Your Miami Heat news roundup before the team’s road game against the Philadelphia 76ers, a team with the same record as the Heat:
- Kenyon Martin decided to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers on a one-year, $2.5 million deal. The most the Heat could have offered was contract at the veteran’s minimum of $1.4 million. If Martin wanted to have a significant role, the Clippers make the most sense for him. He will likely become the third big man in their rotation, only behind Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.
- Another Heat target, Joel Przybilla, still has yet to make a decision to sign with Miami or Chicago, but he is reportedly leaning towards the Heat. Sports Illustrated’s Sam Amick said that he’d be surprised if the center did not sign with Miami. If the Heat signed Przybilla, they would probably waive Mickell Gladness to stay at the roster limit of 15 players. Despite Miami’s links to Martin and Przybilla in recent days, Erik Spoelstra said today that he feels that his team has enough.
- Chris Bosh shook off criticism from Shaquille O’Neal today, who said on TNT last night that Carmelo Anthony deserved the starting forward spot the fans voted him for. Anthony is shooting 40 percent from the field for a below-.500 team while Bosh is shooting 52 percent from the field, increasing his production when Dwyane Wade went down. Bosh said that he doesn’t worry about the criticism and simply doesn’t appeal to the popular crowd. Bosh also finished behind Amar’e Stoudemire and Kevin Garnett in voting, two players having tough years. But because the coaches choose the reserves, Bosh will certainly get picked as an All-Star.