Shane Battier Come here official!!

[Chessboxer]

I was really anticipating this signing, but I did not want to get my hopes up.

Now it almost seems like destiny he would wind up here. He is the quintessential Riley player, and fits right in with the Heat culture. A tough player physically and mentally, who is clutch, plays D, and is one of the most intelligent players in the league. You need a player like Battier to win titles and he is one thing the Heat lacked desperately (with Haslem injured) last year, a dependable player outside the big 3. Battier is one of the most dependable players in the league. He will fit in seamlessly.

It will be finally be nice to see a player off the bench next year who can actually hit an outside shot. I still remember that huge 3 he hit last year against the Spurs in the playoffs. He fits the Miami Heat prototypical player type so well it almost feels like he is coming home, it doesn't even feel like a new signing to me lol.

[Dezmondballins3]

What else will we have after this signing? please someone tell me all the possibilities after signing Shane

[ORLMagicGirl15]

I'm not even going to pretend, I don't like your team, but I must say I think you guys made one solid choice. I wish Orlando went after him, but he's a great defensive player and I think he'll do wonders for the moral on your team. Good job, he might be a sleeper pick.

[carbine23]

I'm not even going to pretend, I don't like your team, but I must say I think you guys made one solid choice. I wish Orlando went after him, but he's a great defensive player and I think he'll do wonders for the moral on your team. Good job, he might be a sleeper pick.

Thanks for keeping it real yo, I wish your team the best!

[ORLMagicGirl15]

I'm not even going to pretend, I don't like your team, but I must say I think you guys made one solid choice. I wish Orlando went after him, but he's a great defensive player and I think he'll do wonders for the moral on your team. Good job, he might be a sleeper pick.

Thanks for keeping it real yo, I wish your team the best!

My team need prayers then wishes...but I feel you. Thanks.

[carbine23]

I'm not even going to pretend, I don't like your team, but I must say I think you guys made one solid choice. I wish Orlando went after him, but he's a great defensive player and I think he'll do wonders for the moral on your team. Good job, he might be a sleeper pick.

Thanks for keeping it real yo, I wish your team the best!

My team need prayers then wishes...but I feel you. Thanks.

Then I will pray for your team bro!

[ORLMagicGirl15]

Then I will pray for your team bro!

Thanks...just fyi, I'm a girl.

Edit: clarifying.

[carbine23]

Then I will pray for your team bro!

Thanks...just fyi, I'm a girl.

Edit: clarifying.

Oh shoot totally did not notice the MagicGirl thing..Haha! Well, well. Hopefully, our teams do wonderful things this year!

[Cloud765]

Amen! Allegiance by proximity! I'll cheer on the Magic before any other East team, and on the East before any West team. USA!

[heat in italy]

Now we just need a COACH ...

[GreenHat]

If we keep Miller and he stays healthy, we have the best perimeter rotation of the NBA. Period.

We had the best perimeter rotation in the NBA before signing Battier and even if Miller is wearing a suit.

According to insider at ESPN...

He will sign for the $3 million taxpayer exception if the Heat keep Mike Miller. He can get the $5 million non-taxpayer exception if the Heat waive Miller under the amnesty provision.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/features ... 1208#23277

Would we be allowed to sign him to the 3 million, then amnesty Miller and use the other 2 million? If so then it was smart to keep Miller for now (got Battier at the lower price), amnesty him after and get the 2 million left on the MLE and the 1.9 million on the Bi-annual. That's two non-minimum guys we can get for amnestying Miller (who is now only the 4th wing anyway).

[GreenHat]

As much as I love the addition of Battier, it does feel repetitive with Mike Miller still around. Our crunch time lineup of Wade-Miller-James-Bosh-Haslem was great in the playoffs last year and I'm assuming Battier will fill in that spot for Miller in those situations atleast for the first month or so of the season that Mike is out.

But then what? Miller and Battier are limited to playing the backup SG and SF positions and whatever minutes that Wade or LeBron are shifted over to PG but there's certainly not enough minutes for both of them. Just feels repetitive to have both.

I think were missing the huge possibility that Wade now plays PG full time. That would start making sense especially considering how Bosh is willing to sacrifice his body to play C, Lebron played PG/SF/SG/PF/C without whining one moment. Wade playing PG the majority of his min is the next logical progression...

Like someone else mentioned Wade doesn't want to play pg for the whole game on defense. If we get a sg/sf who could guard pgs all game then it wouldn't be a problem.

Here's why I really like this move: Miller made a difference in the Chicago series, then he was awful in the Finals. Turned invisible again.

Even had another one of those sequences where he missed like 3 3-pointers in 1 possession thanks to us getting offensive rebounds.

Battier at his best isn't as good as Mike Miller, but he WILL give you what you expect. He's not a streaky shooter or afraid to pull the trigger if left open in the corner, and he is a very good defender.

Yeah, LeBron wasn't good... but just replacing Miller with Battier in the Finals last year, I think we could've won it all.

