
--Coach Erik Spoelstra, named to replace Pat Riley, got support from F Udonis Haslem.
"I'm happy for Erik," Haslem said, before adding, "Coach Spoelstra now. Coach Spoelstra -- I've got to start getting used to that. "But I'm happy for coach Spoelstra. In the time I've been here, he's probably been the most hands-on guy with the players. He probably knows the players here, inside-out, better than anybody."
--At least one NBA scout has a high opinion of UCLA F/C Kevin Love, the 6-foot-10 freshman All-America who averaged 17.5 points and 10.6 rebounds per game.
"I think he's the third-best player in the draft," the scout said. "I think Love fits a variety of styles of play because of the way he plays."
Another NBA scout favors Stanford C Brook Lopez, the 7-footer who averaged 19.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
"If you look at Brook Lopez, he'd probably be my favorite to be the third guy," he said. "He's a guy who you have to believe is going to be able to score a lot of points on the block. The thing that distinguishes him from other big guys is he has a feathery touch.
"But for his size, he's not the most aggressive, physical rebounder you'll see."
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I'd say I feel 80 percent here. I'm just looking forward for next year. There's going to be great things going on around here and I just want be part of that." -- F Dorell Wright, a restricted free agent, on his chances of staying with the Heat.