Heat to keep Dwyane Wade, add Chris Bosh, hope for LeBron James

Ending months of speculation, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh announced Wednesday that they’ll sign with Miami, two decisions that vault the Heat back into the NBA championship picture and put them two-thirds of the way to hitting one of the biggest trifectas in NBA history. Wade, Bosh and LeBron James all have talked about playing together. On Thursday night, James will say why that will or will not happen.

Wade told the Heat that for him to re-sign, the team had to add either James or Bosh. They might get both.

James averaged 29.7 points for Cleveland last season, Wade averaged 26.6 points for Miami and Bosh averaged career-bests of 24.0 points and 10.8 rebounds for Toronto.

Around the NBA, the reaction was that Miami is poised to be in the mix for the 2011 title.

“It just makes the East that much better,” Boston Celtics Coach Doc Rivers said in Orlando, Fla., where he was watching summer league games.

Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy was more succinct, saying, “I think they’re instant contenders.”

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Kevin Durant didn’t go for a spectacle in announcing where he’ll be for the next five years.

Instead, Durant simply posted an update on his Twitter page, saying he’d agreed to a five-year contract extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Durant can’t sign the deal until Thursday, and team spokesman Brian Facchini said he could not confirm the deal under NBA rules.

The reigning NBA scoring leader is signed with the Thunder through next season under his original rookie contract, which would pay him about $5 million next year.

Durant’s spokeswoman, Mary Ford, said he will receive the maximum deal possible, $85 million over five years.

Carlos Boozer is headed to the Chicago Bulls.

A person familiar with the negotiations said the two-time All-Star forward has agreed to a deal and is leaving the Utah Jazz after six seasons.

Adding Boozer strengthens the Bulls’ standing in the Eastern Conference and may make them more attractive to James.

Boozer averaged 19.5 points and 11.2 rebounds last season.

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Ray Allen confirmed that he has agreed to a two-year, $20-million contract to return to the Boston Celtics. The deal was first reported by ESPN.

Allen, who turns 35 this month, was a free agent. He averaged 16.3 points last season.

ETC.

Querrey loses in Hall of Fame event

Top-seeded Sam Querrey was upset in the second round of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships at Newport, R.I., losing to Dustin Brown of Jamaica.

Querrey, ranked 19th and a three-time winner on the tour this season, was beaten, 6-4, 6-3.

In other action, No. 5-seeded Mardy Fish advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Somdev Dewarman, 6-2, 6-0.

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The Buffalo Sabres signed center Rob Niedermayer to a one-year contract, bringing leadership to a club that suffered a disappointing first-round exit in the playoffs last season.

The 35-year-old Niedermayer, who won a Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007, has scored 181 goals and registered 269 assists in 1,082 NHL games.

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A firefighter was still hospitalized but in good spirits after taking a 30-foot plunge while leaning to catch a foul ball at Tuesday’s Texas Rangers game.

Nolan Ryan, the Hall of Fame pitcher and Rangers’ president, took the foul ball to Tyler Morris in the hospital Wednesday.

Fellow firefighter Kevin Conner said Morris suffered a head injury and sprained ankle but no internal injuries.

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Nate Jaqua scored two second-half goals to give the Seattle Sounders a 2-0 victory over the Galaxy in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals at Seattle.

The win sends Seattle, the defending Cup champion, into the semifinals against Chivas USA on Sept. 1.

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Registration for the second Nike 3-on-3 basketball tournament, to be played Aug. 6-8 on outdoor courts built at LA Live and Staples Center, will run through July 30. More than 500 teams competed in divisions for age, gender and skill last year.

Teams can register at https://www.nike3on3.com.