Rumor: Ricky Davis & Mark Blount to the Heat

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3077037</p>

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The Miami Heat, reeling from the continued injury absence of Dwyane Wade and an 0-7 record in the preseason, are on the verge of a double boost to their depleted roster, according to NBA front-office sources Wednesday.</p>

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Sources told ESPN.com that the Heat will soon complete a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves to acquire swingman Ricky Davis and center Mark Blount.</p>

The latest incarnation of the deal, according to one source, has Miami sending Antoine Walker, Michael Doleac and Wayne Simien to the Wolves for Davis and Blount.</p>

Minnesota initially balked at taking back Walker in the deal, sources said, but it's believed that the Heat will send the Wolves at least one future draft pick to push the trade through.</p>

Walker has fallen farther and farther out of favor with Miami coach Pat Riley since the Heat's 2006 championship, in part because of conditioning issues, but Minnesota might also have been convinced to shed its reservations and make the swap because Walker has only one year left on his contract more than Blount.</p>

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Good trade for the Heat.</p>

Davis is a good player.</p>

 

I think this is horrible for Minnesota, if this goes through. The whole point of trading Ricky would be to free up playing time and touches for the young guys, trading him for a bigger contract/ego in Antoine Walker would do nothing to fix it. Antoine possesses a lot of leadership qualities, but he's washed up and still would complain a bit if he wasn't getting minutes/touches. Not to mention, they'd have a major logjam at the 3 and 4 with Jefferson, Gomes, Walker, Howard, Smith, and Simien. I think this deal makes very little sense for Minnesota from a personal standpoint, on paper, and fincancially.</p>

Great deal for Miami, though. They get themselves one of the best third options in the league and get a horrid contract/player out of town in Antoine (I love him, but he's completely washed up). We'll see how true this really becomes, but if it is, I wouldn't be surprised if Juwan Howard is included in the deal instead of Blount.</p>

 

The Heat probably aren't done making deals yet. I believe they're still after Bibby or Artest. (or both)</p>

 

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basketb...07,0,9420.story</p>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Less than 24 hours after an 0-7 conclusion to its preseason offered no answer about its perimeter void, coach Pat Riley reached into the Heat's past for a solution.

Forward Ricky Davis, whose wild athleticism made him an ill fit with Riley during their time together with the Heat in 2000-01, Wednesday was deemed to be the answer to a question Dorell Wright could not solve.

The Heat acquired Davis and center Mark Blount from the Timberwolves in a five-player deal that sends center Michael Doleac, forwards Antoine Walker and Wayne Simien as well as a future conditional first-round pick to Minnesota.</p>

Davis initially was acquired in the Aug. 1, 2000 trade with the Hornets that brought Eddie Jones to the Heat and sent Jamal Mashburn to Charlotte. He then was traded to Cleveland on Aug. 26, 2001, in a deal that brought Chris Gatling to the Heat.

While an ankle injury prevented Davis from contending for a regular spot in the rotation in 2000-01 and limited him to seven Heat appearances, the 6-foot-6 swingman also had his issues with Riley over his frenetic playing approach.

Riley, though, has spoken fondly of Davis in the intervening years, and found himself in desperate need of perimeter scoring, with Wright having fizzled in his exhibition audition and with guard Dwyane Wade expected to miss at least the first three weeks of the season following May shoulder and knee surgeries.

Riley had hoped that Wright would seize the starting opportunity. Instead, the fourth-year forward shot .238 from the field in the preseason and 2 of 8 on 3-pointers.

The Heat allowed forwards James Posey, Jason Kapono and Eddie Jones to depart in the offseason as free agents, with Riley saying he wanted to leave the canvas open for Wright to make his move.

But after the Heat closed with the first winless preseason in the franchise's 20 seasons, Riley opted to make his move.

Davis is in the final year of a contract that pays $6.8 million this season. He is coming off one of his better seasons, averaging 17 points, 4.8 assists and 3.9 rebounds in 2006-07.

