MIAMI, 10/20 – The Miami HEAT have announced that they have exercised the third-year Rookie Scale Option on Michael Beasley and the fourth-year Rookie Scale Option on Daequan Cook. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

Beasley, a 6’9.5”, 235-pound forward, appeared in 81 regular season games (19 starts) last season and averaged 13.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 24.8 minutes while shooting 47.2 percent from the field, 40.7 percent from three-point range and 77.2 percent from the foul line. He finished second on the team in scoring average, points (1,123), games played, field goals made (452), field goals attempted (957), free throws made (186), free throws attempted (241), offensive rebounds (110), defensive rebounds (329) and total rebounds (439). He was an NBA All-Rookie First Team selection and was named as the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for April. Additionally, he started for the Rookies in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam at All-Star Weekend in Phoenix. Beasley was drafted by the HEAT in the first round (second overall) in the 2008 NBA Draft. 

Cook, a 6’5”, 210-pound guard, has appeared in 134 regular season games (23 starts) and has averaged 9.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 24.4 minutes while shooting 37.8 percent from the field, 36.7 percent from three-point range and 85 percent from the foul line. He currently ranks eighth on the HEAT’s all-time three-point field goals made list (232), ninth on the three-point field goals attempted list (633) and 12th on the three-point field goal percentage list (.367). Last season he led the team in three-point field goals made (153) and three-point field goals attempted (395) and also captured the 2009 Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout championship during All-Star Weekend in Phoenix. Cook was originally drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round (21st overall) in the 2007 NBA Draft. His draft rights were then acquired on draft night by the HEAT along with Philadelphia’s 2009 second round draft pick and cash considerations for the draft rights of Jason Smith (20th overall selection). 

The Miami HEAT is proud to welcome Assist Card as the Presenting Sponsor for the 2009-10 HEAT season.