HoopWatch

The Miami Heat, current NBA champions, has re-signed� 38 year old veteran guard Gary Payton to a one year NBA veteran’s minimum 1.2 million dollar contract. Payton, who hit crucial shots during the NBA Finals, will join holdovers Shaquille O’Neal, Alonzo Mourning, Michael Doleac, Earl Barron, Udonis Haslem, Antoine Walker, James Posey, Wayne Simien,, Derek Anderson, Jason Kapono, Dorell Wright, Jason Williams and NBA Finals MVP Dwayne Wade for an intact line-up. Only Shandon Anderson has been left unsigned. They will be joined by rookies Mike Gansey from West Virginia, Vincent Grier from Minnesotta, Robert Hite from Miami, Daniel Horton from Michigan and Chris Quinn from Notre Dame. Pat Riley has referred to this intact roster as “Pollyana thinking.”

The Miami Heat felt that Payton, even being at age 38, still has a lot to offer. He can best be remembered for leading the Seattle Supersonics to the NBA Finals in 1996 (together with Shawn Kemp) only to loose to the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls in six games.

Payton was drafted second overall by the Seattle Supersonics during the 1990 NBA Draft. He has compiled 21,455 career points, 8,765 assists, 5,137 rebounds, 2,402 steals and 282 blocks. On top of that, he has a 46.7% career field goal percentage, and he is a 31.9% career three-point shooter and 73% career free throw shooter. He has also been named NBA Defensive player in 1996, being the first guard to do so since Michael Jordan.

With Payton aboard, expect the Miami Heat to defend their title vehemently. All NBA teams will try to snatch the title away from the Pat Riley-mentored Heat, and they will definitely have a hard time to do so with Miami having a well blend of veterans and young players. Riley has definitely put up a championship team. They will try to be the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Lakers who did it from 2000-2002.