Tag Archive for: Miami Heat

Goran Dragic, to no one’s surprise, opts in

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Point Guard Goran Dragic has informed the Heat of his decision to pick up his player option for the 2019-20 season.

The final year on Dragic’s contract is worth $19.2 million.

It was widely expected that Dragic would indeed opt in to the final year of his lucrative 2019-20 salary. What was much less expected is the timing related to the decision. 

Upon formally opting in, Dragic is now eligible to be traded. This is particularly interesting when you factor in the 2019 NBA draft being one week away. 

The NBA draft is typically accompanied by a flurry of trade activity and this decision by Dragic drastically increases the chances he could be dealt prior to next season. 

Dragic is still a useful veteran point guard on an expiring contract.

He will have interested trade suitors.

Have the Heat presented Dragic with trade scenarios that would require him to opt in but also give Dragic say in where he lands? Or did Dragic opt in because the Heat assured him he wasn’t on the trade block? And what does this mean for Justise Winslow, who showed promise as a point guard option, even if the Heat keep touting his versatility instead?

Plenty of questions remain as we prepare for next Thursday’s draft and free agency in July. 

Warriors look like end of the Big 3 Heat

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All the signs were similar Friday night.

Not closing out on rotations. Hands on hips. Looking lost. Looking spent.

As the storyline shifts to whether a superstar leaves this summer.

The 2018-19 Warriors have become the 2013-14 Heat.

Now, some will — and did — point to the absence of Kevin Durant as the real reason why the Warriors have fallen behind 3-1 to Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors. Naturally, that’s a huge component, though the Warriors were nearly unbeatable this season when Steph Curry and Klay Thompson played, and Durant didn’t. There seems to be something else at play here. Teams get tired of each other. But they also just get tired. Tired of all the extra games. Tired of all the roster attrition. Tired of all the media. Tired of all the expectations.

Remember what Dwyane Wade told me after the 2013-14 season?

“Last year wasn’t fun.”

Here was that story: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2217199-the-exclusive-d-wade-qa-on-why-last-year-wasnt-fun-and-life-after-lebron

It wasn’t fun for anyone. Not the players. Not the coach (seen here in one of the grainy photos I took on that final night in 2014 in San Antonio.)

And now, here we are again.

And it’s Kawhi — and to a much lesser degree, Danny Green — again.

A much hungrier team.

A much seemingly happier team.

And the likely end of a mini-dynasty.

Our own Ricky Marc had an astute observation:

Could Miami Heat make a play at Anthony Davis?

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Any time there’s a prominent player ready to move, you’ll hear the Miami Heat mentioned.

This is still a desired destination, even if the Heat’s disastrous summers of 2016 and 2017 have prevented Miami from being in position to receive anyone. Pat Riley said, during his end-of-season presser that he was essentially waiting on a star to force his way here — which means then telling GM Andy Elisburg to make the damn numbers work.

Could they work for Anthony Davis?

Davis is the prototypical Riley target, like Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Hardaway and so many others after. He is disgruntled. He wants out, even apparently after the Pelicans lucked into position to draft Zion Williamson to play with him. And he has something to prove, after never lifting his team to a conference finals.

Then, today, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders put Davis on a list of teams in the hunt for the former Kentucky star.

How does this happen?

Well, the Heat would have to gut the roster. All the talk of pivoting to the Kids. Yeah, that wouldn’t be happening. At least 2 would have to go, most likely, plus contracts to make the money work.

Would it be worth it?

I posed that question, and most say yes.

It’s roughly a 2-to-1 margin.

And this makes sense.

Waiting is not the Heat way.

You have Caron and Lamar, you flip them for Shaq.

Get the star. Sort the rest out.

I love Bam Adebayo’s potential and personality.

But this is an impatient fan base at this stage, and that matters.

Davis makes the Heat relevant again, immediately. He rarely stays healthy, but maybe would here in the Heat’s conditioning program. He’s not known as a problem guy. He has every skill imaginable.

Please, for the sake of interest in our network, make it happen, Pat. It’s your parting gift to South Florida, before you retreat to Malibu.

Playful Kids — Bam, DJJ — want to take Heat into future

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As we wait to see what the Heat will do with the 13th pick in the draft — and we say they take a risk rather than play safe — the Heat’s existing core of young players seems eager for more responsibility.

