“Jamaal Magloire has a role and that role is to beat the hell out of people.” A quote from Stan Van Gundy (via Orlando Pinstriped Post).
That is just fine with Miami. Which is why the Heat signed him to a one-year deal, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. It’s a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal of $1.4 million.
The Heat now have Magloire, Joel Anthony, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and rookie Dexter Pittman under contract at center. The hope is that one -- or some combination of the group -- can give the Heat some defensive presence inside and rebounding that will free up Chris Bosh to be a terror at the four.
Magloire is considered a very good guy in the locker room, as well.
However, there are question marks all around. Magloire barely saw the court last year, appearing in just 23 games behind Jermaine O’Neal (who left town) and Joel Anthony. And Anthony is undersized for a center, Ilgauskas is old and was not a key part of Cleveland this season, and Pittman is an untested rookie.
But if they can get solid center play out of the group, they just filled what most people think is their biggest weakness.