When lockout ends, Heat set to pounce

MIAMI (AP) ― Free agency 2011 will be nowhere near as celebrated for the Miami Heat as the player-movement bonanza that brought LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade together a year ago.

It still carries massive importance.

James, Wade, Bosh, Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem are still under contract, meaning the core remains intact. Point guard Mario Chalmers ― who came up big during the NBA finals ― is a restricted free agent, though he clearly has an eye on being back in Miami. And rookie point guard Norris Cole figures to contend for some rotation time.

Looking at that list, the free-agent focus in Miami seems obvious: The top Heat priority likely will be an upgrade at center.

With the season now scheduled to start on Christmas, the Heat are preparing to shop.

“We go in every day, and we’re ready to hit the ground running,” Heat President Pat Riley said last week, before the tentative deal between the league and its players. “Every single department’s up and running, ready to roll, and we’re all doing our jobs from that extent. ... That’s what we do every day. And we’re ready to roll. When we find out, we’re ready to go.”

The financial terms of the agreement almost certainly will not help the Heat bottom line. A person familiar with the team’s financial picture told the Associated Press that the Heat ― buoyed by the excitement created by James, Wade and Bosh playing together ― turned a profit last season for the first time since moving into AmericanAirlines Arena more than a decade ago.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because deal details have not been announced.