Justise Winslow has made it repeatedly clear he wants to be one of the new faces, if not the face, of the team.

And yesterday, close friends Bam Adebayo and Derrick Jones Jr. appears at a new Learn & Play Center at Jose Marti Park and expressed similar sentiments.

The great thing about this group is all have likable personalities. That’s a start. Now the question is how much they can grow, to fill a little of the void Dwyane Wade has left.

One of our Miami Heat Beat podcasters, Alex Toledo, was there, and posted the highlights on Twitter.

Here’s his string:

 

 

 

Justise Winslow

Justise Not Served? Heat Linked to Point Guards

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The Heat don’t have a starting forward on their roster.

Not one.

Yes, Kelly Olynyk can play power forward, but he’s really best at center, where the Heat have Hassan Whiteside (who is likely not opting out) and Bam Adebayo (who needs to start).

Yes, Derrick Jones, Jr., played both forward spots last season, and he’s improving rapidly, but he’s not quite at the level where he would start for most teams either.

Yes, James Johnson is paid a lot. But, well, you know.

They do appear to have two starting quality point guards, however, and yet, oddly, they keep getting linked to any and every point who may be available. That’s with Goran Dragic likely to opt in for the final season of his contract — and with Justise Winslow showing last season that it is by far his best position.

So what’s happening here?

Both Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra made a point, during their end-of-season press conferences, to spotlight Winslow’s versatility. That was a telling, and somewhat troubling, sign. What is it going to take for them to see that Winslow is not suited to be a smallball power forward or a stand-in-the-corner wing as much as he is equipped to be someone with the ball in his hands, making plays for himself and others? That he feeds off that responsibility, gains confidence, and plays better?

My belief was the Heat should have taken that approach with their postseason talks. Tell Winslow and the world that he can be the guy there if he enhances certain aspects of his game. He’s a hard worker, and has already made great strides as a finisher and as a range shooter. Now get him running thousands of pick-and-rolls all summer long.

Maybe the Heat are.

And maybe they plan to deal Dragic, to clear more time for Winslow at the spot.

But why then are we hearing all of this, and is it just coming from the other side?

And this:

OK, that one was Brian Scalabrine, and apparently it was prior to Winslow’s point guard emergence.

That was our own Greg Sylvander (@Lefty_Leif) who reported that one.

And, finally, there’s this rumor, which has the most credibility, because the Heat have loved this player for a long, long time:

OK, now, the Conley thing makes some sense.

I’ve always been a fan as well.

One thing that isn’t well known is how much respect Dwyane Wade and Conley have for each other, and clearly Wade still holds some sway around these parts.

Here was Conley when I asked him at NBA All-Star Weekend about swapping jerseys earlier in the season:

He’s Heat Culture, through and through. Selfless. Determined. Consistent.

But again, would his arrival mean the departure of Dragic, the departure of Winslow or the shifting of Winslow to a position where he is not as naturally comfortable?

 

 

 

Don’t bet on Heat getting opt out help

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With the exception of the surprising return of Dwyane Wade — once from the icy depths of Cleveland and once from the brink of retirement — nothing Heat fans have hoped for has happened of late.

The Jimmy Butler deal? Nah.

A big move at the 2018 trade deadline? Nope.

Getting in the playoffs or getting higher in the lottery standings? Uh uh. Miami ended up in the worst possible in between position.

Benefiting from some lottery luck? Course not.

So the latest hope trafficking — sorry @Lefty_Leif of Miami Heat Beat for stealing the reference — has concerned the chance that Hassan Whiteside ($27 million) and Goran Dragic ($19.2 million) could opt out of the last season of their contracts and free up cap space for the Heat go get a star.

That, essentially, two players who were benched for parts of this season (Dragic after an injury and Whiteside because of the ascension of Bam Adebayo) would help the Heat out of its mess. 

This notion resurfaced this week from the nether regions of Twitter, and started to make the rounds. Even I have made the case that Dragic could consider this, since he’s 32 years old and his family loves Miami — so maybe he would be open to opting out to take a team-friendly 3-year deal that gives him a little more security.

But after poking around some Wednesday, and connecting with someone very close to one of the two players, and with a knowledge of the Heat’s situation, I’m not going to sell this line to any Heat fans anymore. It just doesn’t appear to be in the cards. That source said there was “zero chance” that Dragic or Whiteside would opt out.

