Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Heat’s Terry Rozier Week-To-Week With Right Knee Sprain

February 12th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Rory Maher

The Heat received good news on Monday, as an MRI revealed that Terry Rozier avoided a major injury, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), who reports that the veteran guard is considered week-to-week with a right knee sprain.

According to Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel (Twitter links), there’s “legitimate optimism” that Rozier could return either right after or a few games after the All-Star break, though Winderman acknowledges the Heat tend to be cautious when it comes to injuries.

Rozier sustained the scary-looking injury (YouTube link via ESPN) midway through the third quarter of Sunday’s game vs. Boston. He landed awkwardly on his right leg on an attempted layup and trainers had to help him to the locker room.

The Heat traded Kyle Lowry and their lottery-protected 2027 first-round pick to acquire Rozier from Charlotte last month. If the pick doesn’t convey in ’27, the Heat will send their unprotected 2028 first-rounder to the Hornets instead.

Rozier, 29, was having a career-best season in Charlotte, averaging 23.2 PPG, 6.6 APG, 3.9 RPG and 1.1 SPG on .459/.358/.845 shooting in 40 games (35.5 MPG), but he has struggled early on in his tenure with the Heat, averaging just 12.6 PPG, 5.6 APG, 4.5 RPG and 0.8 SPG on .359/.234/.958 shooting through 10 games (29.9 MPG).

Fellow guard Josh Richardson was also injured against Boston, suffering a dislocated right shoulder in the second quarter. He’ll be reevaluated in a few weeks, per Charania.

Josh Richardson To Miss Multiple Weeks With Dislocated Shoulder

February 12th, 2024 at 11:50am CST by Arthur Hill

Heat guard Josh Richardson dislocated his shoulder in Sunday’s game and will be reevaluated in a few weeks, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Richardson was injured as he pursued the ball early in the second quarter against Boston. He fell to the court in pain and grabbed his shoulder, then had to be helped back to the locker room. An MRI conducted this morning revealed the extent of the damage.

Richardson, who returned to the Heat as a free agent this summer after starting his career in Miami, has been a valuable addition for a team that has been beset by injuries all season. He has appeared in 43 games, making six starts, and is averaging 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 44.4% from the field and 34.7% from three-point range.

The Heat are also awaiting the results of an MRI on guard Terry Rozier, who left Sunday’s game with an injury to his right knee after an awkward landing on a layup attempt in the second half.

Southeast Notes: Richardson, Rozier, Hawks, Magic, Bridges

February 12th, 2024 at 10:12am CST by Arthur Hill

Injuries have been a season-long issue for the Heat, who may have lost two more players in Sunday’s game, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. MRIs are scheduled today for Josh Richardson and Terry Rozier, creating more potential challenges as coach Erik Spoelstra works to develop a consistent lineup.

Richardson fell to the court and grabbed his right shoulder early in the second quarter, according to Chiang. After being helped up, he headed to the locker room for an X-ray that came back negative. He was wearing a sling after the game.

“I felt my shoulder pop out on the floor and then pop back in when I was laying on the ground,” Richardson said. “So thank goodness for that. But I’ll know more (Monday).”

Rozier was hurt midway through the third quarter when he landed awkwardly on his right leg on an attempted layup. Trainers had to help him to the locker room as well.

Chiang points out that if Richardson and Rozier have to miss significant time, that leaves Tyler Herro and two-way player Alondes Williams as the only healthy guards on Miami’s roster.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Hawks general manager Landry Fields said signs of progress from the current roster convinced him to stand pat at the trade deadline, per Lauren Williams of The Journal-Constitution. Dejounte Murray was considered one of the top names on the market, but Fields believes there’s value in keeping the current team together. “We’ve seen an uptick with Onyeka (Okongwu),” he said. “We’ve seen an uptick with Jalen Johnson. We’ve seen an uptick with Saddiq Bey, and I can go right down the line even down to (the G League team in) College Park where, Kobe Bufkin is developing extremely well in that environment.”
The same approach was taken by Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman, whose team was also quiet at the deadline despite having “lengthy conversations” with some teams, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. “We’re very happy with where we are right now from a big-picture standpoint,” Weltman said. “We weren’t going to be overly aggressive, we weren’t going to get out of our comfort zone and we certainly weren’t going to deviate from our plan.”
Hornets forward Miles Bridges, whose name was involved in trade rumors over the last several weeks, is relieved that deadline speculation is finally over, notes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Bridges said several times that he prefers to stay in Charlotte and ultimately decided to use his veto power to reject any deal the team might have made. “This was my first year dealing with all that,” he said of the deadline rumors. “Me, I’m happy so I can just focus on the season and focus on trying to get us some wins.”

