Monday, November 28th, 2011 at 9:00 am  |  115 responses

Samuel Dalembert Wants to Play for the Miami Heat


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

Once the new Collective Bargaining Agreement is ratified by both players and team owners, the NBA’s free agency sprint is going to be one wild ride. Under League rules, players are the only ones allowed to discuss the matter at the moment, and they haven’t held back.

Samuel Dalembert tells Fox Sports that he’d like to join a title contender this season, and for a number of basketball and person reasons, the Miami Heat would be his top choice:

The team desperately needs a center, and the 6-foot-11 Dalembert is a free agent. And the Heat is high on his list as the free agency signing period is expected to begin Dec. 9 following a five-month lockout. Joining the Heat “would be fantastic,” Dalembert said Sunday night from Haiti. Miami is where more than 50 of his relatives live and is about one hour south of his home in Boca Raton.

As for the volunteering part, Dalembert likely would require a big pay cut to join the Heat, which will be over the salary cap. Dalembert, who made $13.43 million last season for Sacramento, might have to sign for the $5 million mid-level exception. Dalembert wouldn’t say he would agree to that. But he did say “what is best for you might not be for the most money.” And he definitely likes the Heat. “I’m keeping all my options open, but Miami could be a good fit for me,” Dalembert said.

“If you look at the playoffs with Dallas, you saw what Tyson Chandler did,” Dalembert said, referring to the 7-foot-1 center who helped the Mavs beat the Heat in six games for the title last June. “He was basically a key ingredient for them to win a championship. And Miami didn’t have somebody like that. Somebody able to stop (foes from) getting second shots and somebody able to rebound and finish. I could fill that role and be an asset for that team.”

Other cities the 30-year old Dalembert could see himself playing in also include New York and Houston.

The linked article is a worthwile read, as it delves into Samuel Dalembert’s charitable work in Haiti, with the country trying to rebuild following the January 2010 earthquake disaster.

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  • http://www.slamonline.com Eboy

    I was about to say….Bosh’s speed on the perimeter was too much for Gasol. Also, I don’t think B-Diddy is going to be a target, simply because he’s never showed a penchant for playing D.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Eboy

    Also, don’t discount a move for T-Mac.

  • http://www.google.com/news BETCATS

    Choosing between Dalembert or Anthony is like choosing between a half eaten banana and an orange peel. Yes one is better, but the questions as to why it is you’d really want a half eaten banana or why you signed an orange peel to a 5 year contract are the only relevant ones.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Eboy, what about that year in Golden State when they were actually good enough to make the playoffs? His defense was atleast above average that year. (His teams Defense sure wasn’t, but him and Stephen Jackson did their thing). I think if Davis gets a chance to play in a place like Miami, he will get back in shape and become a productive player. He won’t be what he was, or should be, but he will still be better than Mario Chalmers or that Corpse with a Bibby jersey on.

  • robb

    too bad for Samuel Nene wants to play for the Heat too.

  • http://www.google.com/news BETCATS

    nbk just really said something about Baron Davis’s Golden State defense. Man, I am pissed you switched dealers on me…

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Actually, if Miami can find a way to get him the money, Delonte West would be the best option for them at PG. I totally forgot he was a FA. Defense, shooting, can play off the ball. Not really a better available option that I can think of.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Eboy

    nbk, one series shouldn’t constitute a guys potential. Baron is exceptional at putting the ball in the basket, but they don’t need a creator in the backcourt, they need a guy that can knock down threes. Bibby was the perfect guy for that job when they brought him in, until all of the basketball watching public realized for the first time in the NBA’s history, a zombie made a teams roster. I’m not going to be surprised if Riles pull some sh*t out of his a*s and he gets a servicable guard to come in that plays D and knocks down threes. But, if he can pull off the Steve Nash move, well I may take I-95 down to his house and give him a Grumpy Munchkin.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    I’m not saying Davis is even that good of a defender by any stretch of the imagination. But if Mike Bibby is “good” enough to land the Heat’s starting job last season, I think it is safe to assume Davis would be an upgrade over what they currently have.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Eboy

    I’d like the Delonte move. I’m not sure if Lebron would though.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    If Riley pulls off the Steve Nash trade, you might have more than 1 new resident in your state by the end of the season. #I’mMoving

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Yeah Delonte would be wonderful. I think the beef between him and LeBron is fabricated. I know if it wasn’t, I sure would never hug a guy who “hugged” my mom.

