Heat Rumors

Heat Notes: Lineups, Rozier, Robinson, Herro, Tax, Defense

November 21st, 2024 at 7:44pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Injuries have forced the Heat to switch up their starting lineup in recent weeks, but it may have been time for a change anyways, as Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald observes that Miami’s season-opening lineup has the worst net rating of any group that has played at least 90 minutes together this season.

The Heat moved Nikola Jovic to the bench earlier this month and Terry Rozier missed Monday’s game against the Sixers due to a foot injury. That prompted coach Erik Spoelstra to start Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, Haywood Highsmith and Bam Adebayo, a lineup that holds some serious intrigue for continued use, Chiang writes.

“If you look at the core four and then you add [Highsmith] — he’s been with us since the post-COVID year — those are our most experienced guys in our program,” Spoelstra said. “So they understand exactly what we’re trying to get to. Even though we’ve made some adjustments, they know what our core tenets are.”

While those five players have been playing together for several seasons, that specific lineup had only played two minutes this season until Monday. They didn’t play together at all last year, as several members of Miami’s core dealt with injuries. Despite not having much time on the court together, being around each other during the offseason and practices over the years adds up.

“I mean, there’s a lot of continuity there,” Robinson said. “I guess you say we’ve only played together for [a few] minutes. But I’ve logged a lot of hours with JB, I’ve logged a lot of hours with Bam, H, Tyler. We’ve just been on the court a bunch together — practice, games, walkthroughs, everything. So there’s a lot of familiarity there, regardless of the fact that we’ve only played [a few minutes together]. It doesn’t mean that we don’t have that continuity and that connection.”

The Heat may replace Robinson with Rozier when the latter returns from injury but – pending the results of more time spent on the court for this group – they could also opt to move Rozier to the bench. Miami traded a first round pick and Kyle Lowry for Rozier last season.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

The two-man duo of Herro and Robinson has been one of the more impressive units for Miami, Chiang writes in the same piece. Herro is shooting 45.2% from three on 9.7 attempts per game while Robinson is shooting 36.6% on 6.8 attempts. Lineups featuring the duo boast an offensive rating of 124.3, which would rank first in the NBA. “I think at this point, they both understand how they can confuse defenses and they’re finding a sense of joy in playing off each other,” Spoelstra said. “… I think they’ve really embraced that. They’ve both grown with their skill set, both grown with their ability to do it as a screener or as a ball-handler or just moving constantly.” Robinson holds an early termination option worth $19.89MM after this season while Herro is under contract for two more seasons after this one.
The Heat are on track to pay $26.9MM in tax penalties if they don’t trim their payroll before the end of the season, Chiang writes in a separate story. Eric Woolworth, the president of business operations for Miami, recently offered thoughts on the team’s situation on Chris O’Gorman’s “Questions for Cancer Research” podcast (YouTube link). “Nobody wants to pay a luxury tax,” Woolworth said. “Increasingly, it’s super punitive. … Certain teams never pay the tax; they just won’t. I respect that. It’s harder to win if you have that mentality, but I understand either because of market size or philosophy. There are certain teams who don’t seem to mind paying it and are consistently above the tax level and some of those teams have won a lot. And there are teams like us who are sort of opportunistic. … It’s a strategic strike kind of mentality and that’s the way we’ve approached it, and pretty successfully, with three championships and seven Finals appearances. If that’s what it takes to win at any given time, we will go for it. If we can get out [of the tax] and still compete for championships, that’s even better.” Chiang’s sources indicate the Heat are open to making trades at or before the deadline if they can improve the roster.
Alec Burks, Kevin Love and Dru Smith have been among the players leading the charge for Miami’s defensive improvement in the early part of the season, James Jackson of The Athletic writes. Smith, on a two-way deal, has played strong defense without fouling, while Love’s rebounding has helped the Heat improve in that category.

Injury Notes: Nets, Knicks, Spurs, Heat, Rollins

November 21st, 2024 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Nets center Nic Claxton has returned to practice and will be listed as questionable to play on Friday in Philadelphia, the team announced today (Twitter link via Michael Scotto of HoopsHype).

