Thursday, December 8th, 2011 at 10:15 am  |  99 responses

Shane Battier to Join the Miami Heat


Shane Battier finally revealed the “interesting news” he had teased last night on Twitter, announcing that he’s headed to Miami this season: “The Lockout gave me a lots of time to consider what was important to me at this stage of my life and career. Over the last week, I’ve played out every scenario in my head over and over. It always came back to one thing for me: a winning role. I am appreciative of all the kind words and recruiting pitches over the last week, thank you!! This was a exciting process and after much deliberation, I would like to quote the great poet Jimmy Buffett and take my chances ‘Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season’. Let’s Go #Heat!!!!!”

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  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Ben, lets not this part out first, assuming Dwight Howard is going to get traded to the Lakers means your spending half the season in trade rumor h*ll, with Bynum & Gasol, cuz the Magic are going to drag this thing out like Denver did with Melo. And, as Mike Brown already said, with those two, he will be running a variation of San Antonio’s old offense, which is centered around a Hi-Lo big man set, (taking even more touches away from Kobe than the Triangle did) making it almost impossible for Kobe to improve his season average by 7 f*ckin points. All of this, and we haven’t mentioned the horrendous schedule that every team is stuck with, schedules that will, without a doubt, break down veteran players much faster than normal seasons. So not only will Kobe touch the ball less, but he will be more tired on a nightly basis. — And it is much much much much much much much more likely at this point the Lakers get Chris Paul. They keep Gasol in this scenario, add 2 positional needs (a Starting PG, and they replace Bynum with Okafor) can do the trade early enough so that the team can play a considerable amount of games together before the playoffs and ultimately have a chance to compete every year until Kobe breaks down, rather than spend a year or two trying to fill small holes in the lineup around Kobe and Dwight.

  • BAWSE

    Yawn. Battier is a SF which is LeChoke’s position. I don’t buy in this hype. All this means is another guy to wave the towel for 30 plus minutes. If Shane was a pg or center, I would truly be concerned. They will come up with a excuse when they choke towards the end.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    nbk, who else do they have to put at center?

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    really nobody. I’m just saying that seems like it could be a big issue if “Eboy’s favorite coach” doesn’t know how to make offensive adjustments…which I’m not really sure if he does. — Unless ofcourse, those muscles Chris Bosh added really did make him more of a “center” in the paint.

  • Ben Ireland

    nbk, I hope you’re right, I’d love nothing more than to see CP running the point in that team. But I just think the Lakers are set on Dwight, and that’s how I think it’ll go down. And yeah the scheldules tougher, so maybe 7 was a bit optimistic, hadn’t thought of that. But I expect Kobe to be ALOT better than last year, just as an FU to his doubters. That’s always been something Kobe does, no?

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    I disagree on 96 Jordan. I feel the 96 and 93 incarnations were the best although for different reasons.
    Now, after 96, yeah, he stopped playing defense at that same level the entire game. But in 96, he was still better than both Wade and Bron, and so was Pippen.

  • BAWSE

    Why are we talking about the Lakers on a Miami Heat article?

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    at this point I’m pretty sure Kobe only cares about titles. His doubters are his doubters and always will be, I think he knows he can’t change their perception of him at this point. Regarding Dwight, I have read that the Lakers and Celtics are the front runners for Chris Paul. With the Dwight sweepstakes basically coming down to Orlando keeping him and New Jersey, because they really do have the best package other than the Clippers, which apparently has pulled out of the Dwight race. (which could mean, in this wacky world, that they are the inevitable destination for the guy)

  • BlackStar

    Now the Heat are signing Eddie Curry. This is some BULL$^%T!!! Everyone is a bandwagon rider now!

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Allen, I conceded that Jordan and Pippen were each probably better overall defenders than Bron and Wade. But they didn’t protect the hoop like those two, and Battier is far better than Harper. Which to me is the reason it’s close.

  • bike

    If they could just land a center. He doesn’t have to be that good offensively…just a big stiff that clogs the lane, grab a few rebounds, and contest inside shots. That would do it for sure.

  • http://www.kittywildeonline.com RunNGun

    This is a great signing for the Heat but I’m disappointed Battier chose the Heat. This allows for D-Wasted and LeChoke to check themselves out of games, because that’s what they do. Battier plays 110% with effort, so it’s going to take a toll sooner or later on their new workhorse. And as for Eddy Curry, heh, you’re always going to need a fat guy to eat up the catered food in the locker room. ‘Nuff said.

  • robb

    Damn, good move Miami.

  • Riggs

    ESPN reports that Eddy Curry is joining as well

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    WTF!

  • jadams12

    This makes Dwight for Lebron move even smarter for Miami IMO. But its still never going to happen.

