Heat work out Josh Harrellson

UPDATE: The South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Ira Winderman reported Thursday that Harrellson is one of many big men the Heat have worked out recently. Winderman said that free agent center Chris Andersen, who most recently played for the Denver Nuggets, is "believed to be amendable to a Heat offer at the NBA minimum salary." END OF UPDATE.

ESPN's Tom Haberstroh tweeted Thursday that free agent forward/center Josh Harrellson worked out for the Miami Heat this morning. Still with two open roster spots, previous reports have linked the Heat to free agents Darko Milicic and Andray Blatche.

Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra are apparently interested in adding some players who can help Miami up front; Milicic, Blatche and Harrellson all stand at least 6-foot-10. Harrellson played for the New York Knicks last season, but was dealt when to the Houston Rockets when New York traded for Marcus Camby, a player who was also linked to Miami. The Rockets then waived the 23-year-old to make room to sign Carlos Delfino.

Harrellson offers a different dynamic than Blatche or Milicic provide: 3-point shooting. The Heat succeeded in the playoffs with floor-spacing for LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. Shane Battier was often open in the Finals because Serge Ibaka is accustomed to protecting the paint and left Battier open on several occasions. Chris Bosh even extended his range to the 3-point line and hit a couple crucial 3s in Miami's Game 7 win over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. And Miami continued to go in that direction with the additions of Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis.

Moreover, Harrellson is also a good rebounder. Haberstroh tweeted after the Rockets released Harrellson that only three players averaged at least nine rebounds and one 3-pointer per 36 minutes: All-Star and Olympian Kevin Love, 2012 Most Improved Player Ersan Ilyasova and Harrellson. Harrellson won't play 36 minutes a night on the Heat -- with Bosh, Udonis Haslem and Lewis already on the team -- but he can rebound and drag opposing big men to the perimeter when he's in the game. It's easy to see why Riley and Spoelstra worked him out.