The Miami Heat have reportedly shown interest in signing free-agent forward Andray Blatche, who is currently in contract to play with the Chinese Basketball League team through February.
Marc Stein of ESPN reported that the Heat has shifted its focus on acquiring Blatche after missing on the opportunity to land power forward Josh Smith, who joined his childhood buddy Dwight Howard with the Houston Rockets.
The 28-year old Blatche averaged 11.5 points and 5.3 rebounds in 22 minutes per game with the Brooklyn Nets last season. After receiving lean offers last summer, Blatche decided to accept the $2.5 million offer to play for Xinjiang Flying Tigers in China.
Blatche is putting up monster number for his CBA team, averaging at least 24 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists per game. Although the level of competition is way below the NBA's standards, the former Nets and Washington Wizards big remains to be an intriguing big man left on the free-agency market.
The Heat recently received a $2.5 million cap exception after forward Josh McRobert went down probably for the remainder of the season with a knee injury. According to sources, Heat president of basketball operations Pat Riley will likely use these to several unsigned players or NBA-caliber talents playing overseas, including Blatche.
"Among free-agent options for the Heat are unsigned centers Jermaine O'Neal and Emeka Okafor. Another avenue is players competing overseas whose seasons end before the expiration of the salary-cap exception, such as Andray Blatche and Jordan Crawford, who are playing in China," according to Sun Sentinel.
While Blatche's versatility would certainly be a big boost for them, the Heat reportedly wants to land a center sooner rather than later, especially with starting power forward Chris Bosh still nursing with a strained calf injury.
"Trouble there, of course, is that Blatche will be with his team in China through at least February. Heat need a big sooner rather than later," according to Stein.
