Free-agent buzz: Heat leading option for Battier

By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports
20 minutes ago

tweet86EmailPrintOnce NBA teams can speak with free agents beginning Monday, Miami Heat president Pat Riley has his franchise in strong position to sell Shane Battier(notes) on signing to play with LeBron James(notes) and Dwyane Wade(notes), league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Battier has been a primary target in free agency for the Heat, and sources say the pitch of Riley, coach Erik Spoelstra and key Heat players could ultimately confirm Battier’s strong feelings about chasing a championship in Miami.

Riley and Spoelstra see Battier as a strong defender with an ability to hit the open shots that’ll come his way playing with James, Wade and Chris Bosh(notes). He’s been a proven playoff performer, and possesses the professionalism and maturity to navigate within the harsh glare of the Heat’s existence.

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Shane Battier helped the Grizzlies reach the Western Conference semifinals last season.

(NBAE/Getty Images)
Battier, 33, is still studying the marketplace, and how his personal scenario could change as different teams use the amnesty clause to create salary-cap space. Nevertheless, Miami currently stands as the most compelling option for him.

Teams aren’t allowed to enter into formal agreements with free agents until Friday, but the NBA sent a memo on Saturday telling team officials they can talk to players starting on Monday morning. Teams have been able to negotiate with player agents since Thursday, but currently can’t come to terms on deals.

Many had expected the Oklahoma City Thunder to aggressively pursue Battier, but that hasn’t happened. Kevin Durant(notes) has publicly campaigned for Battier on Twitter in the offseason, but Thunder officials haven’t been engaged in the recruitment. With Battier in his advancing years, there are natural questions about his slippage as an elite perimeter defender, especially over a multiyear deal.

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Battier would a portion – or all – of Miami’s midlevel exception. Depending on the Heat’s maneuvering above or below the luxury-tax threshold, he could be eligible for up to a four-year, $20 million contract or a three-year, $9.4 million deal under the terms of the new collective bargaining agreement.

Miami has had strong interest in free-agent center Samuel Dalembert(notes), but sources said it’s doubtful he would accept a midlevel exception at the expense of more lucrative offers available elsewhere. The Heat could use a portion of the midlevel to lure free-agent center Kwame Brown(notes), who is strongly considering Miami. The Charlotte Bobcats also are pushing to hold onto Brown.

For more than a year, Miami’s star players have pushed for Battier to join them in free agency. Battier spent last season with the Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies. He played a significant role in the Grizzlies’ run to the Western Conference finals, and has publicly and privately said that he’s determined to sign with a title contender at this later stage in his career.

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More free-agent chatter

If the Los Angeles Clippers are content to have restricted free-agent center DeAndre Jordan(notes) bring them back an offer sheet to match, the line of suitors is long and serious, league executives said. The Toronto Raptors, New Orleans Hornets, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves are teams with salary-cap space considering multiyear offers for Jordan. …The Sacramento Kings have emerged as a frontrunner to sign Rockets free-agent forward Chuck Hayes(notes), league sources said. Sacramento had wanted to sign Hayes to a lucrative one-year deal to keep cap space for the summer of 2012, but could come back with the kind of multiyear offer now needed to acquire him. For Hayes, a native of nearby Modesto in Northern California, it would be a unique chance to return home.

Childs2Dudley wrote:Fuck the Heat.

+1

I like Shane Battier but If he goes to Heat I wish him a miserable season. Not of injury mind you, just the massive disappointment of not winning a championship. In fact, any playoff loss to the hands of the Knicks is good.

Years ago the benchmark if knicks could not win was the Heat did not either.

ATrain wrote:

Childs2Dudley wrote:Fuck the Heat.

+1

+1000

Move Wade to PG? Great! I'd like to see him take the ball out of LeBron's hands and wear himself down in his off position. I don't see Wade running an offense for the team, just for himself.

I guess it also means that they will chop Mike Miller.

Pursuing Battier would mean NOT spending money on the desperately needed bigs on that team. They lost Z, right? They got Joel Anthony and Haslem and Bosh. Tiny lineup which is better for the Knicks and everyone else.

Also, Battier is 33. Legs will start to go just like Artest. Means shot will go too. Love the dude, but anything but a 1-2 year deal would be insane.

martin wrote:Miami targets Battier.... to what end? He'll take minutes away from LeBron and Wade, which is nice for every opponent.

Move Wade to PG? Great! I'd like to see him take the ball out of LeBron's hands and wear himself down in his off position. I don't see Wade running an offense for the team, just for himself.

I guess it also means that they will chop Mike Miller.

Pursuing Battier would mean NOT spending money on the desperately needed bigs on that team. They lost Z, right? They got Joel Anthony and Haslem and Bosh. Tiny lineup which is better for the Knicks and everyone else.

Also, Battier is 33. Legs will start to go just like Artest. Means shot will go too. Love the dude, but anything but a 1-2 year deal would be insane.

I know it is fun to hate on the Heat, but this is a good signing. Figure Bron and Wade play 35 MPG, which leaves around 26 for Battier just there, not to mention that it would be James--not Wade--running the offense if the three are on the floor at the same time. I also doubt the Heat are going to offer him more than a one year deal or if Battier would want to sign to more than one year at a discount

knicks1248 wrote:These idiots are just like us, desperate for a big man and a lagit PG, and there targeting Shane..who (like you said) is 33...

Yeah, Shane Battier didn't seem like that big of a factor for the Grizzlies in the playoffs last year and I don't see him being better than Mike Miller, assuming Miller is healthy. I kinda hope Miami makes that deal so they waste cap space and aren't able fill positions they really need help at, like PG and Center

Mike miller is already going to miss the 1st 5 weeks of the season..

loweyecue wrote:Why aren't the Knicks targeting him? why do we let Pat Riley get a guy like Battier

crzymdups wrote:i don't think battier is the difference between the heat winning or losing a championship.

a center like nene or tyson chandler is. dalembert might be.

i'd be thrilled if the heat blew their whole MLE on battier and didn't upgrade the center position.

u and me both. I think Batty-err is being a bit over rated here. I like him, he's solid, but he's no spring chicken.

He's doesn't play a position of high need (read: center).

Heat should definitely pick him.