The Heat have reached out to Tony Wroten and Dorell Wright, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, who cautions that the team was merely performing due diligence with both and hasn’t made any offers. Wroten became a free agent last month after the Sixers waived him while Wright is playing in China and won’t become available until at least next month. Several other teams have greater interest in Wright than the Heat do, Jackson adds.
Miami already has 15 players, but the team is eligible to apply for clearance to add a 16th player via the hardship exception because Josh McRoberts, Goran Dragic, Chris Andersen and Beno Udrih have all missed the past three games, as salary cap expert Albert Nahmad points out (on Twitter). However, Dragic and Udrih have talked about the possibility of playing Friday, notes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel, and the NBA wouldn’t grant the hardship if their injuries aren’t expected to linger (Twitter link).
The Knicks reportedly have interest in Wroten, too, though it’s unclear if that interest in much stronger than Miami’s. It appears Wroten would be unlikely to go to New York anyway, preferring a destination that would better suit a long-term stay.
Wright had talks with the Heat this summer before he signed to play in China, Jackson reported then. The 30-year-old who spent his first six seasons in the NBA with the Heat is averaging 21.2 points in 29.5 minutes per game across 30 appearances for Beijing after having spent the past two years with the Trail Blazers.