Claxton has missed the past three games due to a back strain. The club announced last Friday that he would miss at least a week, but it sounds like he might not be out any longer than that.

Another injured Nets center is also inching closer to a return. According to the club, Day’Ron Sharpe has begun one-on-one workouts with coaches and the plan is for him to be integrated into team activities within the next seven-to-10 days. Sharpe has been on the shelf since training camp due to a left hamstring strain.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau provided some injury updates on Wednesday ahead of a victory over Phoenix, as Stefan Bondy of The New York Post relays. Precious Achiuwa (hamstring) is expected to be cleared to practice during the team’s current five-game road trip, while Mitchell Robinson (ankle) has started shooting but hasn’t yet been cleared to practice or run. Bondy says Robinson is more likely to return sometime in the new year than in December and adds that Miles McBride (knee) is considered “a true day-to-day” and could return as early as Saturday in Utah.
Victor Wembanyama (right knee contusion) and Devin Vassell (left knee soreness) will each miss a third consecutive game on Thursday when the Spurs take on Utah, but the team considers both players day-to-day and doesn’t view either issue as serious, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “I don’t feel like it will be too extended of a time,” acting head coach Mitch Johnson said. “Minor stuff. … Both of them want to be out there very badly.”
Jaime Jaquez (ankle), Terry Rozier (foot), and Josh Richardson (heel) didn’t participate in the Heat‘s practice on Thursday, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Rozier underwent an MRI on his sore right foot, which has been an issue throughout the season and caused him to miss Monday’s game vs. Philadelphia, but that MRI came back clean and he’s aiming to return to action on Sunday vs. Dallas, according to Winderman and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter links).
The Bucks are now listing Ryan Rollins‘ injury as a “left shoulder dislocation” rather than “left shoulder instability,” but head coach Doc Rivers expects the two-way guard to try to rehab the injury and play through it rather than undergoing surgery, as Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets. “I’m able to do things on it. So it’s kind of one of those decisions like, are you willing to endure some of the pain of it. Pain tolerance, honestly,” Rollins said, per Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “Are you willing to play through it? Is it important enough for you to play at this moment? A bunch of variables went in to it. I feel like I’m good enough to play though for right now.”

Southeast Notes: Wizards Losing Streak, Johnson, Carter Jr., Butler

November 19th, 2024 at 9:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Wizards have lost eight straight and their last two outings were particularly ugly. They were blown out by Detroit and New York by a combined 48 points. Head coach Brian Keefe took ownership for the poor performances.

“I’m the leader of this team. I’m the head coach of this team,” Keefe said, per Varun Shankar of the Washington Post. “So I’ll take the responsibility for the last two nights, not playing up to the competitive disposition that we should be playing with, especially defensively. That will be addressed as a group, and we will get better. But that wasn’t … what our standards were, and we have to own that and we have to look at ourselves and we have to get better.”

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Hawks forward Jalen Johnson is listed as questionable to play against Golden State on Wednesday due to left lateral lower leg inflammation, Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal Constitution tweets. Johnson missed the Hawks’ win at Sacramento on Monday. He’s averaging 19.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game this season after signing a five-year, $150MM extension prior to the season.
Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. has been upgraded to questionable for the team’s road game against the Clippers on Wednesday, beat reporter Dan Savage tweets. Carter, who signed a three-year extension last month, hasn’t played since Nov. 3 due to left foot plantar fasciitis.
Heat forward Jimmy Butler missed four consecutive games due to a sprained right ankle. He was dominant in his return against Philadelphia on Monday, pouring in 30 points while adding 10 rebounds and five assists, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. “We know what the expectation is when he’s healthy,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “… He really set the tone by imposing his physical will on the game.” Staying on the court has been the issue for Butler. He has missed 20 or more regular-season games in three of the last four seasons, which is why the front office showed reluctance during the offseason to discuss a maximum-salary extension with him.