Celtics Notes: Brown, Porzingis, Heat Rivalry, Springer

February 12th, 2024 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Tensions between the Celtics and Heat flared up again Sunday afternoon, highlighted by an exchange between Jaylen Brown and Duncan Robinson, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. With 7:54 remaining, Robinson was whistled for a foul when he and Brown got tangled up on an inbounds play. As Brown tried to free himself, he pulled down on Robinson’s left arm and twisted his body, tossing Robinson to the ground.

Robinson grabbed at his left shoulder and began talking to Brown, who was called for a flagrant 1 foul following a video review of the play. They had to be separated after another exchange of words before Robinson went to the foul line.

“I just thought it was a dirty play, to be honest with you,” Robinson said. “That’s how people miss entire seasons with those types of plays. You’ve seen it before and throughout the history of the NBA. Guys suffer really bad injuries from instances exactly like that.”

Brown defended his actions, saying he wasn’t trying to hurt Robinson. He also accused the Heat — Boston’s opponent in the last two Eastern Conference Finals — of having a reputation for getting away with fouls and “mucking up the game.”

‘I think he knew exactly what he was trying to do, trying to get tangled up because he didn’t want to play defense,” Brown said. “They called the foul but he was still trying to hang on so I was trying to get my arm free.”

There’s more on the Celtics:

Kristaps Porzingis had another injury scare on Sunday, Himmelsbach adds, suffering a back contusion on a collision with Bam Adebayo midway through the third quarter. Porzingis was able to return later in the game and doesn’t believe it’s anything to be concerned about. “My back is fine,” he said. “I got a little bump from Bam on the rebound and it was just kind of like nothing serious. Went to the back, made sure it was good and warmed up again.”
Porzingis views Brown’s exchange with Robinson as positive for the team, per Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. The Celtics have been accused of lacking toughness with Marcus Smart and Grant Williams no longer on the roster, and Porzingis enjoyed seeing Brown stand up to the Heat. “When they got into it again, I kind of liked it, it got the whole crowd into it, it was a good atmosphere,” he said. “I love it. I think we have to take those emotional moments in a good way, make us fired up, controlled. We have to stay controlled because that’s their game. They need us to react to something.”
Newly acquired Jaden Springer is brushing off comments from Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey suggesting that a second-round pick has more value to the franchise than Springer does, according to Souichi Terada of MassLive. Springer isn’t bothered by last week’s trade, saying he’s focused on finding a role with the Celtics. “Coming to a team like this, you can’t go wrong,” Springer said. “Especially probably the best team in the league. A bunch of great guys. Great organization. So far, I’m loving it here.”

Southeast Notes: G. Williams, Micic, A. Williams, Forrest

February 11th, 2024 at 2:20pm CST by Tristan Tucker

New Hornets forward Grant Williams was a fan of the franchise while growing up in the city and enjoyed watching Kemba Walker, who has become a close friend and mentor for Williams, according to The Charlotte Observer’s Shane Connuck. In his debut game, he helped his new team win for the first time since Jan. 22.

“I always thought it would be at the end of my career, but it’s kind of funny that it happened this way because it allows you to be part of something that can be built around,” Williams said. “You know, new ownership. New team. Bunch of guys who are young and talented. We have a chance to build something special here in the city.”

Williams and guard Seth Curry both have local ties, having played high school basketball in Charlotte. Curry is also the son of former Hornets guard Dell Curry.

“We just have Mr. Curry in the back right there,” Williams said of Dell, who is now a Bally Sports Southeast TV analyst. “This is something that, as a kid, you always wanted to play for your hometown team. You always wanted to create something special — here. Because, as a kid, you want to get the same joy that you had at that age.”

Williams finished with 15 points and eight rebounds in his Charlotte debut.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Like Williams, new Hornets acquisition Vasilije Micic had a good first outing in his new NBA home. Though he played sparingly in Oklahoma City, Micic logged 26 minutes and put up 18 points and nine assists in the Saturday win over the Grizzlies. He admitted he wasn’t expecting to play right away, but he quickly won over head coach Steve Clifford, according to Eurohoops. “He knows where everybody is on the floor. He is a terrific passer and a good pick-and-roll player. And he’s got size,” Clifford said.
New Heat two-way guard Alondes Williams turned heads with high-scoring performances in the G League this season, including a 55-point outing on Jan. 7. However, the development of other areas of his game is what ultimately led to the Heat promoting him to a two-way contract on Friday, according to the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang. Williams spent training camp with Miami before being waived and suiting up for their NBAGL affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, to begin the season. “It was more about the overall development,” Spoelstra said. “I think it’s easy to point to some big scoring games. That was really down the list for us. Sure, it’s great that he was able to have those kinds of nights. But it was really about previously playing the role, defending and doing a lot of intangibles and impacting winning while the rest of his game was improving.“
Hawks guard Trent Forrest hit his 50th active game as a two-way player on Feb. 9 against the Sixers, observes Locked on Hawks’ Brad Rowland (Twitter link). He cannot appear in another game for the Hawks this season due to league rules regarding two-way contracts, unless he’s promoted to a standard deal. However, Atlanta has a full 15-man roster at the moment.