Minnesota, however, is in the midst of a youth movement, thus the desire to move Davis, 28.

The Heat had attempted to acquire Blount as a free agent in the 2004 offseason, when he instead took a six-year, $41 million package to remain with Boston. Blount later was traded with Davis to the Timberwolves in the deal that sent Wally Szczerbiak to the Celtics.

Blount, who spends the offseason in Boca Raton, is a jump-shooting center who is viewed as somewhat of a limited rebounder. He has this season, plus two more, remaining on his contract, at an average just over $8 million.

By moving Walker, Riley put an end to the tension that had been simmering regarding the Heat's rigorous conditioning standards.

Riley held Walker out of the first day of camp after the forward failed to meet his offseason conditioning thresholds. Riley later revealed that the former Celtics forward had spent his three Heat seasons more than 20 pounds above what Riley deemed his optimal playing weight.

Walker continually bristled at the notion that he had not offered maximum effort, pointing to how he participated in almost every practice and game since he arrived in the 2005 offseason blockbuster trade that also delivered point guard Jason Williams.

Walker has this season and next season remaining on his contract, as well as two additional seasons that are both at his and his team's option, an agreement put in place when his 2005 trade physical showed knee issues.

Doleac proved to be a serviceable backup center for Shaquille O'Neal upon their 2004 arrivals, but eventually lost his playing time once Alonzo Mourning joined the team in the middle of 2004-05.

Simien, sidelined by a salmonella infection last season and limited by offseason knee surgery this preseason, never was able to hit his stride with the Heat after being drafted with the No. 29 pick of the 2005 first round. He has one year remaining on his contract.</p>

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After thinking about it longer and looking at all the figures, this does make more sense financially than I initially thought. Walker's contract ends one year before Blount's. It will be interesting to see who Minnesota cuts and buys out, though.</p>

 

Rumors from some Heat fans are that Shimmyboy has already agreed to a buyout with the Twolves</p>

 

Very nice trade for Miami. Ricky Davis is a really nice player to have at SF alongside Wade. Probably the best SF they've had on the team since Wade has been there, since Butler was injured and not playing well the year he was with Wade. Davis can shoot the three, handle the ball, hit big shots, create for himself, rebound a little, and if you put him in the position he can defend.</p>

I'm surprised Miami was able to get rid of Antoine Walker and actually get a useful player in return. I'm also hearing that Walker will be bought out by Minny, and he had a team option in 08 anyways. Also Doleac is expiring, so it's good for Minny in that sense. Miami also gets the chance to keep one more of their young guys since they did a 3 for 2 trade.</p>

So is Walker heading back to Boston?</p>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticBalla32)</div><div class='quotemain'></p>

I think this is horrible for Minnesota, if this goes through. The whole point of trading Ricky would be to free up playing time and touches for the young guys, trading him for a bigger contract/ego in Antoine Walker would do nothing to fix it. Antoine possesses a lot of leadership qualities, but he's washed up and still would complain a bit if he wasn't getting minutes/touches. Not to mention, they'd have a major logjam at the 3 and 4 with Jefferson, Gomes, Walker, Howard, Smith, and Simien. I think this deal makes very little sense for Minnesota from a personal standpoint, on paper, and fincancially.</p>

Great deal for Miami, though. They get themselves one of the best third options in the league and get a horrid contract/player out of town in Antoine (I love him, but he's completely washed up). We'll see how true this really becomes, but if it is, I wouldn't be surprised if Juwan Howard is included in the deal instead of Blount.</p>

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I think this is a good trade for Miami, and Toine will probably be released. Davis brings in some scoring lost by the loss of Posey and Kapono, and they get rid of Toine who has been a problem recently for Miami. Also, Blount brings in some low post scoring for when Shaq's not in.</p>

Very surprised Howard isn't getting traded as well, obviously he has low trade value. Maybe Minnesota will figure out a way to include him in the deal..</p>