Heat Notes: Martin, Butler, Rozier, Jaquez, Ware

November 18th, 2024 at 1:52pm CST by Rory Maher

Sixers forward Caleb Martin said his return to Miami has been “bittersweet, for sure,” per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Martin has been in Miami since the weekend as the 76ers had a couple days off before facing Miami on Monday. The 29-year-old spent the past three seasons with the Heat before signing a four-year, $35MM+ deal with Philadelphia as a free agent over the offseason.

“Obviously, I had a lot of great memories here, unforgettable memories,” Martin said. “I still got lifelong relationships that I still have with guys. This is my second home.”

As Chiang writes, Martin confirmed previous reporting that he declined an extension offer from Miami that was contingent upon him picking up his 2024/25 player option worth $7.1MM. Martin would have received an additional $58MM over four years on top of that option, putting the total value at $65MM over five years.

The tricky part was the timing — Martin had to make a decision on picking up his option by June 29, the day before free agents could negotiate with rival teams. His representation thought he could get more money in free agency, which didn’t materialize. But he doesn’t fault his agent for how things played out.

“Nobody has a crystal ball,” Martin said. “At the end of the day, nothing gets approved without me giving the OK, ultimately. That’s stuff that you live and you learn. Obviously, it hurts because of all the memories and everything that comes with this and there’s obviously money left on the table. But I think there are also other aspects of the decision and how things shook out that was a good thing, and that I might have had to move on.”

Martin, who was undrafted in 2019 and was released by Charlotte before catching on with the Heat on a two-way deal three years ago, said he tries to keep things in perspective, since he still signed the most lucrative contract of his career.

“I’m very fortunate to be where I’m at and still have another guaranteed four years in this league, which is hard,” said Martin. “Coming from where I come from, if you would have told me I had a guaranteed nine years in the league, I would have never believed you. Regardless, I’m blessed. I’m very blessed to still be competing at a high level.

“I do feel like I’m in a very good spot. I feel like I would have been in a good place regardless. I would have loved to have come back and made that work, as well. It’s nothing personal against [the Heat]. I have nothing but love for them.”

Here are a few more notes from Miami:

Star forward Jimmy Butler will return to action on Monday after missing the past four games with a right ankle sprain, the team announced (via Twitter). Butler, 35, could be a free agent in 2025 if he declines his $52.4MM player option for next season. If you count the game he was injured (he played fewer than seven minutes), the Heat went 2-3 in Butler’s absence.
While it’s obviously welcome news that Butler will be back tonight, the Heat will be without two rotation regulars in Terry Rozier (right foot discomfort) and Jaime Jaquez, according to the the team. As Chiang of The Miami Herald writes, Jaquez suffered a right ankle sprain at the end of the third quarter in Sunday’s loss to Indiana. The second-year forward had an X-ray, which came back negative. “That’s one of the craziest ones,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said of Jaquez’s injury. “He just happened to be backpedaling back and stepped on (T.J.) McConnell’s foot. He says he’s fine. There’s no way to know with sprained ankles. We’ll find out when we get back to Miami.”
First-round pick Kel’el Ware hasn’t gotten many opportunities for playing time to this point in his rookie season, but he’s embracing the team’s development plan and is trying to soak up as much knowledge as he can, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. “I really like the way he’s developed,” Spoelstra said. “He’s embraced us and the structure. He’s responded well to it. He’s already responded very well in the weight room, gotten a lot stronger and then he’s just been diligent, working. Is it going to be perfect? You know, no. He still has a lot of things to learn and figure out where he can be most effective in his role. But if he continues to stack days with intention the way he has been, he’s going to improve very quickly.”

Florida Notes: Highsmith, Rozier, Magic, Carter

November 17th, 2024 at 4:04pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Heat forward Haywood Highsmith is embracing his role as a utility player for Miami, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.

Highsmith has been elevated in the club’s hierarchy thanks in part to the free agent exit of now-Sixers wing Caleb Martin this summer. After Martin’s departure, the Heat pivoted to re-signing their other top free agent, Highsmith, on a two-year, $10.8MM deal.