Heat Grant Jimmy Butler Personal Leave Of Absence

February 11th, 2024 at 11:30am CST by Luke Adams

The Heat have ruled out Jimmy Butler for Sunday afternoon’s contest with the Celtics, citing personal reasons. A statement issued by agent Bernie Lee, via the team (Twitter link), provides more details on Butler’s situation.

“Jimmy Butler has been granted a leave of absence as he deals with the death of a family member,” Lee said. “Jimmy and his family ask for privacy at this point in time as they navigate this loss. Updates will be given when appropriate.”

It’s unclear when Butler will rejoin the Heat or how many games he’ll miss during his leave of absence.

After today’s game at home, the team will travel to face two more Eastern rivals before the All-Star break, visiting Milwaukee on Tuesday and Philadelphia on Wednesday. Following the All-Star break, the Heat’s schedule resumes with a four-game Western Conference road trip that begins February 23 in New Orleans.

Butler has averaged 21.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in 33.9 minutes per night across 37 games for the Heat so far this season, posting an outstanding .500/.440/.869 shooting line. Miami has had an up-and-down season, but has bounced back from a seven-game losing streak in January to win four of its past five contests. The club currently ranks eighth in the East at 28-24.

With Butler unavailable, the Heat figure to lean more heavily on Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Terry Rozier for scoring, with forwards like Caleb Martin, Jaime Jaquez, Haywood Highsmith, and Duncan Robinson among the candidates for increased minutes.

Heat Sign Alondes Williams To Two-Way Deal, Waive R.J. Hampton

February 9th, 2024 at 5:36pm CST by Rory Maher

The Heat plan to sign free agent guard Alondes Williams to a two-way deal, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Miami confirmed in a press release that it has waived R.J. Hampton and filled the two-way opening by signing Williams.

Williams, who went undrafted out of Wake Forest in 2022, signed a two-way deal with the Nets prior to the 2022/23 season, making playing five minutes in one game with Brooklyn. He was waived in January 2023.

The 24-year-old signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Heat this past summer, but was released before the regular season began. He has been playing for Miami’s NBAGL affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Williams has impressed at the G League level, averaging 20.3 PPG, 6.5 APG, 5.2 RPG and 1.3 SPG on .499/.373/.739 shooting in 32 Showcase Cup and regular season games in ’23/24 (37.0 MPG). His strong play was recognized by the NBAGL, earning spots in the Up Next and the Rising Stars events at All-Star weekend, which will be held next week in Indianapolis.

After the moves, all three of the Heat’s two-way spots remain full, but they do have a standard roster opening.

Southeast Notes: Highsmith, Rozier, Jones, Wright, Magic, Forrest

February 9th, 2024 at 3:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Heat swingman Haywood Highsmith has been cited for careless driving after being involved in a car accident that left a man hospitalized, reports Angie DiMichele of The Sun Sentinel. The citation is not considered criminal, but Highsmith was described in a police report as driving in a “careless or negligent manner,” per DiMichele.

Highsmith’s agent Jerry Dianis issued a statement describing the circumstances of the accident.

“At approximately 11:20 pm, Haywood struck a pedestrian pushing an unlit disabled car down the middle of a dark road,” Dianis said. “Haywood immediately rushed to help the person pushing the car who had been injured. Haywood assisted a bystander who applied a tourniquet to the injury and stayed on the scene talking to the injured man offering words of comfort until an ambulance took him to the hospital.

“Mr. Highsmith had not consumed alcohol or drugs and was not speeding. This was an unfortunate accident. We have been notified that the person sustained significant injuries but is in stable condition. Haywood and his family are praying for him. Haywood is of course shaken by this and appreciates the support and prayers he has received from the Miami Heat and fans.”

Highsmith returned to Heat practice on Friday after missing Wednesday’s game in the wake of the incident.