“Believe me.”

I’m gonna believe that.

And so should you.

Miami Heat pre-draft tracker

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Welcome, welcome, welcome to the official Miami Heat Beat pre-draft tracker. This story will be updated as new information becomes available on draft prospects the Miami Heat have conducted pre-draft workouts AND/OR interviews with.

Follow along as we keep tabs on who Miami might take at No. 13 on June 20 at the 2019 NBA Draft in New York.

Draft Chatter

Update (5/29): “The Heat has told people it wants to find athletic wing players who can shoot and defend, ideally in the 6-foot-6 range. But at No. 13, Miami would take a power rotation player if one is clearly ranked ahead of a wing, even though a wing is the preference,” according to Barry Jackson, Miami Herald.

Confirmed Player Meetings with the Heat:

• Bruno Fernando | Center, Maryland (first reported by David Wilson, Miami Herald)

• Naz Reid | Big, LSU (first reported by David Wilson, Miami Herald)

• Carsen Edwards | Point Guard, Purdue (first reported by David Wilson, Miami Herald)

• Ignas Brazdeikis | Forward, Michigan (first reported by David Wilson, Miami Herald)

• Grant Williams | Forward, Tennessee (first reported by David Wilson, Miami Herald)

• Terance Mann | Forward, Florida State (first reported by Ben Stinar, Amico Hoops)

• Ky Bowman | Guard, Boston College (first reported by Greg Sylvander, Miami Heat Beat)

Note: Above prospects are considered mid-to-late-first and second-round projections.

Confirmed Individual Player Workouts to be Hosted at Heat Facility in June:

• Brandon Clarke | Big, Gonzaga (first reported by Ira Winderman, Sun-Sentinel)

• Tyler Herro | Guard, Kentucky (first reported by John Alfes, Amico Hoops)

• Matt Mooney | Guard, Texas Tech (first reported by ESPN 99.1 FM in Sioux Falls, confirmed by Greg Sylvander, Miami Heat Beat)

• Kevin Porter Jr. | Guard, USC (first reported by Barry Jackson, Miami Herald)

• P.J. Washington | Forward, Kentucky (first reported by Barry Jackson, Miami Herald)

• Dewan Hernandez | Forward, Miami (first reported by Barry Jackson, Miami Herald)

• Kyle Allman | Guard, Cal State Fullerton (first reported by Harrison Faigen, SB Nation)

Pro Day Attendance (Agent Organized Workouts):

Priority Sports — Pro Day in Chicago, May 24 (per Chris Kouffman, Five Reasons Sports, and Barry Jackson, Miami Herald):

Miami Heat officials in attendance: Pat Riley, Nick Arison, and Chet Kammerer

• Brandon Clarke | Forward, Gonzaga

• Bruno Fernando | Center, Maryland

• Isaiah Roby | Forward, Nebraska

• Dylan Windler | Forward, Belmont

• Carsen Edwards | Guard, Purdue

• Admiral Schofield | Guard, Tennessee

• Ty Jerome | Guard, Virginia

• Ethan Happ | Forward, Wisconsin

• Max Strus | Guard, DePaul


Impact Basketball — Pro Day in Las Vegas, May 27 (per Brian Goins, Miami Heat Beat):

Miami Heat officials in attendance: Andy Elisburg and Adam Simon

• Nassir Little | Forward, North Carolina

• Mamadi Diakite | Big, Virginia

• Ky Bowman | Guard, Boston College

• Terence Davis | Guard, Ole Miss

• Zach Norvell | Guard, Gonzaga

• Ignas Brazdeikis | Forward, Michigan

• Charles Matthews | Guard, Michigan

• Miye Oni | Guard, Yale

Wasserman Agency — Pro Day in Santa Monica, May 28 (per Greg Sylvander, Miami Heat Beat):

• Rui Hachimura | Forward, Gonzaga

• Nickeil Alexander-Walker | Guard, Virginia Tech

• De’Andre Hunter | Forward, Virginia

Klutch Sports — Pro Day in Los Angeles, May 28 (per Jonathan Givony, Draft Express):

