MIAMI (AP) — Erik Spoelstra bounded into his first Miami Heat news conference of the season looking tanned and relaxed, the benefit of having nearly six months off.He's hoping next summer is much shorter.Even without the now-retired Dwyane Wade and after a season where Miami didn't make the playoffs, Spoelstra said Monday at Heat media day that there's no reason for his team to not see big opportunities this season. The Heat landed four-time All-Star Jimmy Butler in July, and go to camp starting Tuesday in West Palm Beach, Florida with Spoelstra insisting that his expectations will be at their usual lofty level."Feels good to be back," said Spoelstra, entering his 12th season as Heat coach. "We've had plenty of time this offseason to reset, recalibrate and reorganize to get ready for this season. It's been 172 days. I think that is probably 70some days too many for this organization to have during the offseason. ... We're excited. Feels like a new team, a new opportunity."There are new... [More]

Udonis Haslem has made his decision: He's returning to the Miami Heat.Haslem, who was considering retirement, announced Tuesday that he is returning for a 17th season. The 39-year-old has spent his entire NBA career with the Heat, and should become just the sixth player in league history to play such a long career with only one franchise.It's a veteran's minimum contract, worth just under $2.6 million this season. Haslem made the announcement on Instagram, saying "to be continued.""We are proud to welcome our captain back for a 17th season," Heat President Pat Riley said. "UD is the heart and soul of Miami and we are proud to have him help lead this team once again."Haslem has appeared in only 40 games over the past three seasons, and averaged 2.5 points in 10 appearances last season. But the Heat continue to rave about his commitment to the franchise's culture and value his leadership in the locker room — insisting that he is worth a roster spot for those qualities alone.Haslem's longevity... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Hassan Whiteside is not leaving the final year of his Miami Heat deal on the table.A person with knowledge of the situation said Friday that Whiteside is exercising his $27.1 million option for next season in Miami. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the Heat nor Whiteside announced the decision publicly.The move was not a surprise. It'll be the final year of Whiteside's four-year, $98 million contract with the Miami, and the salary he'll command next season will keep him as the highest-paid player on the Heat roster.Whiteside averaged 12.3 points and a team-best 11.3 rebounds last season, appearing in 72 games and starting 53 of those. He also averaged only 23 minutes per game, and at times expressed his displeasure about not having a larger role."He's going to come to training camp like everybody else this year and earn it," Heat President Pat Riley said Friday, several hours before the option was exercised.For his career, Whiteside has averaged 13.4 points and 11.4 rebounds over parts of seven seasons with Miami and Sacramento. He led the NBA in blocks per game in the 2015-16 season, then led the league in rebounds per game the following season.He's third on Miami's all-time blocks list behind Alonzo Mourning and Dwyane Wade, and fifth on the team's all-time rebound list behind Udonis Haslem, Mourning, Rony Seikaly and Wade.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Goran Dragic has told the Miami Heat he is exercising his $19.2 million option for next season, said a person with knowledge of the situation.Dragic spent several weeks weighing his decision, the person told The Associated Press Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity because neither the guard nor the team has made any public announcement about the move.Dragic was limited to 36 games for the Heat last season, averaging 13.7 points and 4.8 assists — which are also the same averages for his 11-year career with Miami, Phoenix and Houston. He had until later in the month to decide on his option, and the move means he can now be included in trades if the Heat are so inclined. He turned 33 last month and was a 2018 All-Star.Dragic said last month, "I love Miami and would love to always be in Miami."The Heat are still waiting to hear Hassan Whiteside's decision on his $27.1 million option for next season. He is expected to accept and, like Dragic, will then be in the final year of his contract. Udonis Haslem still has not said if he will be back for a 17th season and Miami has about four more weeks to decide on the guaranteed portion of Ryan Anderson's $21.3 million contract.Miami holds the No. 13 pick in next week's NBA draft.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MIAMI (AP) — A flight was awaiting Miami Heat President Pat Riley on Saturday, just as he hoped.It just wasn't to Toronto or Milwaukee for Game 1 of a playoff series. That's the problem.Riley's second home in Malibu, California, is one of his happy places — though with the NBA playoffs starting this weekend, Malibu is about the last place he wants be right now. The playoffs aren't on Riley's calendar this season, so he's taking 10 blue notebooks to Malibu and plans to fill them with ideas on how to make sure that's not the case in 2020."I'm going to write and write and write and write," Riley said. "That's where we are for the next couple of weeks. Once the hangover subsides, then we'll have more coherent thought."A challenging offseason awaits the Heat, who went 39-43 this season and will return for training camp in about five months without Dwyane Wade — probably their best player this season, and at times certainly their most important player. Wade is retiring, and if the Heat have plans... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Dwyane Wade has gone full circle.He arrived in Miami in 2003, holding his 16-month-old son Zaire at the introductory news conference the day after the Heat drafted him and changed their franchise forever. The last time he would speak in that very same room as an active NBA player was earlier this week, when he held his 5-month-old daughter Kaavia for the farewell address.A life was starting on his way in. Another life is starting on his way out."This city has allowed me to grow," Wade said. "I hope they're proud of what they have helped me become. So, this city means everything to me. It's forever, forever, forever going to be my home. This is the end of the basketball part of me, but there's so much I want to do in this city. So much more that we can accomplish together. I definitely look forward to that."The only certainty about next season for the Heat is that Wade's jersey will be retired.The rest is anyone's guess.Even with Wade averaging 15 points and shooting a career-high... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Dwyane Wade's final home game was memorable for countless reasons.All of his children were there. Former President Barack Obama sent a video, one of many tributes. Fans came early and stayed late, chanting his name. His wife slapped his backside in recognition of his making a 3-pointer. He crashed into John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, dousing them with a beverage. He slipped twice as he tried to make his signature leap onto a courtside table postgame.Oh, and he started.And he scored 30 points.And the Miami Heat won, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 122-99.Wade has played his last game in Miami, and on Wednesday will play his last game in the NBA when the Heat close this season in Brooklyn. There's no playoff appearance awaiting, no last postseason waltz to cap this season-long "One Last Dance" of his. He wakes up Wednesday as a basketball player for the final time. He wakes up Thursday as a retired basketball player."It's like everything I've done has led up to this moment," Wade... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Come Thursday, Dwyane Wade will have no games left.That is the reality, like it or not. After 16 seasons as an NBA player, after three championships, an almost-annual spot in the All-Star Game, a scoring title, three franchises, four children, an Olympic gold medal and 161 teammates, the end is here.On Tuesday, Wade was playing his final regular-season home game when the Miami Heat hosted the Philadelphia 76ers — with Wade in the starting lineup for the first time all season. On Wednesday, it'll be a game at Brooklyn to end the season. The Heat started Tuesday with a slim playoff chance, which ended when Detroit beat Memphis."I gave this game everything I had," Wade said. "And I have appreciated every bit of it."So Tuesday was the farewell in Miami for Wade. It was the 576th and final time he played at AmericanAirlines Arena, all but one of those coming in a Heat uniform."It's been incredible. It's been amazing," Wade said. "A lot of people in that arena have watched me grow,... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — By Thursday, Dwyane Wade may not be employed as a basketball player anymore.That is the reality, like it or not. After 16 seasons as an NBA player, after three championships, an almost-annual spot in the All-Star Game, a scoring title, three franchises, four children, an Olympic gold medal and 161 teammates, the end may have arrived.On Tuesday, Wade was playing his final home regular-season game when the Miami Heat hosted the Philadelphia 76ers — with Wade in the starting lineup for the first time all season. On Wednesday, it'll be a game at Brooklyn to end this season. Unless the Heat win both and get a lot of help in the final two days of the season, the career of Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr. will be finished."I gave this game everything I had," Wade said. "And I have appreciated every bit of it."The Heat still have a faint pulse in the playoff race. Of the 64 possible remaining scenarios involving Brooklyn, Orlando, Detroit, Charlotte and Miami — the five teams still vying for... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Chris Bosh stood at center court, looked out at the Miami Heat fans and just let the words flow. He spoke about his health scare in 2015. He spoke of his grandfather, the one he called Daddy Jack, the one who told his first grandson that he was going to be special one day.And was Daddy Jack ever right.In Heat history, his grandson is now officially immortal.Wearing a Heat championship ring on both hands, Bosh watched a giant banner bearing his name and No. 1 raised to the rafters of AmericanAirlines Arena on Tuesday night — then delivered an emotional address to the crowd, part of it even in Spanish as a show of respect to the Latin culture of Miami."My name, my family name up here, that's something I used to get laughed at for dreaming of," Bosh said. "So never let anyone tell you that you can't accomplish your dream. Those four letters on the back of that jersey are my wife's name, my kids' name, my father's name, my grandfather's name. We're not just carrying on for another... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Chris Bosh, who had arguably the biggest rebound and assist in Miami Heat history, will have his No. 1 jersey retired by the franchise on March 26.The Heat made the announcement Monday.Bosh played parts of six seasons in Miami, before his career was cut short by recurring issues with blood clots. He last played for the Heat in 2016.Bosh helped Miami reach the NBA Finals four times and win championships in 2012 and 2013. He grabbed a rebound and tossed the ball out to Ray Allen for a game-tying 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left in regulation of Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals against San Antonio, a game that the Heat would win in overtime to force Game 7.Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway and Shaquille O'Neal are the other Heat players to have jerseys retired. Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem and LeBron James will likely receive the same tribute in the coming years.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MIAMI (AP) — Chris Bosh, who had arguably the biggest rebound and assist in Miami Heat history, will have his No. 1 jersey retired by the franchise on March 26.The Heat made the announcement Monday.Bosh played parts of six seasons in Miami, before his career was cut short by recurring issues with blood clots. He last played for the Heat in 2016.Bosh helped Miami reach the NBA Finals four times and win championships in 2012 and 2013. He grabbed a rebound and tossed the ball out to Ray Allen for a game-tying 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left in regulation of Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals against San Antonio, a game that the Heat would win in overtime to force Game 7.Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway and Shaquille O'Neal are the other Heat players to have jerseys retired. Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem and LeBron James will likely receive the same tribute in the coming years.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Dwyane Wade's first touch of the game was a lob to set up a dunk. His first shot was a corner 3-pointer. And his first trip into the lane resulted in getting his shot swatted away.All three of those plays left him smiling.Wade's 16th and final season — his "last dance," as he calls it — got off to an unofficial start Saturday, when the Miami Heat broke training camp at Florida Atlantic University with their annual scrimmage. His stats, as if they even mattered: eight points on 2 for 7 shooting, with three assists and a steal in 23 minutes."It was cool," Wade said. "We've been working hard in practice, obviously. But to be out here today in front of some fans, getting to play in a different energy, you could see it in everybody. Guys were moving quicker. Guys were into it."Wade got the big cheer at the start, and his fellow 16-year veteran got the biggest cheer at the end: The final play of the scrimmage was Udonis Haslem hitting a game-winning jumper, one that gave... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Dwyane Wade doesn't know how this whole notion of his final season being called "The Last Dance" even started.Fun fact: He can't dance.But the three-time champion and 12-time All-Star can still play, and the Miami Heat are hoping — and expecting — Wade to still be extremely valuable in this, his 16th and last season in the NBA. And at Heat media day Monday, Wade said that even he doesn't know what to fully expect from what will be the last months of his playing career."I have no idea what I want out of this year," Wade said. "We're going to be able to figure this thing out as the year goes on. It's going to take on a life of its own. ... To me, that is the beauty of it, is that I do not know and we do not know."Starting Tuesday, the story starts getting told.Wade and the Heat head about 45 minutes north to Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida for training camp — five straight days of workouts preceding Sunday's preseason opener at San Antonio. Decisions will have... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — This time last year, Miami's Goran Dragic was already tired and the season was just getting started.It's very different now.When the Heat hold their first practice of the season Tuesday, Dragic expects to be as rested and ready as he's been for any training camp in years. The point guard who went to his first All-Star Game last season wore down as the year went along, in part because of the grind he put himself through last summer while leading his native Slovenia to the European championship.This summer, he played less — and is hoping that pays off this season."I feel amazing. I feel great," Dragic said. "I think one of the smartest moves I made was retiring from the national team, because I feel energized and pumped for this season. I always kind of hit a wall toward the end of a season, but I feel like this season is going to be a totally different story."At 32, Dragic is Miami's third-oldest player — among those in the Heat locker room, only Udonis Haslem (38) and the entering-his-final-season... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Udonis Haslem arrived at the Miami Heat facility for a workout one day last week, and was told he needed to sign a waiver before he took the court.The reason: Technically, he wasn't on the team."That was a little weird, having to do that," Haslem said.It won't be a problem for the next year. Haslem officially signed his one-year, $2.4 million contract with the Heat on Monday, a deal that was struck last week and finally became official when he put pen to paper. Haslem will enter his 16th NBA season, all with the Heat, and that means the Miami native will be with his hometown franchise for more than half of its 31-year history."For the hometown kid in me, that means the world," Haslem said. "I wish I understood how big that is right now, because I really don't, but I know it's big."Haslem was the seventh-oldest player in the NBA last season — and will rise at least one spot on that list this season, with the retirement of San Antonio's Manu Ginobili. Vince Carter is 41 and will... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Udonis Haslem is barely given the chance to play anymore, and the Miami Heat wanted him back anyway.That's how much they value his presence.A person with knowledge of the negotiations said Haslem and the Heat have agreed on a one-year, $2.4 million contract that will keep him with his hometown team for a 16th season. The person spoke to The Associated Press Thursday on condition of anonymity because the contract has not been signed, though that last detail is now merely a formality."When players come in and we talk to them about what it means to be a Miami Heat player, we point them at Udonis Haslem," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said earlier this offseason.Haslem is one of the team's captains, and he and Dwyane Wade are the only two players to appear on all three of Miami's NBA champion teams. Haslem becomes the 19th player under contract going into training camp, one shy of the preseason maximum — and the Heat are waiting to see if Wade will take that last available spot.Haslem's... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Udonis Haslem is creating jobs, while working toward getting his Miami Heat job back for another season.Haslem has had talks with the Heat in recent days as he continues working through the process of deciding whether to return for a 16th season. There is no timetable for a decision, but there are now indications that he is clearly leaning toward a return."It was a great conversation," Haslem said at the opening of his latest Einstein Bros. Bagels, one of several franchises that he and his business partners have collaborated on in the Miami area in recent years. "At the end of the day, it's was a conversation about if they want me back and if I want to be back."He's also planning a meeting with Heat coach Erik Spoelstra in the coming days. Heat officials, including team president Pat Riley, have said they want Haslem back.Haslem's on-court role has been limited over the last three years. He appeared in only 14 games last season, all off the bench, and hasn't gotten more than... [More]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — If Dwyane Wade plays this season, it will be in a Miami Heat uniform.It's still a significant "if."Wade, speaking Saturday night during an appearance at the Jr. NBA World Championship, told reporters that he doesn't have a timetable for when he'll make a decision on whether to return to the heat this season.He did make clear, however, that the Heat are the only team he's considering.Wade and Udonis Haslem, both of whom would be entering their 16th seasons if they continue, remain unsigned with about six weeks left before the start of training camp. Haslem has spent his entire NBA career with the Heat.Wade said there is "no clock" on his decision. The Heat have indicated repeatedly they would like both Wade and Haslem back.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — When it comes to Dwyane Wade, it's clear that the Miami Heat want him back and they're willing to be patient while he figures out his plan.What's unclear is this: How much they'll have to pay.Heat President Pat Riley said Friday that he will have talks with managing general partner Micky Arison in the coming days about Wade's future. Realistically, there's only two contract options for Miami to present Wade — the $5.3 million exception, or the $2.4 million veteran minimum. The potential luxury tax implications Miami could face next year would rise in either case, and that's what the Heat are trying to avoid."That's the abyss that we all deal with in the NBA," Riley said.Riley said Miami has had talks with Wade and his agent Leon Rose over the summer, though no real detail about those conversations has been revealed by either side.Wade said at the end of last season that he wasn't certain about playing for a 16th NBA season in 2018-19, and hasn't offered anything in the... [More]