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

Terry Rozier was acquired by the Heat on January 23, but due to the nature of the team’s in-season schedule, he didn’t take part in a full practice with his new club until Friday, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. “It feels good just to get up and down with these guys and put a lot more things in that we can get better at in the game,” Rozier said after the session.
Josh Robbins of The Athletic takes a look at why the Wizards‘ trade deadline was quieter than anticipated, with guards Tyus Jones and Delon Wright among the trade candidates who stayed put. Teams were only willing to offer second-round picks for Jones, Robbins reports, so Washington decided to hang onto him and will strongly consider re-signing him in free agency this summer. Robbins adds that the offers for Wright were “underwhelming” and would’ve required the Wizards to take on salary beyond this season.
Franz Wagner has no problem with the Magic opting to stand pat at the trade deadline, telling Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link) that he views it as a sign of trust from the front office.
The Hawks will have to make a decision soon on guard Trent Forrest, tweets Brad Rowland of Locked on Hawks. As Rowland explains, despite only appearing in 19 games so far, Forrest has been active for 49 — players on two-way contracts are limited to a maximum of 50. Atlanta would have to promote Forrest to its standard roster, which is currently full, to allow him to exceed that limit.

Heat Expected To Waive R.J. Hampton

February 9th, 2024 at 2:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat are expected to cut R.J. Hampton, opening up one of their two-way contract slots, reports Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link).

Hampton, who turned 23 on Wednesday, has battled some injuries this season and has only seen action in 17 total games in the NBA and the G League. In eight appearances for the Heat, he has recorded 10 points, eight assists, and six rebounds in 76 total minutes of actions, making just 4-of-14 shots (1-of-8 three-pointers).

The former first-round pick has been a little more effective for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Miami’s G League affiliate, averaging 11.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 4.7 APG with a .429/.273/.609 shooting line in nine regular season and Showcase Cup contests (28.0 MPG).

As Chiang notes, the plan will be to fill Hampton’s two-way slot with another developmental prospect.

Skyforce guard Alondes Williams looks like one contender for that opening, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald observes (via Twitter). Williams is averaging 20.3 PPG, 6.5 APG, and 5.2 RPG on 49.9% shooting in 32 games (37.0 MPG) for Sioux Falls. Skyforce guard Jamaree Bouyea is another candidate to watch, tweets Chiang.

Hampton will receive his full two-way salary from the Heat and will become an unrestricted free agent, free to sign with any team, if and when he clears waivers. Once he’s officially cut, Miami will have two open spots on its 18-man roster — one standard and one two-way.

Fischer’s Latest: Pelicans, Stewart, Hawks, Olynyk, Drummond, Lakers, Nets

February 7th, 2024 at 9:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pelicans are searching for a rim protector, but they’ve had to cross at least two names off their wish list, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Sources tell Fischer that New Orleans was hoping to acquire Jarrett Allen, but the Cavaliers aren’t willing to include him in trade talks. The team also targeted Wendell Carter, but Fischer’s sources say the Magic refuse to make him available.

Fischer cites Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart as a potential alternative for the Pelicans. Detroit agreed to two deals today and may be willing to consider moving Stewart as the team reshapes its roster. Hawks centers Onyeka Okongwu and Clint Capela could also be possibilities, according to Fischer.

Fischer hears that the Pelicans and Hawks were involved in “tangible trade talks” this week involving both centers, along with guard Dejounte Murray, who’s considered one of the top names on this year’s trade market. However, sources tell Fischer that the teams haven’t been able to make any progress toward a deal.

Fischer offers more inside information on the eve of the deadline:

Jazz center Kelly Olynyk could be on the way to Toronto, but there are plenty of teams interested in acquiring him, whether it’s from Utah or the Raptors, according to Fischer’s sources. Fischer names the Sixers, Heat and Warriors as teams that have shown interest in Olynyk, adding that the Celtics were also on that list before today’s trade for Xavier Tillman.
The Tillman deal removes one suitor for Bulls center Andre Drummond, Fischer adds. The Sixers remain interested in Drummond as a short-term starter while Joel Embiid is injured, according to Fischer, who also lists the Mavericks and Suns as potential landing spots. Fischer’s sources say the Rockets and Lakers also had interest in the veteran center, but they’re considered less likely alternatives. Chicago is hoping for multiple second-round picks in exchange for Drummond, with Fischer noting that it seems like a reasonable price considering that’s what the Celtics gave Memphis for Tillman. Fischer also cautions that the Bulls are hoping to advance through the play-in tournament, so Drummond isn’t certain to be dealt.
The Lakers like several Brooklyn players, including Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie and Royce O’Neale, Fischer adds. He also points out that the Nets have Lonnie Walker, who was popular with L.A. fans in last year’s playoffs and has attracted interest from several contenders.