  • burnt_chicken

    you don’t need an apostrophe on the “let’s” (sic) in your trolling comment, Eboy.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    The block thing is an advantage when you compare the older versions to the younger Heat. Not so much with Pippen, but clearly with Wade.

  • http://www.tumblr.com arthurissupreme

    heat looking like the favorite, ill decide when free agency ends forgood

  • Jay

    i want to see IVERSON on a contender. A.I. will be fine on a good team where there’s bigger alpha dogs than him. He’ll know his role and at his age he should cherish only having to play 20 mpg. Flaming out in an ego filled implosion like he did shouldn’t be Iverson’s ending. Dude was the Dr. J of his generation. Style on and off the court.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    If this New York stuff goes through then the league is going to be better than last year. And Amar’e being traded to New Orleans makes me happier than any scenario on earth

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Wait, what?

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    You need twitter, for real. So the knicks are now the front runner for Tyson Chandler, they are exploring trading or amnestying Billups. If they givin up their 2012 cap space for Chandler, and trading their PG…then…?

  • http://www.thatblogcray.com Anton

    I wish he quoted the Pokemon movie like Herman Cain.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Even if they don’t get CP, TChandler can be a game-changer and difference maker for the Knicks. The east is going to be tough and NY jumps ahead of Bos and behind CHI/MiA if Chandler goes to the Knicks.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    I hate Twitter.
    But, I just saw the thing about Chandler going to the Knicks. If they package Amare and Billups, does that really make them better. Is a nucleus of Chandler, Paul and Melo enough?
    Interesting. They should just sign Tyson and ride it out this year man. They can actually beat teams with him playing center alongside Amare.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Eboy

    If the Knicks amnesty Chauncey, the Heat should look at him right away. It would be a more significant move than the Battier one.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    I’d rather have Paul then Stoudemire, especially with D’Antoni as my coach

  • T-Money

    Who starts doesn’t matter. The end game lineup will be Wade, Battier, James, Haslem, Bosh. With Battier guarding the best perimeter player. That’s a tough, tough defensive line up with 5 mobile, above-average defenders.

  • T-Money

    E: if chauncey gets amnestied, the teams with cap rooms will have first shot at him.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    Dallas, Billups is almost definitely gonna be a Mav. Think a Billups trade is likely

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    What makes you think Dallas wants Billups? Is J.Kidds contract up right now?

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    They won’t resign Barea. And 1 38 year old PG can’t handle this schedule.

  • http://nba.com GP23

    The Raptors could use Billups.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    if they amnesty him some under the cap team will pick him up for sure.

  • http://nba.com GP23

    Come to think of it.. Chauncey would be great for the Heat.

  • Red

    Curry though? And Chandler going to Knicks is big. It seems the East will be hard, Bulls need to make a splash or things will get hard.

  • http://thetroyblog.com Teddy-the-Bear

    Best of luck to Shane, who is still one of my favorite players/personalities in the league. This is a good move, although he had a great run with Memphis last year… Memphis’ defense just took a bit of a hit. Tony Allen and Shane Battier were a killer defensive pair. The Heat are dangerous right now.

  • http://thetroyblog.com Teddy-the-Bear

    Who would you rather have for defense: Shane Battier or Michael Jordan?

  • http://nba.com GP23

    Heat to go 60-6 in the regular season?

  • http://nba.com GP23

    Teddy.. Michael Jordan, and it’s not even close.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Jordan Crawford and it’s not even close.

  • http://www.slamonline.com alf

    Fits into his persona on being on the most hated teams:

    First: Duke

    and now, Heat?

    Of course, I cannot explain Rockets or the Griz.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Slick Ric

    Agree with LP, this was a good move but it doesnt make them much better than they were last year.

  • Heals

    Ugghhh, I dunno about Batts on this one. Seems like 2 years too late to make this move. He had the opportunity to get to a contender before and passed on Bos, LAL, Dal, Chi, etc. Now he goes all-in in MIa, to me that’s desperate more than it is noble. I like dude too, but this ain’t what puts them over the top. This move will have a far greater impact on 2k than it will the Heat…

  • Heals

    T-money, any players that are amnestied go thru a closed-bid system rather than traditional free agency. So although those teams with more cap space have a better shot at amnestied players, it’s gets a little more complicated this time around…

  • projectphantom

    well, guess i cant like battier anymore.

  • BigBlue

    one of my favourite player of all time.. will be happy to see him have at least one ring before he retires, even if he does get it with the heat

  • http://www.t-mac.com/tmac/index unf*ckwitable

    Good move, get a PG and its on. Multii before you die! I can see a repeat comin up for the heat.

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