Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis officially introduced as Miami Heat players – NBA News
The Miami Heat officially introduced their two new signings in a press conference on Wednesday. After winning the NBA championship less than 4 weeks ago, the Miami Heat have added two veteran shooters to their line up in order
to strengthen their perimeter shooting.
“As we said a couple of years ago when we started to rebuild the team, I think it's important year in and year out that you continue to try to add quality talent and players with experience, who want to make a commitment to winning,”
said Miami Team President Pat Riley at the presser.
Miami signed shooting guard Ray Allen to a three year contract worth tax payer’s mini mid level exception of $3 million per year.
Allen moves to Miami from their arch rivals in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics, where he played for five seasons and won an NBA championship back in 2008. The Celtics had offered him a 2 year contract worth $12 million
but Allen seemed to be disgruntled with his former team after they tried to trade him at the trade deadline last season, and then gave his starting position to Avery Bradley at the end of the season. There were also reports of a falling off between Allen and
Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo.
"You move into a situation coming into the summer and you don't know potentially what could happen. And here I sit,” said Allen.
In Allen, Miami have landed the league’s all time leader in three pointers made. Allen is a great shooter, particularly from beyond the arc, and would be a great addition to the Heat line up who have long wanted a three point specialist
to spread the floor and take the open shots when LeBron and company drive into the paint.
Rashard Lewis joins the Heat for a two contract worth the veteran’s minimum of $2.6 million. He will also receive more than $13 million in a buyout by the New Orleans Hornets.
Lewis was a star in the Orlando Magic roster a few years ago and helped them reach the NBA Finals in 2009, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. However, injuries have slowed him down since then and reduced him to a role player
with the Washington Wizards.
He is still a great shooter with a career average of 16.1 points and 5.6 rebounds and played with Allen for nearly four years as the Seattle SuperSonics. Alongside Allen, Lewis will give Miami experience, bench depth as well as
scoring options.
"Obviously, I'm hungry just to win. I played with Orlando and got a taste of being in the Finals, getting close to winning that championship. I'm at a point in my career where I've been on an All-Star team, played 13 years ...
my next goal is to try to win a championship,” said Lewis.
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