“I can’t say enough about H,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said. “But the tough thing about this league is you have somebody like H, who has really played at an exceptionally high level in that role as a defender, as an impact role player that fills in all the intangibles for your team. But if he’s not scoring big numbers, nobody is really going to pay attention, nobody is going to notice, nobody is going to write articles about him.”

Playing mostly off the Heat’s bench, the 6’7″ swingman is averaging a career-high 8.6 points on .625/.417/.636 shooting splits, along with 3.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals per night.

There’s more out of the Sunshine State:

Heat starting point guard Terry Rozier has struggled mightily thus far this season. Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun-Sentinel wonders if a transition to Miami’s bench would put him in a better position to be effective. The 30-year-old is averaging 13.3 points per game on .385/.358/.880 shooting splits, his lowest output since 2018/19.
Even without All-Star power forward Paolo Banchero, the Magic posted a 5-0 record during a recent homestand. Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel unpacks what went right during that undefeated run, singling out frontcourt standouts Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner, the club’s defense, and its ability to clean the glass.
Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley stated on Sunday that starting center Wendell Carter, who’s been out for the past seven games with left foot plantar fasciitis, continues to improve. “He’s doing better,” Mosley said after today’s practice, Beede reports (Twitter link). In his six healthy games this season, the 25-year-old is averaging 8.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 steals per bout.

Heat Notes: Adebayo, Butler, Herro, Spoelstra

November 16th, 2024 at 5:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

Heat center Bam Adebayo hopes Friday’s performance at Indiana marks the end of his season-long shooting slump, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Adebayo has been a model of consistency, shooting better than 50% from the field in each of his first seven NBA seasons. However, he was at just 40.7% through the first 10 games of this season, along with 21.7% from three-point range, while carrying the worst true shooting percentage among the 68 NBA players with at least 140 field-goal attempts.

Adebayo rediscovered his shooting stroke Friday night, going 10-of-17 from the field, 2-of-3 from beyond the arc and 8-of-9 on free throws. He finished with 30 points, along with 11 rebounds, seven assists and five steals.

“It’s a long season,” he said. ”But just staying with the preparation, staying with the work behind the scenes, not getting down on myself. Like I said before, it’s one of those things where it’s unnatural to see me shoot under 50% every night. So I just keep my same mentality. My teammates are behind me, my coaches are behind me, they know I’m going to make plays and tonight I did that.”

Despite Adebayo’s early offensive struggles, Chiang points out that he remains of the league’s top interior defenders, ranking eighth in defensive estimated plus/minus at +2.2. He’s also averaging three offensive rebounds, two steals and 1.3 blocks per game.

“This is a lesson to all young guys,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “You want to change the energy of the ball going in, you focus on all the other things and he was tremendous just in terms of winning basketball, imposing his will the last two games. It resulted in one win. But wow, was he a force of nature in both the Detroit game and the Minnesota game, just really focusing on defending, rebounding, creating triggers for us, rolling hard, offensive rebounding.”

There’s more on the Heat:

After missing the past three games with a sprained right ankle, Jimmy Butler has been upgraded to questionable for Sunday’s rematch at Indiana, Chiang adds. Butler has been traveling with the team on its current road trip and has been getting treatment on the ankle.
Adebayo, Butler and Tyler Herro need more time together to allow the Heat to determine if they can be the core of a successful team, contends Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. Adebayo’s slow start and Butler’s injury have prevented the front office from getting a clear picture of their effectiveness together.
Heat players were supportive of Spoelstra after he cost them a game this week in Detroit by calling a timeout that he didn’t have, sources tell Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Butler, who has occasionally clashed with Spoelstra during their six years together, was among the veteran coach’s most vocal supporters.