Miami Heat officials in attendance: Erik Spoelstra and Pat Riley

• Darius Bazley | Forward, Princeton High School

• Donta Hall | Forward, Alabama

• Talen Horton-Tucker | Guard, Iowa State

Roc Nation Sports — Pro Day at Mamba Sports Academy in Los Angeles, May 28 (per Jonathan Givony, Draft Express):

Miami Heat officials in attendance: Erik Spoelstra, Pat Riley, and Adam Simon

• Kevin Porter Jr. | Guard, USC

• Zylan Cheatham | Forward, Arizona State

Notables

• Cam Reddish | Forward, Duke

• Kevin Porter Jr. | Guard, USC

Note: Both were slated to meet with the Heat at the combine, but did not, according to the Sun-Sentinel’s Ira Winderman.

• Nassir Little | Forward, North Carolina

• Romeo Langford | Guard, Indiana

Note: Both confirmed they did not meet with the Heat at the combine, as well, according to the Miami Herald’s David Wilson.

• DaQuan Jeffries | Forward, Tulsa

Note: Jeffries was invited for an individual workout, but a minor hip injury prevented it from taking place, according to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson.

Voting (just Wade) shows how far Heat are from star

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Not as if we need a reminder.

But, the past few years, since the breakup of the Big 3, the Miami Heat have been nowhere near most NBA honors, whether All-Star Weekend of after the season.

That’s more true this season than ever.

Forty different players received at least one vote for one of the three All-NBA teams.

One Miami Heat player received one second place vote.

That, naturally, was Dwyane Wade, which was no doubt a sentimental selection — and may have been by one of the friendly local reporters.

Some teams with worse records, such as Washington and Dallas and Memphis, got more love from voters, and rightly so. You can make arguments for Brad Beal or Luka Doncic or Mike Conley. You couldn’t make an argument for anyone on the Heat, not if you had six All-NBA teams of five players each.

So that’s why you should take every rumor seriously. Brian Scalabrine says the Heat went for Washington’s John Wall, even with his awful contract, before he got hurt again? Sure. The White Mamba might know something. Conley, a long-time favorite of Wade’s, is in the Heat’s sights, according to some reports? Makes sense too.

The Heat may have a star-in-training on their roster. We just don’t know what Bam Adebayo in particular can become, once Hassan Whiteside is cleared out, and perhaps there are two more levels to which Justise Winslow can jump.

But for now, this is a star-less team in a star-less town.

And if you ever forget that, another face slap will come.

Official: Juwan Howard takes Michigan job

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To no one’s surprise — if you were following Miami Heat Beat and Five Reasons sports — Juwan Howard is leaving the Miami Heat to take the head coaching job at his alma mater, the University of Michigan.

(And we put out an emergency podcast with Greg Sylvander of Miami Heat Beat about it. Click THIS.)

 

It’s a bigger story there than here (you should see my phone with all the calls from Ann Arbor) but it is still a significant loss to the Heat staff. As noted in various articles on this site, Howard assumed the role of chief player-coach communicator following the departure of David Fizdale.

The Heat have a quality staff still, but no one with Howard’s playing pedigree and personal touch with top players. Howard was also working closely with the Heat’s bigs, including Bam Adebayo, who needs to take a major step for the Heat to get out of the NBA’s dead middle.

We will have more later — but for now, some of the top tweets.

And what’s next?

This is what we’ve heard.

The Heat’s Big 3 stars want Juwan Howard at Michigan

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By now, you’ve probably seen the Miami Heat Beat/Five Reasons Sports Network report that Juwan Howard is expected to be offered, and accept, the head coaching job at the University of Michigan.

If not, here it is.

While some in the media and Twittersphere are discrediting it, two people who are not?

His former Big 3 teammates, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

Wade saw the aggregation of our report on Bleacher Report, and James saw Wade’s tweet.

And not surprisingly, both are in favor — as would be Chris Bosh, who was very close to Howard when they played together with the Heat, their families spending a lot of time together. The Heat continued to call Howard “17” even after he was playing — sparingly, like Udonis Haslem now — into his 19th season. It’s like he never aged. Also, both James and Wade have been big proponents of black coaching prospects getting more opportunities, and backed former Heat assistant Fizdale, who filled the communicator role on the Heat staff prior to Howard.

Now we see when it’s confirmed.

And then LeBron…

It makes you wonder if James wanted Howard to coach the Lakers rather than Frank Vogel.