Tre Kelley plans to take advantage of what could be his last shot at the NBA, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. The 30-year-old point guard received an invitation to Miami’s training camp last month and is now playing for the team’s D-League affiliate in Sioux Falls. Kelley said he wants to prove he can run the Heat’s system, which could create an opportunity if Mario Chalmers gets traded to ease the luxury tax burden. “I want to build upon what I did in Miami and work hard every single day,” Kelley told Skyforce broadcaster Dan Peters of KSOO. “I have an important role of being this team’s leader as point guard. That’s all going to help.” Kelley was undrafted out of South Carolina in 2007 and has played overseas and in the D-League while trying to make an NBA roster.
There’s more news out of Miami:
- Gerald Green has been released from the hospital after an incident earlier this week, tweets Will Manso of television station WPLG in Miami. Green entered the facility Wednesday after a reported confrontation at his address involving a “combative patient.” Manso said the Heat confirmed the veteran swingman is safe and doing better.
- The Heat are being guarded in what they release about Green or the incident, Winderman writes in a separate story. The team’s last public comment came Thursday from coach Erik Spoelstra, who said, “We’re grateful that he’s safe and he’s healthy right now. And our thoughts are with him and his family.” Green signed with the Heat in July, receiving a veteran’s minimum contract for one season.
- Signing a new $20MM contract wasn’t Dwyane Wade‘s only major move of the offseason, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Wade also switched trainers — going from Tim Grover to Dave Alexander — in hopes of cutting down on missed games. Wade has sat out 17, 13, 28 and 20 games over the past four seasons. “It challenged my body in a different way since I’ve been coming off injuries, since I’m older,” Wade said. “We did a lot of power and explosion work. I got fit. Got lean. I came in the same weight as last year [but] I feel better than I’ve felt in the previous three years.”
Wade is definitely looking like he is moving a lot better. He has more explosiveness. He looks a lot like he did before LeBron was here/his first season down here. A lot of people tend to forget that wade didn’t have knee issues last year. Hopefully, he can remain healthy b/c he is really fun to watch right now. His athleticism is definitely better than it has been, and he is still able to utilize the other parts of his game.