And-Ones: Trade Possibilities, Contract Decisions, Bell, Johnson, Rookies

November 14th, 2024 at 10:14pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Several should-be playoff contenders have struggled through the earlier parts of the season, either due to injuries or pieces not fitting together. While in-season moves don’t usually pick up until after the New Year, closer to February’s trade deadline, several teams appear to be scouring the market for help.

The Bucks are chief among those teams, stumbling out to a 4-8 record in the early part of the season. In an Insider-only piece, a group of ESPN writers agree that the Bucks’ most likely course of action is to see if their three-point shooting evens out. Milwaukee doesn’t have much flexibility, but players like Damian Lillard, Brook Lopez and Gary Trent Jr. are shooting below their typical averages. Waiting it out might be the best and only course of action for now, although Jamal Collier notes that they’ve expressed interest in a defensive wing.

The Heat have several questions about their future after not agreeing to an extension with Jimmy Butler. Butler’s ankle injury has complicated matters further, but Tim Bontemps writes that the Heat aren’t in any rush to make moves. They entered the season wanting to see how their team looked in the first half of the season, and according to Bontemps, that thought process hasn’t changed.

While New Orleans has the flexibility to make a trade, its season is hampered by numerous injuries. Michael C. Wright indicates that the Pelicans seem more likely to stand pat this season and not make major moves since they’ve never paid the luxury tax and don’t seem to be in any rush to do so with a team that sits at 3-9. Brandon Ingram could make some sense as a trade piece, since he was unable to agree to an extension with the Pels before the season, but his trade market would be limited given his unrestricted free agent status at the end of the year.

The Knicks and the Sixers haven’t jumped out to the starts they’ve wanted, but they appear likely to approach that situation in different ways. New York needs frontcourt help, but should get Precious Achiuwa and Mitchell Robinson back from injuries at some point this season. After trading for both Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, a major move doesn’t seem to be in the cards. However, the Sixers – who also need frontcourt size – could dangle KJ Martin‘s $8MM pseudo-expiring deal in any move. They’ve always been aggressive under president Daryl Morey, and that’s not likely to change.

While several teams need help, it seems as though most should-be contenders don’t have many options available to them on the trade market — for now.

We have more from around the basketball world:

In the new CBA landscape, managing finances has been more crucial for NBA teams than ever before. Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report breaks down every team’s most pressing upcoming contract decision, including calls the Hawks, Mavericks and Magic must make on stars Trae Young, Luka Doncic and Paolo Banchero, respectively. According to Pincus’s sources, the Suns and Kevin Durant will add two seasons at $123.8MM to his contract next summer. Brooklyn’s Cam Thomas, Miami’s Butler, Cleveland’s Caris LeVert and Minnesota’s Julius Randle will be at the center of some of the more interesting decisions explored by Pincus.
The Indiana Mad Ants – the Pacers‘ G League affiliate – added Jordan Bell to their roster and waived Tyler Polley, according to a team release (Twitter link). Bell has spent part of the last two seasons with the Mad Ants, averaging 12.1 points in 60 games played. Bell was the 38th overall pick in the 2017 draft, playing the first two seasons of his career with the Warriors and winning a championship with them in 2018. Polley signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Pacers this offseason.
Former NBAer Stanley Johnson may be on his way out of Turkish club Anadolu Efes, according to BasketNews’ Donatas Urbonas. Anadolu Efes was Johnson’s first European team, but he’s been exploring other options amid a potential departure and interest from other European clubs. Johnson, the eighth overall pick in 2015, has 449 games of NBA experience, making 104 starts. He holds career averages of 6.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in the NBA and has made just six EuroLeague appearances so far, ranking just 11th on his team in minutes played.
A pair of Grizzlies first-year players sit atop The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie’s first edition of this season’s rookie player rankings. Zach Edey, who is averaging 11.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, and Jaylen Wells, who’s averaging 11.2 PPG on 37.0% three-point shooting, rank first and second in Vecenie’s rankings. The Wizards also have reason for excitement, with three rookies ranking in the top 11. Jared McCain ranks third while No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher is No. 6 in the rankings. Undrafted rookie Ajay Mitchell is eighth.

