The Heat have signed 33-year old SG/SF Shane Battier to a 3-year, $9 million dollar deal.  Battier played in 82 games (59 starts) for the Rockets & Grizzlies last year and he averaged 29.0 minutes, 7.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 blocked shot per game.  He has now played in 767 games (619 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 32.9 minutes, 9.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.0 blocked shot per game.  Battier will add defense to the Heat and he is also a pretty good shooter.

31-year old small forward James Jones has been re-signed to a 3-year deal with the Heat.  Jones played in 81 games (8 starts) for the Heat last year and he averaged 19.1 minutes, 5.9 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.  He nailed an amazing 42.9% from three point range for the Heat last year.  Jones has played in 447 games (73 starts) in his NBA career now and he is averaging 18.9 minutes, 6.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.  This was a good move for the Heat as Jones is a solid backup for LeBron James at small forward.

33-year old shooting guard Eddie House has opted in for the 2011-12 season to stay with the Miami Heat.  House played in 56 games (1 start) for the Heat last year and he averaged 17.5 minutes, 6.5 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.  He has now played in 717 games in his NBA career and House is averaging 17.3 minutes, 7.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.  House has shot 39% from three point range in his NBA career and that is where his value lies.  He can really put the ball in the basket off the bench.

30-year old SF/SG James Jones has opted out of his deal with the Miami Heat for the 2011-12 season valued at $1.4 million bucks.  Jones thinks he can get more money in free agency and he’s probably right about that.  Jones played in 81 games (8 starts) for the Heat last year and he averaged 19.1 minutes, 5.9 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.  He also shot a scorching 42.9% from three point range for the Heat last year.  Jones has now played in 157 games (15 starts) in his three years with the Heat and he averaged 17.1 minutes, 5.0 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.  The Heat won’t miss Jones if Mike Miller can stay healthy in 2011-12….and that’s a huge if.

The Miami Heat dealt the 31st overall pick, a future second round pick and cash to Minnesota for point guard Norris Cole who was takenwith the 28th pick of the first round last night.  21-year old, 6’2″, 170 pound point guard Norris Cole could be on the fast track to P.T. with the Heat.  Cole played in  36 games for Cleveland State last year and he averaged 35.7 minutes, 21.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.2 steals per game.  Cole played in 140 games in his four years in college and he averaged 29.4 minutes, 14.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

36-year old center Zydrunas Ilgauskas has exercised his player option for the 2011-12 season to return to the Miami Heat.  Ilgauskas played in 72 games (51 starts) for the Heat last year and he averaged 15.9 minutes, 5.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game.  He has now played in 843 games (724 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 27.2 minutes, 13.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.6 blocked shots per game.  Ilgauskas is obviously chasing a ring because he could have gotten more cash on the open market.  It will be interesting to see how much Big Z plays in 2011-12 as he was a forgotten man in the playoffs.

UPDATE:  (10/1/2011) – Zydrunas Ilgauskas has done an about face as he has decided to retire from the NBA.

The “Big Three” are likely going to have a lot of new faces playing basketball with them next year.  That’s because the Heat have 8 free agents and I see some of them leaving town.  Point guard Mario Chalmers is a restricted free agent and he might get an offer that the Heat won’t feel comfortable matching.  PF Juwan Howard, C Jamaal Magloire, PG Mike Bibby and C Erick Dampier are all likely as good as gone.  Howard is likely the only one of those four guys who might consider coming back to Miami.  SG Eddie House, SF James Jones and C Zydrunas Ilguaskas all have player options for next year.  It will be interesting to see what the decisions that will be made are concerning those four players.  James Jones might decide to test free agency this summer, especially seeing how the Heat didn’t let him play much in the NBA Finals.  I think Eddie House will likely come back and try to get a ring.  Zydrunas Ilgauskas will likely retire or sign with a different team this off-season.

The Miami Heat have lost 24-year old starting point guard Mario Chalmers for the next couple of weeks due to a sprained knee.  Chalmers has played in 64 games (28 starts) for the Heat so far this year and he is averaging 22.8 minutes, 6.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game.  32-year old Mike Bibby will move into the starting lineup at point guard for the Heat until Chalmers is ready to return to action.  Bibby has played in 10 games (0 starts) for the Heat so far this year and he is averaging 22.3 minutes, 6.2 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.  He is 16 of 35 (45.7%) from three point range with the Heat, so he could be lethal offensively as he will likely get a lot of open jumpers.

The Miami Heat will sign 32-year old point guard Mike Bibby tonight when he clears waivers.  He will likely step right into the starting lineup at point guard for the Heat.  Bibby played in 58 games (56 starts) for the Wizards & Hawks in which he averaged 29.4 minutes, 9.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.  Bibby has now played in 940 games (934 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 34.9 minutes, 15.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game.  This is a great move for the Heat as they have had issues at point guard all season long.

The Miami Heat have waived 31-year old point guard Carlos Arroyo.  Arroyo played in 49 games (42 starts) for the Heat this season and he averaged 20.3 minutes, 5.6 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.  Arroyo also hit 43.8% from the three point line in this game, and the Heat might miss that about him.  Arroyo played in 121 games (76 starts) in his two years with the Heat and he averaged 21.3 minutes, 5.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.  The Heat got rid of Arroyo because they think Mike Bibby is going to sign with them later tonight.