  • dfrance21

    Even tho Lebron and Delonte appeared to be cool after the Mia-Bos series last year, I highly doubt Lebron wants him as a teammate. But he would be a good fit.

  • T-Money

    As NBK said, you just don’t hug a dude like that if the rumors are true. Let’s remember that these rumors were never validated by anybody. No evidence, nothing. No one has even stepped forward saying that they had an anonymous source on this (!) but everybody ran with it. I don’t want Baron Davis jacking 25 footers for Miami, no thanks. Miami needs a center, that’s the priority. Nene, Dalembert, Kwame Brown. Those are the targets, in that order.

  • http://www.slamonline.com aman from arkansas

    Yeah me most likely going to miami i think cuz there a great haitian population.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    T-Money, is Dalembert or Kwame worth their mid-level though. I just think biting the bullet and going after Battier is a better option. (Baron Davis would be a vet. minimum guy, not mid-level, that would be absurd.

  • Eman

    Lil late to the party but wasn’t norris cole a 1st round pick, therefore guaranteeing him a roster spot?

  • eZ

    If Miami had a center that was boxing out and grabbed defensive rebounds in the paint last year. They would’ve not struggled so much against Chicago (remember noah and boozer grabbing rebounds like crazy) and they most likely would’ve won against dallas, since chandler was keeping them on their heels pretty much the entire series. I think if you can solve that you should feel good handing out the midlevel.
    As I said, an alternative would be to trade for Erden (788K) or Mozgov (2,5M).
    Going for Battier, no matter how great he is, seems crazy to me as long as miller is around. But if you trade miller and jones is not resigned, who’s gonna be your 3pt threat?

  • eZ

    BTW despite his skills, Delonte is a headcase, you don’t want to place your championship hopes on a guy like that. Same goes for JR smith and even AI and McGrady for other reasons (but same results: BAD CHEMISTRY)

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Battier is a 40% 3pt shooter. And an elite defender. Mike Miller is an elite rebounder (for a wing) and shooter (when healthy). It kind of depends what you want. But from my perspective, Shane Battier makes Miami’s perimeter defense the best since the 98 Bulls. Maybe better. (Considering MJ was getting old, and Ron Harper was a shell of his former self) And if Miami has that, then shooting, and a decent center becomes less of a need than otherwise.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Norris Cole will be on the roster. People are talking about him competing with Chalmers for the starting gig at some point if Miami doesn’t add a PG, I don’t think that would be a relevant conversation if he was just fighting to be on the team. But yeah, he was drafted in the 1st round. So he gets a contract. Not a roster spot. Miami (reportedly) had him at 18 on their big board, so getting him at 30th was like winning the draft.

  • T-Money

    new info from windhorst: miller is as good as gone. turns out that if they keep him, they won’t have enough to use the mle and re-sign rio. the first option would be to package him with ud for nene (i think that’s cold after all ud did for the franchise but hey…). if that doesn’t work, they’ll amnesty him, go for dalembert, re-sign rio, and throw the bi-annual exception at t-mac, vince, battier, hill. i’d love vince as a scoring option off the bench. t-mac would offer versatility since he can direct traffic.

  • T-Money

    norris cole plays defense. that’ll get you on the floor with spo.

  • http://myspace.com/gametimeweezy Gametimeweezy

    Dalembert admitted that whats best for him might not be for the most money. Career and team wise I think it’s a great fit, besides there’s no way anybody is going to pay him 13mil per year again anyway.

  • http://www.slamonline.com megatron

    thats a shame really.. I think miller could have been productive for miami this year. I guess it is risky though. I don’t think Miami should trade UD. Hes sacrificed so much for Miami and I understand its a business but that would just be cold. How much is the Bi-annual exception T-Money? would battier take that?

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Makes sense, there was a tweet that said as much about Miller. They have to be under the cap to get the full MLE, and they really want that. I don’t think UD and Miller gets them Nene though.