Injury Notes: Butler, Kyrie, Nets, S. Barnes, O. Robinson

November 14th, 2024 at 4:09pm CST by Rory Maher

Heat forward Jimmy Butler will miss his third straight game in Indiana on Friday as he continues to recover from a right ankle sprain, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Butler, who sustained the injury in the first quarter of last Friday’s loss in Denver, did not practice on Thursday.

While the Heat will be playing without their six-time All-Star, they expect to have another injured player available. Third-year forward Nikola Jovic was limited to just three minutes in Tuesday’s overtime loss to Detroit due to a broken nose, but he should be ready to go on Friday with the assistance of a protective mask, Winderman writes.

Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:

Guard Kyrie Irving was added to the Mavericks‘ injury report ahead of Thursday’s matchup in Utah, tweets Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. Irving, who is off to an excellent individual start to the season, is listed as questionable due to a right shoulder strain. He has yet to miss a game in 2024/25.
Nets swingman Ben Simmons (left calf tightness) underwent an MRI on Thursday and the prognosis is positive. According to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter links), Simmons’ MRI revealed no structural damage and he will be active for Friday’s contest vs. New York. Forward Dorian Finney-Smith (left ankle sprain) is probable for Friday’s contest, while center Nic Claxton is questionable due to a lower back strain.
Raptors forward Scottie Barnes was spotted in a mask during Thursday’s practice as he recovers from a fractured orbital bone. However, he was limited to non-contact work and is still about a week away from being reevaluated, as Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca relays (via Twitter).
Kings center Orlando Robinson, who was recently cleared for contact, has been assigned to Sacramento’s G League affiliate in Stockton to get some conditioning work in, tweets James Ham of The Kings Beat. Robinson is on the mend from a left MCL sprain he sustained during training camp. The third-year big man has yet to make his ’24/25 season debut.

Southeast Notes: Daniels, Herro, Spoelstra, Salaün

November 13th, 2024 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Entering play on Wednesday, Hawks guard Dyson Daniels‘ has 31 more deflections (76 total) and 15 more steals (36 total) than any other NBA player, establishing himself as one of the league’s very best defenders. He’s also holding his own offensively, averaging a career-high 14.3 points per game on 46.9% shooting.

As Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution details, Daniels’ breakout third season is making the Hawks’ return in this summer’s Dejounte Murray trade look better and better.

“Coming here was just was so good for his confidence, both offensively and confidence defensively,” said teammate Larry Nance Jr., who was traded with Daniels from New Orleans to Atlanta. “He’s taking some more gambles now, and obviously they’re paying off. So, I truly could not be happier for a guy that is so deserving of the praise and the opportunity he’s gotten.”

While Nance suggested Daniels has an increased willingness to take gambles on defense, head coach Quin Snyder made it clear that the third-year guard’s impressive defensive numbers aren’t just a result of taking more risks that might hurt the Hawks if they backfire.

“What’s impressive to me about that is, usually when you get that many steals, it’s because you’re gambling,” Snyder said. “You take yourself out of a play. And rarely is he taking himself out of the play. He may not steal the ball, but he’s still in position. He’s calculated with that. He’s just, he’s so focused. And, it’s unusual. You don’t take it for granted that he brings it every night.”

We have more from around the Southeast:

