Heidi Watney Will Not Be a Sideline Reporter For the Lakers and She Has Left Time Warner Cable Sportsnet, the Network Announced

Heidi Watney will not be a sideline reporter for the Lakers on Time Warner Cable Sportsnet this season, the network announced Wednesday night. She has left the network. Watney was hired by TWC last November and it was widely reported at the time she would be covering the team. We reported in August there were rumors Watney had been fired by the network. Here’s the TWC statement on parting ways with Watney:

"“Heidi Watney and Time Warner Cable Sports have reached an agreement that allows Heidi to leave the organization to pursue other opportunities. Both parties entered into their original agreement some months ago with the best of intentions, but as Time Warner Cable Sports has evolved toward its official launch, the talent needs of the network have been altered. Heidi and Time Warner Cable Sports have parted on good terms. Heidi is extremely talented and TWC Sports expects that she will have great success in her next role and throughout her entire career. We wish her well in her future endeavors.”"

TWC cable put out a press release announcing that James Worthy, Chris McGee, Dave Miller and Mike Trudell were joining the network’s on-air team. Worthy will be the main studio analyst for Laker games and Trudell would serve as the Lakers’ sideline reporter.

Watney, who worked at NESN in Boston for years covering the Red Sox, was most recently spotted in Bristol interviewing for the First Take job. Cari Champion ended up with the hosting gig.

* Nice job by Tom Hoffarth to say, “Heidi Watney, as reported earlier, was hired but then unhired.” Reported earlier by whom, Tom? Your readers were probably perplexed. He’s probably still chapped at this.