Mo Williams To Miami?

[spenny 0]

Riley meets with Bucks' Williams

 

Heat coach Pat Riley and Milwaukee free agent point guard Mo Williams had a daylong meeting Saturday and were seen dining in South Beach.

 

BY MICHAEL WALLACE AND BARRY JACKSON

mwallace@MiamiHerald.com

 

Heat coach Pat Riley made a late-night recruiting pitch Saturday -- wining and dining free agent Mo Williams -- in an attempt to land the most coveted point guard remaining on the market.

 

Williams toured the Heat's facilities at AmericanAirlines Arena and ended his daylong visit by dining with Riley at a South Beach restaurant late Saturday.

 

Williams' agent, Mark Bartelstein, confirmed Saturday night his client was in Miami and was ''very interested'' in an opportunity to play for a title contender.

 

Riley has said the team's most pressing needs were for a play-making point guard and scoring small forward. Williams, 24, fits the description at guard and is coming off a career season.

 

That Williams even visited the Heat, a team well over the salary cap and with only its midlevel exception (about $6 million a season) to offer, could be an indication he might be willing to take less money to play here.

 

Bartelstein would not say if the Heat is trying to acquire Williams through free agency or a sign-and-trade deal that could include Heat forward James Posey or point guard Jason Williams. Bartelstein also represents Posey, a free agent small forward the Heat has been shopping.

 

''I won't get into money, but I will say things have been going well,'' Bartelstein said when reached on his cellphone. ``Miami's a great team with a great history. They're a championship-level team. Mo is definitely interested. We'll just wait and see where it all goes.''

 

Milwaukee, one of the few teams with cap space to offer a hefty contract, has reportedly floated Williams a five- or six-year deal worth about $40 million. Barring a sign-and-trade, the most the Heat could offer Williams is a five-year contract worth about $30 million.

 

Players can't sign contracts until the NBA's moratorium ends Wednesday.

 

Riley is hopeful the South Beach scenery, the chance to play alongside Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal and a run at an NBA championship might be enough to make up the difference in pay.

 

Bucks general manager Larry Harris has said re-signing Williams was a top priority. But the Bucks also have been busy trying to convince Chinese forward Yi Jianlian, their first-round draft pick, to ease off his trade demands.

 

Harris told The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel on Saturday ''things are progressing very well'' in negotiations with Williams, who averaged 17.3 points and 6.1 assists in 68 starts last season.

 

The Heat already has missed out on two of its top free agent targets in Orlando-bound forward Rashard Lewis and Phoenix-bound forward Grant Hill. The Heat also lost one of its free agents when Jason Kapono agreed to a deal with Toronto.

 

Riley entertained Williams a day after telling reporters too much was being made of the Heat's pursuit for a guard.

 

But Jason Williams has struggled because of injuries the past two seasons and is entering the final year of his contract.

 

''It's not about anything else but addressing that area in case there is a breakdown again,'' Riley said.

 

http://www.miamiherald.com/594/story/163940.html

[spenny 0]

Riley meets with Bucks' Williams

 

Heat coach Pat Riley and Milwaukee free agent point guard Mo Williams had a daylong meeting Saturday and were seen dining in South Beach.

 

BY MICHAEL WALLACE AND BARRY JACKSON

mwallace@MiamiHerald.com

 

Heat coach Pat Riley made a late-night recruiting pitch Saturday -- wining and dining free agent Mo Williams -- in an attempt to land the most coveted point guard remaining on the market.

 

Williams toured the Heat's facilities at AmericanAirlines Arena and ended his daylong visit by dining with Riley at a South Beach restaurant late Saturday.

 

Williams' agent, Mark Bartelstein, confirmed Saturday night his client was in Miami and was ''very interested'' in an opportunity to play for a title contender.

 

Riley has said the team's most pressing needs were for a play-making point guard and scoring small forward. Williams, 24, fits the description at guard and is coming off a career season.

 

That Williams even visited the Heat, a team well over the salary cap and with only its midlevel exception (about $6 million a season) to offer, could be an indication he might be willing to take less money to play here.

 

Bartelstein would not say if the Heat is trying to acquire Williams through free agency or a sign-and-trade deal that could include Heat forward James Posey or point guard Jason Williams. Bartelstein also represents Posey, a free agent small forward the Heat has been shopping.

 

''I won't get into money, but I will say things have been going well,'' Bartelstein said when reached on his cellphone. ``Miami's a great team with a great history. They're a championship-level team. Mo is definitely interested. We'll just wait and see where it all goes.''

 

Milwaukee, one of the few teams with cap space to offer a hefty contract, has reportedly floated Williams a five- or six-year deal worth about $40 million. Barring a sign-and-trade, the most the Heat could offer Williams is a five-year contract worth about $30 million.

 

Players can't sign contracts until the NBA's moratorium ends Wednesday.

 

Riley is hopeful the South Beach scenery, the chance to play alongside Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal and a run at an NBA championship might be enough to make up the difference in pay.

 

Bucks general manager Larry Harris has said re-signing Williams was a top priority. But the Bucks also have been busy trying to convince Chinese forward Yi Jianlian, their first-round draft pick, to ease off his trade demands.

 

Harris told The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel on Saturday ''things are progressing very well'' in negotiations with Williams, who averaged 17.3 points and 6.1 assists in 68 starts last season.

 

The Heat already has missed out on two of its top free agent targets in Orlando-bound forward Rashard Lewis and Phoenix-bound forward Grant Hill. The Heat also lost one of its free agents when Jason Kapono agreed to a deal with Toronto.

 

Riley entertained Williams a day after telling reporters too much was being made of the Heat's pursuit for a guard.

 

But Jason Williams has struggled because of injuries the past two seasons and is entering the final year of his contract.

 

''It's not about anything else but addressing that area in case there is a breakdown again,'' Riley said.

 

http://www.miamiherald.com/594/story/163940.html

[Adam_Magic 56]

Lets hope he goes for the extra money and stays away from Miami, our divison has got alot stronger this off-season with Charlotte and ATL improving, I thought the Heat were one of the teams to slide next season but with Mo they will be a hell of alot better!