  • http://theurbangriot.com The NUPE

    B-Diddy doesn’t make since in Miami and if he has his choice between Miami and LA, then my guess he goes to LA and trys to win a chip there. I think Norris Cole may very well be a serviceable PG in the league. He was a true beast at Cleveland State – but it’s hard to judge how he’ll do against much upgraded competition. However, he showed the skills are clearly there, so I wouldn’t rule him out as a reliable PG if their only other options are Chalmers or Bibby. I’d love to see AI go there for the minimum though. In terms of centers, the best ‘realistic’ center they can afford is Dalembert. Nene, Chandler, Gasol are all too expensive and will get close to max deals or at least somethin well over mid-level exception. Dalembert is taking a pay cut regardless where he pays and will be ‘lucky’ to make mid-level exception money next year. Kwame Brown would be my last choice and I think they stick with Joel rather than do that.

  • Holiday

    Actually T-money I hate the Lakers, no bias here. Matter a fact I cant stand Gasol. I mean down low Bosh isn’t great, I think he would just get out rebounded and have a hard time. Taking him of the dribble or jump shooting is a different story! But my point was more directed toward Dalembert not being the answer for Miami!

  • mike

    A lot of people fail to realize that Samuel Dalembert is not very good. The guy has never been on a winning team. That in itself tells you a lot about a player. I said the same thing about Bosh and Mike Miller

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Mike Miller is part of the only other Grizzlies team to make the playoffs. Chris Bosh lead Toronto into the playoffs despite that horrendous roster. And they just made the finals right? I think your theory is a little broken. Not totally wrong, but just a little broken.

  • Jay

    Dalembert only seems to play well when Iverson is feeding him the ball. Go look it up. He was terrible in 2010 until Iverson came back. It was hilarious.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Max

    Delonte on the Heat’s team would be epic, so more old jokes lol.

  • T-Money

    max: wouldn’t delonte on the heat effectively kill all the jokes?

  • Johhny Blaze

    There’s NO way he takes a $7M+ paycut… I mean, props for making sacrifices for the good of the team, but thats like saying ‘no thanks’ to a winning lottery ticket… Not happening… Ever.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    There is no paycut. The most anyone will pay Dalembert is at most, $5M – and that is at the very most.

  • Johhny Blaze

    Well, then Miami is PERFECT!!!!!!

  • ClydeSays

    Oof. 14.5 mil for Dalenbert?! It’ll be interesting to see what he gets in the new NBA open market…

  • http://slamonline.com 1982

    Sounds like Dalembert wants to prove that Bosh is a scrub.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys6VpgI9BHA datkid

    I like the idea of the getting grant hill and battier/ or a healthy tmac but really miami needs NENE. Dalembert is fine but he’s really only just sort of serviceable…. and honestly I don’t think we should be trading haslem and miller to get him.

  • http://dsfjklf.com Jukai

    What about that white guy on Charlotte? His name is slipping my mind. Injury prone but Miami could probably take him cheap. He’s not reupping with Charlotte.

  • http://SLAMONLINE.COM LakeShow

    ^Not really at all. Two different positions. Two completely different players. How exactly would a teammate that plays a different position prove that another teammate is a scrub? Just a strange conclusion you came to my friend.

  • http://SLAMONLINE.COM LakeShow

    @1982. My bad.

  • http://SLAMONLINE.COM LakeShow

    Matt Carroll is who your thinking of Juk’s and i’m not so sure he is reupping with anyone. All he can do is shoot and he’s not even elite at that. He’s a poor mans Steve Novak….. wow just re-read those words…

  • Allday

    GOOD, we NEED him, a good defender, hustles, rebounds, does the dirty work, exactly what they need, not Eddy Curry… Sammy D just can’t ask for too much cash

  • http://www.facebook.com/#!/joe.l.brewer3 BlackPhantom

    Dang “A poor man’s Steve Novak”

  • http://Www.dimemag.com Royal

    I actually think Jukai is thinking about joel przybilla. And he would be a good look for the Heat if dude is 100%

  • http://SLAMONLINE.COM LakeShow

    LMAO. Thanks Royal. Didn’t even know Joel was on the Cats haha.

  • http://slamonline.com Tae

    Damn Lake, u think Carroll is that bad? Lmao

  • http://slamonline.com The Philosopher

    JTaylor21 is prophetic about Dalembert…

  • EK9

    13 million?! That’s not to far away from what James and Wade made last season! Wtffffffff this guys agent must be a pro

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