Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Heat and warmth
Guard’s return to Heat ‘means heckuva a lot’
For the past five seasons, Heat guard Wayne Ellington felt like the new kid on the first day of training camp.
The start of camp was spent learning about his teammates, coaches or even the best route to the practice facility. Now, he no longer has to endure the uncomfortable experience.
When he re-signed with Miami, it meant Ellington would play on the same team again for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
“Well, it means a lot to me,” Ellington said Tuesday during an appearance at the Heat’s youth camp at Nova High School. “It’s my first time returning to a team since my second or third year in the NBA. It means a lot. It means a heckuva lot to me that a team wanted me back.”
The stability comes at the opportune time for a couple reasons. Ellington didn’t have to uproot his family after the birth of his first son, Wayne III, in March. He also didn’t have to leave behind a group of teammates he refers to as friends instead of co-workers.
“For somebody that’s been on different teams for the past several years, being able to come back here and be with my brothers, we built a bond that we’re friends,” Ellington said. “We’re not just teammates. We’re actually really friends. We really enjoy each other. So to be able to come back here … I’ve got a family now, stability is huge. It’s something that you don’t get a lot of in this business.”
Ellington was so he eager to remain here he didn’t have a backup plan if the Heat chose to go in another direction. Instead, he patiently waited for the decision. The nerves eased once the Heat were able to trade forward Josh McRoberts to the Dallas Mavericks, freeing up cap space.
“Obviously, I’ve been in the league for a little while and I know how everything works,” Ellington said. “Seeing that the money kind of matches, it made me feel like that move is being done for a certain reason. Still, at the end of the day, you still never know.”
Ellington realized he wouldn’t have to change scenery once the text messages began to come in. First, it was agent Jim Tanner. Then it was assistant coach Octavio De La Grana, who works out with Ellington before every game.
And, finally, coach Erik Spoelstra.
“It never got that far where I needed to have anything backedup,” Ellington said. “Like I said, speaking to my agent throughout the whole process and speaking to everybody that’s here, staff and teammates, I felt very confident throughout the whole process. They all made sure of that.”
Another year in Miami provides opportunity for Ellington to improve on last year’s breakout season. He averaged career-highs in points (10.5) and 3-pointers made (149) on 37 percent shooting. The Heat fell just one game shy of making the playoffs despite going 11-30 the first half of the season.
Ellington used a toy from his childhood to describe how this year could unfold if they avoid the early season struggles.
“I kind of compare it to one of those cars — you know those cars when you’re a kid that go back in order to go forward,” Ellington said. “… We had to kind of go backward and learn each other and figure it out. Towards the end of the year the car was all the way back and ready to go forward. I think we’re ready to just go forward.”