Penny Hardaway is officially back in the NBA, after the Miami Heat placed him on their season-opening roster Monday.The Heat released guards Jeremy Richardson and Brian Chase, along with forwards Marcus Slaughter and Devin Green to reach the league-mandated 15-man limit.Hardaway signed a nonguaranteed contract this summer after a strong tryout. He hasn’t played in a regular-season game in nearly two years because of knee problems and has been limited for several seasons by an array of injuries.The Heat will enter the season with five centers. Shaquille O’Neal, Alonzo Mourning and Mark Blount were set, and coach Pat Riley decided to keepEarl Barron for a third season and undrafted rookie Joel Anthony.The guards on the roster are Dwyane Wade, Jason Williams, Smush Parker, Ricky Davis, rookie Daequan Cook and Chris Quinn. Forwards making the team are Hardaway, Udonis Haslem, Dorell Wright andAlexander Johnson, and Blount will likely be used at power forward as well.Miami opens Thursday night against the Detroit Pistons.

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