gansey to sign 2-year deal with miami heat

i think many people saw this coming:

1. miami was left with no action in last month's draft.
2. gansey slipped through the strangest, most unpredictable, least meaningful nba draft in my memory.
3. miami's core (except for the injury-waiting-to-happen in dwayne wade) is aging and depth behind wade is questionable.

...gansey will fight for playing time and will join wv's own jason williams under on-again, off-again coach pat riley as the heat try to repeat as champions in 06-07.

*edit: after initially posting this, i found out that kevin pittsnogle will also join the heat's summer league team. looks like they're not done teaming up.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Former West Virginia University standout guard Mike
Gansey is expected to sign a two-year rookie free agent contract with the NBA
champion Miami Heat today.

Gansey’s agent Mark Termini told the Dominion-Post that Gansey will fly to
Miami today to sign a contract that has a “significant” portion of it
guaranteed. Tuesday’s Elyria (Ohio) Chronicle Telegram indicated that if Gansey
fulfills both years of the contract he could earn more than $1 million.

Gansey was snubbed in last Wednesday’s draft despite being projected as a
possible first-round pick and a solid second-round choice. The 6-4 guard
averaged 16.8 points per game and shot 55 percent as a senior to help West
Virginia to a 22-11 record and the school’s second consecutive NCAA tournament
“Sweet 16” appearance.

Gansey scored 18 points in the Mountaineers’ 74-71 loss to Texas in
regional semifinals in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome on March 23. He spent two seasons
with West Virginia after transferring from St. Bonaventure. Gansey is projected
as a 2-guard in the NBA where he will vie for a backup job behind all-star
Dwyane Wade, who averaged 27.2 points per game and is currently negotiating a
long-term contract deal with the Heat.

Miami, which beat the Dallas Mavericks in six games to claim its first ever
NBA title, did not have a pick in this year’s draft.

Once Gansey signs with the Heat he is expected to join Miami’s summer
league team entrant in Orlando next week.