I agree that we win the Finals last year with Battier instead of Miller.

I disagree with the bold, especially for this team. I think you aren't weighting the defensive side of the ball enough. Miller has been bad on defense, especially the last few years. Battier has been a great defender. The strengths that Miller has on Battier (scoring and handling) are somewhat negated because we have the best scoring and handling sg and sf on the team too.

Battier at his best is definitely better than Miller has been for the last 3 years at least and especially for this team.

[Dezmondballins3]

Here's why I really like this move: Miller made a difference in the Chicago series, then he was awful in the Finals. Turned invisible again.

Even had another one of those sequences where he missed like 3 3-pointers in 1 possession thanks to us getting offensive rebounds.

Battier at his best isn't as good as Mike Miller, but he WILL give you what you expect. He's not a streaky shooter or afraid to pull the trigger if left open in the corner, and he is a very good defender.

Yeah, LeBron wasn't good... but just replacing Miller with Battier in the Finals last year, I think we could've won it all.

I agree that we win the Finals last year with Battier instead of Miller.

I disagree with the bold, especially for this team. I think you aren't weighting the defensive side of the ball enough. Miller has been bad on defense, especially the last few years. Battier has been a great defender. The strengths that Miller has on Battier (scoring and handling) are somewhat negated because we have the best scoring and handling sg and sf on the team too.

Battier at his best is definitely better than Miller has been for the last 3 years at least and especially for this team.

No your wrong Miller at his best is better then Shane don't forget his 22 points in 1 quarter...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FL8S8YINs8[/youtube]

[HEATVols865]

I just loved reading Mike Wallace's tweet saying that Miller is better than Battier and that Battier is SLIGHTLY BETTER than James Jones...

[GreenHat]

Here's why I really like this move: Miller made a difference in the Chicago series, then he was awful in the Finals. Turned invisible again.

Even had another one of those sequences where he missed like 3 3-pointers in 1 possession thanks to us getting offensive rebounds.

Battier at his best isn't as good as Mike Miller, but he WILL give you what you expect. He's not a streaky shooter or afraid to pull the trigger if left open in the corner, and he is a very good defender.

Yeah, LeBron wasn't good... but just replacing Miller with Battier in the Finals last year, I think we could've won it all.

I agree that we win the Finals last year with Battier instead of Miller.

I disagree with the bold, especially for this team. I think you aren't weighting the defensive side of the ball enough. Miller has been bad on defense, especially the last few years. Battier has been a great defender. The strengths that Miller has on Battier (scoring and handling) are somewhat negated because we have the best scoring and handling sg and sf on the team too.

Battier at his best is definitely better than Miller has been for the last 3 years at least and especially for this team.

No your wrong Miller at his best is better then Shane don't forget his 22 points in 1 quarter...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FL8S8YINs8[/youtube]

He said Battier at his best isn't as good as Miller. What about all of the other quarters?

[overpaid]

Here's why I really like this move: Miller made a difference in the Chicago series, then he was awful in the Finals. Turned invisible again.

Even had another one of those sequences where he missed like 3 3-pointers in 1 possession thanks to us getting offensive rebounds.

Battier at his best isn't as good as Mike Miller, but he WILL give you what you expect. He's not a streaky shooter or afraid to pull the trigger if left open in the corner, and he is a very good defender.

Yeah, LeBron wasn't good... but just replacing Miller with Battier in the Finals last year, I think we could've won it all.

I agree that we win the Finals last year with Battier instead of Miller.

I disagree with the bold, especially for this team. I think you aren't weighting the defensive side of the ball enough. Miller has been bad on defense, especially the last few years. Battier has been a great defender. The strengths that Miller has on Battier (scoring and handling) are somewhat negated because we have the best scoring and handling sg and sf on the team too.

Battier at his best is definitely better than Miller has been for the last 3 years at least and especially for this team.

No your wrong Miller at his best is better then Shane don't forget his 22 points in 1 quarter...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FL8S8YINs8[/youtube]

lol. this is a joke right? Against the raptors? The worst defense in the league (i'm a raptor fan). Didn't Eddie House drop like 30+ in the season closer....

[GameTime_3]

EthanJSkolnick Ethan Skolnick
Big part of the recruiting of @ShaneBattier: Nick Arison. "He could probably tell you stories about our days back at Duke."

[Tim_Hardawayy]

I stand by the "Miller at his best > Battier" comment, although the one game against Toronto is not a great example.

That said, Mike did put up 18/5/5 for a whole season before. With passable defense. He's not that bad defensively. At the top of his game, I'd say he was a notch below All-Star level for a wing player.

If Mike performed the way he's capable of, he'd be the ultimate fit for us on offense. The only issue is, he hasn't performed like that, whether it be injury or his own reluctance on offense causing it. If there's one thing you can say about Battier, its that he's consistent.

[Dezmondballins3]

What do you mean am i joking? that's a Miami heat record for most points in the 2nd quarter! I don't care who it was against it is still amazing.
Why are you hating on Miller grow up.