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.

The Heat have signed 29-year old center Eddy Curry to a 1-year deal.  Curry last played in the NBA back in the 2009-2010 season with the New York Knicks.  He has played in 511 games (410 starts) in his NBA career so far and he is averaging 25.4 minutes, 13.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.  Despite having good size, Curry is shy around the basket.  He has been overweight the last three years which has led to physical problems which have kept him off the court.  I think this was a bad signing for the Heat.

The Heat have re-signed 38-year old F/C Juwan Howard to a 1-year deal.  Howard played in 57 games (0 starts) for the Heat last year and he averaged 10.4 minutes, 2.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game.  Howard has now played in 1,173 games (898 starts) in his NBA career so far and he is averaging 31.0 minutes, 13.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.  Howard will likely be sitting near the end of the bench for the Heat once again in 2011-12.

The Miami Heat will be without 33-year old shooting guard Eddie House for several weeks due to a knee injury.  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 shot 38.9% from three point range, so the Heat will miss his instant offense off the bench a little bit.

UPDATE:  (12/25/2011) – The Heat have waived Eddie House.

The Miami Heat have re-signed 25-year old point guard Mario Chalmers to a 3-year, $12 million dollar deal.  Chalmers played in 70 games (28 starts) for the Heat last year and he averaged 22.5 minutes, 6.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game.  He has now played in 225 games (133 starts) in his first three years with the Heat and he is averaging 26.7 minutes, 7.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game.  This was a nice move for the Heat, as Chalmers will likely be the team’s starting point guard.

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.