Miami Heat: 25 Best Players To Play For The Heat
By Phil Watson
1988-94. Grant Long. 21. player. 110. <strong>How acquired:</strong> Second-round pick (33rd overall) from Eastern Michigan, 1988 NBA Draft.. PF
Grant Long had been a double-double beast as a senior at Eastern Michigan, averaging 23 points and more than 10 rebounds per game as a senior.
The expansion Miami Heat made him a second-round selection, 33rd overall, in the 1988 NBA Draft.
Long wound up as the Heat’s starting power forward for most of his rookie year and was a solid contributor for the early part of the club’s history.
He was traded in November 1994 with Steve Smith and a 1996 second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Kevin Willis and a 1996 first-round selection.
In parts of seven seasons in Miami, Long averaged 11.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 steals in 31.5 minutes per game, shooting .478/.206/.768.
Long was traded to the Detroit Pistons in July 1996.
He returned to the Hawks as a free agent in February 1999.
Long then signed as a free agent with the Vancouver Grizzlies in September 1999.
He was with the Grizzlies through their move to Memphis before signing as a free agent with the Boston Celtics in January 2003.
He retired after going unsigned as a free agent in the summer of 2004.
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