MIAMI -- Rashard Lewis fell short of his goal the first time free agency offered a chance to try and win a ring.
"When I left Seattle after nine years and signed with Orlando, my goal was to find a place where I had the best chance to win an NBA championship," Lewis said of his 2007 signing with the Magic. "Looking at Dwight Howard and the dominant big man he was, I decided to play with Orlando."
Lewis enjoyed success in his three-plus seasons with Orlando. There were two trips to the Eastern Conference finals and an appearance in the 2009 NBA Finals, which the Magic lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games.
"We almost won that championship, we came real close, we just didn't finish it off," Lewis said. "That's what you chase in your career, to win a championship. That would put you in elite company."
Lewis again saw an opportunity to finally grab a ring when he was a free agent before last season. This time, his search paid off.
The 6-foot-10 forward signed with the Miami Heat, who went on to repeat as NBA champions.
While most of the Heat players and staff were receiving a second ring in two years, veterans Lewis and Chris Andersen were newbies at this season's opening night ceremony.
"The best moment was walking out there when your name is called and (Commissioner) David Stern is shaking your hand and saying, 'Congratulations,'" he said. "When he hands you the box with the ring, all you see are the diamonds with 'Heat' on top of it."
Heat coaches and players were happy to see Lewis, 34, get his ring.
"Rashard had been close with Orlando, despite many years in this league and he played for many good teams," head coach Erik Spoelstra said, "and then for him to embrace our organization, our culture and his role last year, which at times was not easy.
"But then to see the pure joy in him receiving that ring and being able to enjoy that night was a cool moment to see."
Lewis wants people to know how thankful he is for the new jewelry.
"I wear it to the games and big events," he said. "I think for at least the first year, I'll have it on my finger a lot.
"I'm still excited about it, and I want to show it off a little bit."
Same goes for Lewis' wife. The Heat also gave rings to the players' significant others, and Giovanni Lewis likes to wear hers. "A first-class organization," said Lewis, who appears destined to play a bigger role this season as the Heat try to win more bling.
Largely due to being healthier and better conditioned than a year ago, Lewis has played in 14 of 15 games this season -- he got his first start Wednesday night at Cleveland -- after getting in 55 games last season.
"His role can be deceiving, because he's the perfect example of a guy, if he was in another place, would have a bigger role," Spoelstra said. "I can't find him enough minutes.
"But he's willing to do whatever to be part of a team like this because he knows the pain of being on a team on that's not contending but also the pain of a team that went all the way and didn't have a chance to go over the top."
Lewis, who was drafted by Seattle out of high school, has his eye on another ring ceremony in 2014.
"First of all, it's an unbelievable feeling winning that first one -- it's very difficult to win it," he said. "Winning another would really cap it off.
"If we win again, I'd put this ring away and wear that one next year."
Charlie McCarthy can be reached at mac1763@bellsouth.net or on Twitter @mccarthy_chas.
