Miami Heat add big man Ronny Turiaf to gear up for playoffs – NBA Update
The Miami Heat have completed the signing of free agent forward Ronny Turiaf. The Heat had been on the market for a big man to add strength and steel inside the paint, which has been lacking for the team this NBA season.
Ronny has represented various teams over his time in the NBA, which includes the likes of Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Washington Wizards. In fact, he was a starter for the Knicks in the playoffs just last season.
The player however suffered an injury that restricted his involvement this season and after he landed with the Denver Nuggets after a three team trade, his contract was waived by the franchise, making him a free agent.
The Heat immediately set their eyes on the experienced big man, with coach Erik Spoelstra and President Pat Riley courting him while super star duo LeBron James and Dwyane Wade also put in recruiting calls.
It wasn’t a surprise then that Ronny was pleased to join up the Heat and spoke of his delight at a charity event he attended with his new teammates.
"To put it into words would be a disservice to those guys," Turiaf told The Associated Press. "This is awesome, to be surrounded by future Hall of Famers, by guys that know how to play basketball, by guys that have been successful everywhere they went. It's
a definite pleasure. It makes it very, very easy for a guy like me to step into this situation. I've always prided myself on making life easy for everybody else and that's what I will try to do here."
Turiaf has averaged 5.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in his career, but he does bring a lot of hustle to the side. He is a high energy player, exactly the kind Miami need at the centre position. They have been desperately looking for improvement in that department
and signed veteran Eddy Curry in the offseason, but that experiment hasn’t worked.
Heat President Pat Riley however was positive that Ronny would help the team add the steel they needed inside to hinder rivals in the playoffs.
"We are very happy to be able to add an experienced veteran centre at this stage of the season," Heat President Pat Riley said. "Ronny's energy will be a great addition and bolster our front line."
The Heat are favourites to win the NBA World Championship this season, but that was also the case last year when they fell to the veteran Dallas Mavericks side in the NBA Finals. The Mavs exploited a weakness at the centre position in Miami’s armour and
the Heat look determined to upgrade before the playoffs this year.
Tags: