Miami Heat president Pat Riley has revealed that the team decided not to re-sign forward Michael Beasley because they were looking for a fresh start following the departure of LeBron James.
Despite turning out his most efficient season last campaign, the Heat decided to part company with Beasley, who then went on to agree a training camp contract with the Memphis Grizzlies.
"I love Mike, but we're moving on," said Riley, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
"When [LeBron James] left, we just cleaned the table. It's time to move on. It really had nothing to do with anything but we're just moving in another direction, in another way, and it was nothing punitive, there was nothing bad.
"I wish him nothing but the best. But we decided, in the long run, Josh McRoberts and Shawne [Williams], Chris [Bosh], Chris Andersen, Udonis [Haslem] and the guys we had there. I didn't want him to be put in the position of not playing, maybe."
The Heat get their season underway against the Washington Wizards on October 29.
Christopher Dodd
