Best signs with Heat September 5, 2002 MIAMI (AP) -- Free agent guard Travis Best signed Thursday with the Miami Heat, his third team since February. The 30-year-old Best becomes a possible successor to starting point guard Rod Strickland, who is 36 and a free agent. Best split the 2001-02 season between the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls, appearing in 74 games with 21 starts. He averaged 7.9 points, 4.4 assists and 23.6 minutes. The 5-foot-11 guard spent 6 1/2 seasons with Indiana. His playing time slipped last season following injuries to his leg and back and the emergence of rookie point guard Jamaal Tinsley. Best, upset when pulled from a game against Washington by coach Isiah Thomas, later refused to go back in. He asked for a trade in December and was dealt to Chicago on Feb. 19. Best has averaged 8.2 points and 3.9 assists in 499 NBA games.
A lateral move to re-signing Rod Strickland, except Best has a lot more left in his tank. He'll start for the Heat and provide a solid presence at point guard, much more than Anthony Carter could provide. It does mean Strickland is probably going to sign with another team, perhaps Cleveland.
Not a bad signing for the Heat if they still plan to go up-tempo. Best is good at that, and he drives to the basket. We'll see.
If Caron's as good as projected, the Heat will make some noise in the sad, sad eastern conference. Plus Rasual Butler is opening up some eyes in Miami. He's a SG/SF with a really nice jumper. The Miami papers are saying he has the best jumper on the team since Glen Rice's early years. So are Eddie Jones' days numbered? I wonder which teams would consider taking his huge contract? Maybe a sign and trade with Seattle for Rashard
I think the Best signing means that Rod Strickland is out. I don't think Strickland wants to be a backup, and I would assume that Best is sick of being a backup every place he's been. Rod Strickland will likely sign with Cleveland, but I don't think this means that Eddie Jones is out. Why would they do a Jones-Lewis deal? Jones is a much better player. He actually plays defense. Overall, this is a good move by Miami, since Best is better than Strickland and more stable.
Best wil increase the tempo of the game but at times he plays more like a shooting guard than a point guard.
