Heat Seems Eager for More Moves With O’Neal Secure

Shaquille O’Neal will soon sign a long-term contract to stay with the Miami Heat, a move that can hardly be considered a surprise.

Yet when the league’s moratorium on signings formally expires today, the Heat could quickly find itself in a barrage of other activity, including a trade that reportedly would send away veteran Eddie Jones and his $14.5-million salary.

Team owner Micky Arison said Monday that O’Neal’s deal will become official “within a very short period” after the end of the moratorium, which was pushed back from July 22 to allow attorneys for the league and union to finish drafting a written version of the new six-year collective bargaining agreement.

The Heat is believed to be offering O’Neal a five-year deal worth around $125 million, although neither the team nor the 12-time All-Star center’s representatives would comment Monday on financial specifics.

“I can assure you Shaquille will be in a Miami Heat uniform for a very long time,” Arison told Associated Press in a telephone interview from Italy.

Miami is apparently considering a major shake-up.

The Miami Herald, quoting unnamed league sources, reported Monday that the Heat may trade Jones to the Memphis Grizzlies for point guard Jason Williams and small forward James Posey.

Jones’ agent, Leon Rose, did not return repeated calls. Arison said he can’t discuss any trades.

A career 16.4-point-per-game scorer, Jones averaged 12.7 in the regular season, 13.7 in the playoffs.

Williams, who averaged 10.1 points and 5.6 assists last season, said as the off-season began that his preference would be to stay in Memphis.

Posey was limited to 50 games last season because of injuries, and only 18 starts. He averaged 8.1 points and 4.4 rebounds.

The Heat has also met this off-season with free-agent forward Antoine Walker, a three-time All-Star who averaged 19.1 points and nine rebounds last season for the Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics.

Miami has already agreed to a five-year deal worth just more than $30 million with forward Udonis Haslem, yet is awaiting decisions from backup center Alonzo Mourning, who’s considering retirement, and free-agent point guard Damon Jones -- whom Miami wants back.

Other agreed-to deals that could become final today include guard Larry Hughes’ move from Washington to Cleveland, forward Donyell Marshall from Toronto to the Cavaliers, center Jerome James from Seattle to New York, guard Antonio Daniels from Seattle to Washington, forward Stromile Swift from Memphis to Houston, swingman Bobby Simmons from the Clippers to Milwaukee and guard Keyon Dooling from Miami to Orlando.

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The Seattle SuperSonics signed assistant coach Jack Sikma to a three-year extension.

Sikma, who played nine seasons with Seattle, rejoined the team in 2003 as special assignments coach and was promoted to assistant coach last year.

“Jack has been a tremendous asset to our coaching staff over the last two years,” General Manager Rick Sund said.

Sikma, 49, whose jersey number hangs from the rafters at KeyArena, retired after five seasons with Milwaukee in 1991. The SuperSonics’ eighth overall pick in the 1977 draft, he is among Seattle’s all-time leaders in 14 categories.

Seattle also promoted Walt Rock to assistant coach and director of video scouting.

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Former Portland Trail Blazer Maurice Lucas will return as an assistant coach, the team said.

Lucas, a member of the 1977 NBA championship team, finished his playing career with Portland in the 1987-88 season. He averaged 14.4 points and 8.8 rebounds in 12 NBA seasons.