Dion Waiters has been looking for a team that can offer him a prominent scoring role.The Miami Heat could have just the role for him after a disappointing split with franchise star Dwyane Wade.Waiters and the Heat were finalizing a one-year contract worth $2.9 million, two people with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Monday. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract has not been signed and announced.Waiters averaged 9.8 points for the Oklahoma City Thunder last year, but had several big games in the playoffs.His offensive burst with the second unit helped the Thunder keep pace when stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook needed rest, and his aggressive mentality fit well with a bench unit that needed some force.Waiters played particularly well against Dallas and San Antonio in the playoffs, helping the Thunder advance to the Western Conference finals against Golden State.The matchups werent as favorable for him in that series, one in which the Warriors came back from a 3-1 deficit to beat Oklahoma City.Waiters could slide right into the starting lineup in the Heat backcourt next to point guard Goran Dragic, offering the 24-year-old shooting guard the playing time and role in the offense that could help him lock down a more lucrative long-term deal down the road.His deal with Miami includes a player option for 2017-18 that is unlikely to be exercised so he can hit the court for unrestricted free agency early next summer.The Heat have a need for scoring after Wade made the surprising decision to leave the only franchise he has ever played for to join his hometown Chicago Bulls earlier this month.There are definite similarities between Wade and Waiters beyond just their initials. Both are 6-foot-4 scorers with stout frames that help them absorb punishment on drives to the basket. Both are aggressive scorers who rely more on the midrange game and getting to the rim than 3-pointers. Both have worn No. 3 on their jerseys.Wade, of course, is far more accomplished in his career with three championships and 12 All-Star nods in his 13-year career that made him an icon in South Florida.The daunting prospect of replacing such a celebrated figure in the Heats starting lineup likely would do little to deter Waiters, a confident personality who never hesitated to take big shots in Cleveland despite Kyrie Irvings status as the go-to player or in Oklahoma City when playing with Westbrook and Durant.Waiters started the summer as a restricted free agent, a designation that would have given the Thunder the right to match any offer given to Waiters. But after losing Durant to the Warriors, the Thunder rescinded their qualifying offer to Waiters, making him an unrestricted free agent.The Heat also matched guard Tyler Johnsons four-year, $50 million offer from the Brooklyn Nets and have other versatile pieces such as Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson in Erik Spoelstras rotation.---AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this report.Cheap Soccer Jerseys . Most important, perhaps, it went off without a hitch. Organizers poked a little fun at the now-infamous opening ceremony gaffe that saw only four out of five snowflakes open up into rings, leaving the Olympics logo one ring short. Wholesale Soccer Jerseys . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. https://www.fakesoccerjerseys.com/ .com) - Manchester City midfielder David Silva is expected to miss the next four weeks because of a calf problem. 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Police were called after the altercation escalated in the parking lot.After he was arrested and dealing with the police, and brought down here he was cooperative, said Chris Tennant, commander with the Pullman Police Department.Luani was booked at the Pullman Police Department and later released on his own recognizance. As of 10 a.m. PT on Wednesday morning an official police report had not yet been written, and on Thursday, Tennant told ESPN that it likely would not be written up until early next week. Once that report is written following the completion of the investigation, it will be forwarded to the Whitman County prosecuting attorney reequesting the charges of second-degree assault.ddddddddddddTennant said that he doesnt necessarily think that this will end up in court.These things rarely go to court, he told ESPN.com. They do generally result in some type of charges or plea deals. There will be some sort of legal interaction. You cant just go around breaking peoples noses and expect it to go away.An interview request to the employees at the Dominos Pizza was returned with no comment.As it is a police matter we will continue to cooperate with law enforcement. Outside of that we will keep it a team issue at this time, a Washington State spokesman said.?There also is an ongoing investigation into a July fight at a house party on Washington States campus that may have involved multiple Washington State football players.ESPNs Kevin Gemmell contributed to this report. ' ' '
