In brief: Amare Stoudemire says he’s feeling great, ready to join Heat
NBA: Amare Stoudemire got recruited by the Miami Heat in 2010.
It’s paying off, five years later.
One of the reasons why Stoudemire and the Heat struck a deal this summer was because of what was said when Miami was the first team to visit him during the wild free-agent summer five years ago. Both sides went in opposite directions then, but are finally together now after Stoudemire signed a one-year contract.
Stoudemire, the six-time All-Star who will be asked to play power forward and center in Miami, had to do a bit of recruiting this time around. He passed a physical, then passed an interview with Heat President Pat Riley – and said all the right things for this deal to get done.
“I didn’t really say much about what I want as a basketball player, as far as playing time or my position on the court,” Stoudemire said in a teleconference on Tuesday. “He needed to know exactly what I bring to the table. Miami was the first team that visited me back in 2010, so these guys are well-equipped to understand my style of play.”
It’s an evolving style of play.
Stoudemire can still score – he had a 26-point game last season and averaged 11.5 points in only 21 minutes. For his career, he’s averaged 19.8 points in 794 games over 13 seasons. But he turns 33 in November and has had bad knee issues in the past, so there may be some obvious questions about how large a workload he can actually handle.
“I feel great,” Stoudemire said.
• Deron Williams joins hometown Mavs: Deron Williams has joined his hometown Mavericks after Brooklyn bought out the contract the point guard signed when he spurned Dallas to stay with the Nets three years ago.
Williams, who grew up in the Dallas suburb of The Colony, signed a two-year, $10 million deal Tuesday. He has a player option in the second year.
Dallas had a deal with Williams on Friday and had to wait for him to clear waivers. It was a boost for the Mavericks soon after free-agent center DeAndre Jordan reneged on a deal to sign with them.
• Bulls announce Dunleavy Jr., Brooks signings: The Chicago Bulls say they have signed forward Mike Dunleavy Jr. and backup guard Aaron Brooks.
Dunleavy, who turns 35 in September, got a three-year, $14 million contract. He averaged 9.4 points in 63 games – all starts – and shot 41 percent from 3-point range for Chicago last season. In the playoffs, he averaged 10.9 points and shot 48 percent from beyond the arc.
The 30-year-old Brooks averaged 11.6 points for the Bulls last season.
Chicago’s roster returns virtually intact after a 50-win season that ended with a loss to Cleveland in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
• Utah Jazz sign center Tibor Pleiss: The Utah Jazz have signed German center Tibor Pleiss to a multiyear deal.
The 25-year-old Pleiss was drafted by the New Jersey Nets in 2010 with the No. 31 pick. The 7-foot-3, 262-pounder was traded to the Atlanta Hawks and Oklahoma City Thunder, but played for FC Barcelona of the Liga ACB in Spain last season. He averaged 5.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and shot 62.3 percent.
Pleiss is a member of the German national team.
• Celtics get Perry Jones III from Thunder: The Boston Celtics acquired forward Perry Jones III from the Oklahoma City Thunder along with a second-round draft pick and cash.
The Celtics will send the Thunder a conditional second-round pick. Boston gets the 2019 second-rounder Oklahoma City had acquired from the Detroit Pistons.
Jones, a 6-foot-11 forward, played 43 games last season and averaged 4.3 points and 1.8 rebounds in 14.7 minutes a game.
• Magic sign Smith to fortify front court: The Orlando Magic have taken a step to improve their front court play by signing free-agent center Jason Smith.
The 7-footer is known for his ability to shoot mid-range jumpers and will be called upon to help improve the Magic’s interior defense under new coach Scott Skiles.
The 29-year-old Smith is entering his eighth NBA season and joins his fourth NBA team. He spent last season with the New York Knicks, averaging eight points and four rebounds.
• Silver: Playoff changes likely, moratorium mulled: NBA commissioner Adam Silver says the league is leaning toward eliminating division records in the playoff-seeding formula, and that the change is expected to become finalized before the beginning of next season.
Silver spoke in Las Vegas after the NBA’s Board of Governors met and discussed several issues, including adding a countdown clock to monitor the length of breaks between quarters and during timeouts.
Other topics included widening and adding a second escape lane with hopes that it will minimize player collisions with video and still cameramen along the baselines, and potential changes to the league’s annual moratorium.
Sterling completes move to Man City
Soccer: Raheem Sterling has completed his move to Manchester City from Liverpool, making the winger the most expensive English player ever.
The signing of the 20-year-old Sterling will cost City 49 million pounds ($76 million).
Sterling has a signed a five-year contract at City, which is now clear of UEFA Financial Fair Play restrictions.
• Russia coach Capello resigns after pay dispute: The Russian Football Union says national team coach Fabio Capello has resigned following a dispute over back pay.
Russia, the host of the 2018 World Cup, has had a string of poor results, including a 1-0 loss to Austria this month that left the team in danger of failing to qualify for the 2016 European Championship.
SEC to post medical observer in booth
Miscellaneous: The Southeastern Conference will have an extra person monitoring games for possible head and neck trauma.
SEC coordinator of officials Steve Shaw said at league media days in Hoover, Alabama, that an independent medical observer will be in the instant replay booth. The person will be a certified athletic trainer appointed by the league.
The observer will have a replay monitor and be able to communicate with the referee to have a player taken from the game.
• Top-seeded John Isner upset in Newport first round: Top-seeded and two-time champion John Isner was upset in the opening round of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport, Rhode Island, by Rajeev Ram 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-6 (8).
The 18th-ranked Isner won the title on Newport’s grass in 2011 and 2012.
Ram, ranked 161st, won the tournament in 2009.