Wade would welcome Alston's return to Miami

MIAMI -- Dwyane Wade still remembers the shot that kickstarted his rookie season into high gear, a buzzer-beating 3-pointer that gave Miami a win over Dallas back in 2004.

Rafer Alston was the hero that night. And he might soon be alongside Wade again.

Wade said Wednesday he would welcome Alston back to Miami, a move that could come later this week provided the player once known as "Skip to my Lou" from his street-ball days clears waivers.

It's clear the feeling is mutual, with Alston telling the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, "I'm coming" back to Miami.

"He's a guy I was very close with and someone I respected," Wade said. "I've known Skip since he was in Milwaukee, when I was with Marquette and he was with the Bucks. If it was to happen, it'd be great to reunite with a guy like that, someone I've known since I was in college who knows me. You know what to expect with a veteran guy like him. Everywhere he's been, he's been successful."

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra declined Wednesday to address the Alston situation specifically.

Alston could take the spot vacated when the Heat traded Chris Quinn to New Jersey on Tuesday, a move that came shortly after the Nets bought out Alston's deal. The Heat also have until 6 p.m. Wednesday to decide on guaranteeing point guard Carlos Arroyo's deal for the remainder of the season.

Arroyo practiced with the team Wednesday morning, hours before the Heat hosted the Boston Celtics, and Spoelstra said he was planning for Arroyo to stay put.

"That's the way we're planning on it, but it is a business," Spoelstra said. "Everything that we do will be to try to get better, but also to understand the business of the basketball and the franchise."

Alston played in all 82 games during that 2003-04 season with the Heat, becoming a trusted Wade confidant along the way. Alston got a $31 million, five-year contract that offseason from Toronto and left Miami, but Wade never forgot perhaps the biggest highlight of that season.

"That was our first (national) TV game. I think we got on by mistake," Wade said of that dramatic Heat win on March 26, 2004, part of a 17-4 finish that pushed Miami into the playoffs after an 0-7 start. "We played our hearts out that game and that was kind of the game right there that helped us, showed us and let us know that we can be a good ballclub. I'll never forget that 3."