Miami Heat looks for a new camp site
Heat officials are reportedly looking at places inside and outside of Florida in an effort to limit the distractions of training camp.
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Miami Heat president Pat Riley smiles during the welcome ceremony for new Miami Heat players LeBron James and Chris Bosh at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami on Friday, July 9, 2010. James and Bosh will join Heat star Dwyane Wade for the upcoming season.
Miami Heat president Pat Riley smiles during the welcome ceremony for new Miami Heat players LeBron James and Chris Bosh at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami on Friday, July 9, 2010. James and Bosh will join Heat star Dwyane Wade for the upcoming season.
ALEXIA FODERE / FREELANCER
* Photo
BY MICHAEL WALLACE
mwallace@MiamiHerald.com
After bringing his talents to South Beach, reigning league MVP LeBron James might be taking his first practice repetitions much farther away.
Heat officials recently have been scouting potential training sites in and out of state, and are considering holding training camp outside of South Florida for the first time in franchise history.
Miami opens training camp with Media Day on Sept. 27 and practices a day later.
Team officials would not say Monday which locations are under consideration, or why the team is exploring other options. But the high-profile additions of James and Chris Bosh in free agency, along with re-signing star guard Dwyane Wade, have made the Heat one of the most scrutinized teams.
Relocating camp from the practice facility at AmericanAirlines Arena could be a move to limit distractions and an expected a circuslike atmosphere in the initial days.
The Heat plays its first preseason game at home on Oct. 5 against Detroit and opens the season Oct. 26 at Boston.
Miami has been embroiled in controversy since James announced July 8 he was leaving Cleveland to join Wade and Bosh, making the Heat an instant title favorite.
During a conference call Friday, Heat president Pat Riley suggested a few surprises could be in store for camp -- from marquee players changing positions to coach Erik Spoelstra shaking things up to build chemistry.
``I think you all sense there's going to be some excitement down the road, over years to come, that we haven't had here in a while,'' Riley said. ``That's how this whole thing should be approached.
``We've put our team together rather early, and we've got a couple of things to do and get ready for training camp.''
Although some of Riley's previous teams with the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks have held camps outside of the city glare, his Heat teams never ventured farther than Palm Beach.
But that changed two years ago when Spoelstra, a longtime Riley assistant then entering his first season as coach, guided the Heat on a weeklong trip to Paris and London as part of the NBA Europe Live preseason tour.
At the time, Spoelstra said he relished the opportunity to get the players ``away from their comfort zone'' to establish bonds with a new team.
The Heat team that will gather in a couple of weeks will have 11 new faces among the 18 players currently on the training camp roster.
Miami might soon add another player. Veteran center Erick Dampier has told associates he would prefer to join the Heat if he is released by Charlotte. The Bobcats acquired Dampier and his $13 million, nonguaranteed contract in a five-player trade with Dallas in July.
Charlotte is expected to trade or cut Dampier by the end of this week to steer clear of the luxury tax.
The Heat already has as many as 15 guaranteed contracts and four centers on its roster -- Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Joel Anthony, Jamaal Magloire and Dexter Pittman. Riley said he would continue to explore options at positions of need -- even if it meant cutting a player with a guaranteed contract to make room.
Dampier, 35, has averaged 7.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 14 seasons and has shot better than 62 percent from the field the past four years. He was a starter on the Dallas team that lost to Miami in the 2006 Finals.
Miami does not have the flexibility to trade for Dampier, but would be interested in signing him for the $1.3 million veteran's minimum.
Heat officials are reportedly looking at places inside and outside of Florida in an effort to limit the distractions of training camp.
Get Adobe Flash player
Miami Heat president Pat Riley smiles during the welcome ceremony for new Miami Heat players LeBron James and Chris Bosh at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami on Friday, July 9, 2010. James and Bosh will join Heat star Dwyane Wade for the upcoming season.
Miami Heat president Pat Riley smiles during the welcome ceremony for new Miami Heat players LeBron James and Chris Bosh at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami on Friday, July 9, 2010. James and Bosh will join Heat star Dwyane Wade for the upcoming season.
ALEXIA FODERE / FREELANCER
* Photo
BY MICHAEL WALLACE
mwallace@MiamiHerald.com
After bringing his talents to South Beach, reigning league MVP LeBron James might be taking his first practice repetitions much farther away.
Heat officials recently have been scouting potential training sites in and out of state, and are considering holding training camp outside of South Florida for the first time in franchise history.
Miami opens training camp with Media Day on Sept. 27 and practices a day later.
Team officials would not say Monday which locations are under consideration, or why the team is exploring other options. But the high-profile additions of James and Chris Bosh in free agency, along with re-signing star guard Dwyane Wade, have made the Heat one of the most scrutinized teams.
Relocating camp from the practice facility at AmericanAirlines Arena could be a move to limit distractions and an expected a circuslike atmosphere in the initial days.
The Heat plays its first preseason game at home on Oct. 5 against Detroit and opens the season Oct. 26 at Boston.
Miami has been embroiled in controversy since James announced July 8 he was leaving Cleveland to join Wade and Bosh, making the Heat an instant title favorite.
During a conference call Friday, Heat president Pat Riley suggested a few surprises could be in store for camp -- from marquee players changing positions to coach Erik Spoelstra shaking things up to build chemistry.
``I think you all sense there's going to be some excitement down the road, over years to come, that we haven't had here in a while,'' Riley said. ``That's how this whole thing should be approached.
``We've put our team together rather early, and we've got a couple of things to do and get ready for training camp.''
Although some of Riley's previous teams with the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks have held camps outside of the city glare, his Heat teams never ventured farther than Palm Beach.
But that changed two years ago when Spoelstra, a longtime Riley assistant then entering his first season as coach, guided the Heat on a weeklong trip to Paris and London as part of the NBA Europe Live preseason tour.
At the time, Spoelstra said he relished the opportunity to get the players ``away from their comfort zone'' to establish bonds with a new team.
The Heat team that will gather in a couple of weeks will have 11 new faces among the 18 players currently on the training camp roster.
Miami might soon add another player. Veteran center Erick Dampier has told associates he would prefer to join the Heat if he is released by Charlotte. The Bobcats acquired Dampier and his $13 million, nonguaranteed contract in a five-player trade with Dallas in July.
Charlotte is expected to trade or cut Dampier by the end of this week to steer clear of the luxury tax.
The Heat already has as many as 15 guaranteed contracts and four centers on its roster -- Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Joel Anthony, Jamaal Magloire and Dexter Pittman. Riley said he would continue to explore options at positions of need -- even if it meant cutting a player with a guaranteed contract to make room.
Dampier, 35, has averaged 7.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 14 seasons and has shot better than 62 percent from the field the past four years. He was a starter on the Dallas team that lost to Miami in the 2006 Finals.
Miami does not have the flexibility to trade for Dampier, but would be interested in signing him for the $1.3 million veteran's minimum.
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/09/1...#ixzz0zWVjpUxc
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