Miami Heat first-round draft pick Harold Miner signed a long-term contract Tuesday, and he`ll join the team for the start of training camp on Friday.
Terms weren`t disclosed, but according to published reports, the Heat`s longstanding offer was a five-year, $7.3 million deal.
”The team is starting to get excited, starting to get good,” managing partner Lewis Schaffel said. ”Hopefully this is another step. This is the first training camp I`m excited about-where I`m feeling we really can make some noise.”
Miner, a high-scoring guard from Southern Cal, was the 12th player taken in the June draft. He`s making no demands about playing time on a team that made its first playoff appearance last April.
”There`s so much talent on the team, I just want to get a chance to mix in with these guys,” Miner said.
Miner, 21, led the Pac-10 in scoring last year, averaging 26.3 points a game. He`s willing to play point guard or shooting guard.
”I`m primarily a shooting guard,” he said. ”All the situations I`ve been in, the coaches have always wanted me to put the ball in the basket. But I also love passing the ball.”
