Battier wants to sign with Heat

Shane Battier will be with the Miami Heat this season. Mario Chalmers is deciding if he'll be there with him. Saying he only wants "a winning role" at this point in his career, Battier announced yesterday that he would sign with the Heat. Miami let him know as soon as the free-agency shopping window formally opened this week that he was the Heat's top signing priority. The forward last played for Memphis.

Chalmers wants to be Miami's starting point guard again, and said he will decide by today whether to re-sign with Miami or accept an offer elsewhere. If Chalmers signs with another club, Miami would have three days to match the offer because he is a restricted free agent.

A person familiar with the situation says free agent Caron Butler is leaving the Dallas Mavericks to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers. TNT's David Aldridge reported it's a three-year, $24 million deal.

Greg Oden, Portland's often-injured former No. 1 draft pick, will sign the Trail Blazers' $8.9 million qualifying offer, Oden's agent said. Oden is coming off left knee surgery, and it is not known when he might play.

The Nets have hired P.J. Carlesimo as an assistant. Carlesimo has coached for 35 years, including stints as head coach for Portland, Golden State and Seattle-Oklahoma City. He worked last year as an assistant in Toronto. He guided Seton Hall to the NCAA title game in 1989. -- AP