After the formal introduction and press conference were done Tuesday, new Heat center Jamaal Magloire left the room at AmericanAirlines Arena saying he hoped "to be here for the next 10 years."
At age 30 and having just signed a one-year, minimum-level contract, Magloire was joking of course.
But the predicament the Heat was in at the center position before Magloire came aboard was no laughing matter. Even after Tuesday's signing, there are still legitimate questions that face Magloire and this team. It has taken just three seasons for Magloire to go from All-Star to all stiff.
It wasn't all that long ago when Magloire was arguably one of the top three centers in the East (when in Charlotte and during the franchise's transition to New Orleans). So it's fair to wonder what in the heck happened to him so fast.
Magloire on Tuesday chalked up his lack of production the past couple of seasons on inconsistent playing time, inconsistent definitions of his role from coaches and nagging injuries. And it's fair to question if the Heat truly even found an upgrade over the offensive-minded but defensively-challenged Mark Blount.
But this was a good investment for the Heat. At worst, Magloire is going to be a big body in the middle who can bang defensively against the opposing bigs and eat up six fouls (fouls that otherwise might have flown Udonis Haslem's way had he started and played significant minutes at center).
At best, Magloire is capable of being somewhere close to the low double-double caliber player he was as recently as three seasons ago. Either way, at the veteran's minimum on a one-year contract, this is a worthwhile gamble for the Heat.
Sure, Magloire was only joking about staying on for 10 years. But if he can simply give the Heat a solid 10 months (starting now, with a potential run through the postseason), it would do.
Just hope this gamble pays off a bit better than last year's failed investments/experiments: Penny Hardaway and Smush Parker.
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