National Basketball Association

Heat sign backup center Harrellson

Published Sep. 18, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

The Miami Heat signed center Josh Harrellson on Monday.

The 6-foot-10, 275-pound Harrellson played 37 games as a rookie for the New York Knicks last season, averaging 4.4 points and 3.9 rebounds. He had a season-high 18 points against Charlotte on April 26, and a 14-point, 12-rebound effort against Sacramento on Dec. 31.

He also played in all five games of the Knicks' first-round series playoff loss to the Heat, scoring 10 points and grabbing eight rebounds in just less than 25 minutes during that series.

Harrellson appeared in 94 games over three college seasons at Kentucky, averaging 4.7 points and 4.7 rebounds.

The Heat have 18 players under contract for training camp, which opens with the first practice Sept. 29.