neal and small forward Jamario Moon share a goal: Help the Heat's playoff push.

''It's almost a perfect fit, as far as the style of play and the things they like to do,'' O'Neal said at Tuesday's introductory news conference after his first Heat practice. ``We have a really good chance to do something special.''

After being traded from Toronto last week, O'Neal and Moon are expected to be immediate contributors. Neither might start Wednesday against Minnesota, but both are expected to play. James Jones likely will start at small forward and Joel Anthony or Jamaal Magloire could start at center.

Although one practice is hardly an indicator, Dwyane Wade said it already is apparent the players swapped for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks will strengthen the Heat.

''We feel what this trade has done is put us in position to be more than just a get-in-the-playoffs team,'' Wade said. ``We feel we can be respected in the Eastern Conference with the Jermaine O'Neal-Jamario Moon deal. They can help us out tremendously.''

The Heat's goal had been to just make the playoffs. Now Wade said it is realistic to contend for the fourth seed.

''We want home-court advantage as well,'' Wade said. ``We want to look up, we don't want to look behind us.''

O'Neal and Moon said they prided themselves on being solid defenders. The biggest question is whether O'Neal can stay healthy.

O'Neal has played in 41 games this season but missed 14. He has played no more than 51 games in three of the past four seasons.

He said his knees are ready to withstand the Heat's 30-game stretch run to close the season.

''Absolutely,'' the six-time All-Star said.

'People say, `Thirty -- he's getting old.' Is 30 old? I thought 30 was actually peaking,'' O'Neal said. ``I'm really looking forward to this challenge. If I felt I couldn't make this transition I would have told my agent just to let me stay [in Toronto], to tell Mr. Riley and Mr. Arison I can't do it.

``I don't want to put these guys in a bad position.''

O'Neal is fifth in the NBA in blocks per game going into Tuesday's games, and Moon leads the league in steals to turnover ratio. O'Neal said he can score against almost any player and defensively believes he's ''one of the best in the league.'' Moon said he believes that playing for 15 teams in his young career should make this transition ``a piece of cake.''

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said the staff will try to ''fast-track'' O'Neal and Moon, but he expects both to gel with the rest of the team easily. As an assistant under Stan Van Gundy and Pat Riley-coached teams featuring Shaquille O'Neal, Spoelstra said he has plenty of plays to incorporate for Jermaine O'Neal. But Spoelstra said the Heat does not plan drastically alter its style of play.

O'Neal said before the trade he had been closely following the Heat, knowing it would be a possibility. He said he recorded 10 to 12 games at his home.

Off the court, O'Neal said he already is house hunting. He owned a home here a few years ago but sold it. Moon said he planned to move his wife and daughter here.

Both sounded thrilled about the Heat's playoff push after coming from a Toronto team that was 21-33.

''Obviously, when you come into a situation where they're playing for something, it gives you added motivation to play harder,'' O'Neal said. Source: The Miami Herald