Heat Goes to Court to Protect Interest in Free-Agent Howard

Two days after the NBA rejected Juwan Howard’s seven-year, $98 million contract with the Miami Heat, the team went to court Friday in an effort to protect its interest.

Dade County Circuit Judge Joseph Farina issued a temporary injunction “prohibiting Juwan Howard and the NBA from entering into and/or approving an NBA contract” until arbitrators settle the dispute over Howard’s contract.

“The Heat took this action in order to protect its agreement with Howard pending a fair hearing before a neutral arbitrator,” the Heat said in a news release Friday night.

Heat officials did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment.

Howard spent his first two NBA seasons with the Washington Bullets. He signed with the Heat two weeks ago, but the NBA disapproved his contract Wednesday, contending it exceeds the team’s salary cap.