James Posey decided Friday to exercise his $6.4 million option to stay with the Heat next season, electing not to become a free agent. He and the Heat will likely talk about a longer-term deal in the coming weeks, but for now, Posey simply wanted to ensure he'd be back for the 2006-07 campaign.

"He won a championship and really enjoyed every moment of the experience in Miami," said Posey's agent, Mark Bartelstein. "It's a place he wants to be. We kind of went back and forth about testing the market, but he'll be a free agent next year in the prime of his career. He couldn't lose either way."