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Report: Heat to sign Strickland
Updated: Monday October 22, 2001 12:24 PM
FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Ticker) -- Pat Riley and the Miami Heat are apparently going against their offseason youth movement. According to the Sun-Sentinel, the Heat have agreed to terms with troubled 35-year-old point guard Rod Strickland. "The only hurdle is getting this signed," Strickland's agent, Leon Rose, told the newspaper. "There is an understanding." While the signing would not mean that Riley is changing his original plan of turning the team over to third-year point guard Anthony Carter, it is a bit surprising considering Strickland's history. With a reputation as a selfish player, Strickland has in the past skipped practices and team meetings while alienating his teammates and coaches during stops in New York, San Antonio, Portland and Washington. Last season, he was suspended for a game by Wizards coach Leonard Hamilton, who then helped arrange a $2.5 million contract buyout so that Strickland could be released in late February. Speaking to Strickland, former Spurs owner Red McCombs once said, "You have this great, great talent, but you act like a spoiled brat." While not on the court, Strickland was once suspended for fighting with former Washington teammate Tracy Murray in 1997 and has been arrested for DUI three times. As a veteran guard, Strickland could assume the role vacated by Tim Hardaway, who was dealt to the Dallas Mavericks over the summer. Hardaway, while slowed by injuries in recent seasons, was the Heat's leader on the floor. Strickland led the NBA assists in 1998 and finished second the next season. He enters the upcoming campaign ranked third in assists among active players with 7,022 and has dished out 20 assists in a game on three occasions. The 6-3 Strickland was originally the 19th overall pick in the 1988 draft by the Knicks and enjoyed arguably his finest all-around offensive season for the Trail Blaziers in 1995-96, averaging 18.7 points and 9.6 assists per outing.
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