Ahead of the season, Heat president Pat Riley challenged his team’s top four players to be the best versions of themselves. Tyler Herro is the only one meeting that challenge so far, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, who refers to the former Sixth Man of the Year as Miami’s first-month MVP after he put up 40 points in a loss to Detroit on Tuesday. “He’s having a hell of a year,” teammate Bam Adebayo said. “He deserves that All-Star nod. We’ve been pushing him for three or four years to get that nod. He’s healthy, playing at his own pace, making decisions, making plays.”
Head coach Erik Spoelstra took the blame for that overtime loss to Detroit on Tuesday after he tried to call for a timeout the Heat didn’t have in the game’s final seconds, allowing the Pistons to hit a tie-breaking technical free throw. “There’s really no excuse for that,” Spoelstra said (story via The Associated Press). “I’m 17 years in. We had talked about it in the huddle, I knew that we didn’t have anything. I just got emotional and reactive on that and I made just a horrendous mistake there at the end. It’s a shame.”
After starting Tidjane Salaün in place of Miles Bridges for the Hornets‘ first two games after Bridges was diagnosed with a knee bone bruise, head coach Charles Lee turned instead to Grant Williams to take Bridges’ spot on Tuesday, writes Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Still, Salaün played roughly as many minutes off the bench as he did as a starter, and Lee said he’s encouraged by the progress he has seen from the 19-year-old. The Hornets’ coach noted that the speed of the game, the language barrier, and learning a new system and terminology have all been challenges for Salaun, but Lee believes the rookie forward is getting more comfortable. “He’s just getting better with more reps, which makes sense for young guys,” Lee said. “… I love his energy and effort and the competitiveness he plays with every time he’s on the floor.”

Southeast Notes: Bitadze, Carter, Jovic, Love, Sarr

November 12th, 2024 at 1:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Magic center Goga Bitadze, who stepped up when Wendell Carter was injured and started 33 games last season, finds himself in a similar position this fall. With Carter on the shelf due to left foot plantar fasciitis, Bitadze has started the past four games for Orlando and has averaged a double-double (10.5 points, 10.5 rebounds) to go along with 3.0 assists and 1.8 blocks per night in those starts.

“He’s just steady,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said on Sunday, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required). “He just stays ready the entire time. Doesn’t say a word when he’s asked to do something; he goes out and does it. He’s a great rim protector, does a great job in the pick and roll … He’s a facilitator on offense, getting guys in position in places on the floor. He just stays ready and that’s part of this team. We always talk about the next man up and guys are starting to step up into that role with other guys being out.”

As Beede writes, Bitadze was a free agent over the summer and potentially could’ve found a larger role and/or more money outside of Orlando, but he chose to stick with the Magic on a three-year, $25MM deal. The big man feels comfortable with the team that took a shot on him in February 2023, days after he was cut by Indiana.

“The guys (and) the coaching staff make it easy,” Bitadze said. “When you’re having joy every single practice, every single day with these guys, playing time is not that important, if you understand what I mean. It’s not that hard.”

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

Carter is “doing well” and “slowly progressing” in his recovery from his foot ailment, according to Mosley, but the Magic center will miss his fifth consecutive game on Tuesday as Orlando faces Charlotte, tweets Beede.
Heat forward Nikola Jovic came off the bench for the first time this fall on Sunday in Minnesota, but ended up having his best game of the young season, helping Miami claim a one-point win with 15 points and seven rebounds. After the game, head coach Erik Spoelstra challenged Jovic to maintain that level going forward. “This is the standard now,” Spoelstra said, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “I don’t want to retreat, I don’t want to have to do things to get something out of players. He was very good tonight from the detail standpoint, the effort standpoint, rebounding, size, defending multiple efforts.”
Heat forward/center Kevin Love, who made his season debut on Sunday following an early-season absence due to a personal family matter, lauded the organization for giving him the time off he needed, Chiang writes for The Herald. “They were so amazing in supporting me, letting me have my time and allowing me to come back refreshed in my mind,” Love said. “… The support was unbelievable from my teammates, coaching staff, organization. … Now that I’m back, I’m just trying to add that freshness, that lightness to the locker room and hopefully help out there, as well.”
After making just 2-of-9 shots from the field on Monday, rookie big man Alex Sarr has a .330 FG% and a .186 3PT% for the season. That’s okay with the Wizards, who knew Sarr’s offense was well behind his defense and are prepared to be patient with the No. 2 overall pick, writes Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. “This is part of the maturation of going through this league,” head coach Brian Keefe said. “You have to see all these different types of matchups. I’ve coached a lot of great players in this league … and you have to go through the fire. And you learn by doing and being out there and seeing what it feels like.”

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