Apparently, it’s not totally out of the question to expect Samuel Dalembert(notes) to wear a Miami Heat jersey next season. I’ll admit, I didn’t think it was possible.
If there’s a mid-level exception in the new collective bargaining agreement — whenever that agreement is reached — it’s looking like the Heat has a real shot at Samuel Dalembert.
For a while, it’s appeared that he makes the most sense for Miami, to fill its starting center role, allowing Joel Anthony to move back to the bench, and Dexter Pittman to progress at a reasonable rate.
He has a house in Boca Raton, a pleasant disposition which makes him a good locker-room fit, and a knack for rebounding and defense.
He also hails from Haiti, and he has an impressive history of philanthropy in the earthquake-ravaged nation; he’s currently building a community center with Project Medishare. That not only means that Miami would make sense for geographical reasons (it’s a short trip), but also for reasons of aligned interests. The Heat has been active in Haiti, joining up with Project Medishare and its founder Dr. Barth Green, as well as Green’s daughter Jenna, who is dating Micky Arison’s son Nick.
(There will be a test on this later.)
Last summer, several media members (including myself) took the trip with Nick, Jenna, Erik Spoelstra, Tim Hardaway and Alonzo Mourning. I’ve been to a lot of “photo op” events with teams and athletes over the years; this went beyond that. Mourning had already made a half-dozen goodwill trips there before that visit, including one just after the earthquake hit. Other Heat players would have gone, but so few were under contract at the time, and it was an insurance risk.
So while Dalembert could probably command more than the mid-level exception — even as it currently is — on the open market, I’ve been repeatedly told that this would be the one place he might sacrifice some financially.
