Miami Heat sign Erick Dampier
After most likely losing do-it-all forward Udonis Haslem for the rest of the season, the Miami Heat pushed the panic button and signed veteran centre Erick Dampier on Tuesday 23 November.
Dampier, who was waived by the Charlotte Bobcats during the off-season, signed a one-year contract with Miami, finally getting his wish to play with the star-studded Heat squad led by LeBron
James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.
“I just look at it as an opportunity of a lifetime here,” Dampier said. “You've got LeBron and D-Wade and Chris Bosh, some of the better players here, if not the best in the league. I get
a chance to come here, play with these guys and have a chance to win a championship.”
Dampier, who averaged six points and 4.9 rebounds in 55 games with the Dallas Mavericks last season, practiced with the Heat for the first time on Tuesday, and the 35-year-old centre firmly
believes that he made the right decision.
“I just wanted to make sure it was the right situation for me,” Dampier said. “You never know what happens after training camp, the start of the season and injuries happen. I had other options,
but I wanted to be on a contending team. They have great guys on this team, some of the best players in the league, so this gave me an opportunity to come here and play. I just got to make the best of it.”
But the 14-year veteran and former Mississippi State standout admitted that he is not yet in his best playing shape, but he vowed to work hard to get his old form back.
He proved that on Tuesday when he was the last player to leave the practice facility after a workout with rookie big man Dexter Pittman.
“Obviously, when you miss training camp, first month of the season and the first 13 games, you're not going to be in game-playing shape,” Dampier said. “But I'm not out of shape, so I just
got to continue to work and get myself into playing shape.”
Dampier will make his debut in a Heat uniform on Wednesday, when Miami travel to Orlando for their rematch with the Magic on Wednesday 24 November.
The Heat clobbered the Magic, 96-70, in their first meeting on 29 October.
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