Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southeast Notes: Haslem, Brooks, Carter-Williams, Snell

March 12th, 2021 at 8:30pm CST by Ben Stinar

Udonis Haslem – who is in his 18th NBA season, all with the Heat – has not played a single minute this season. And while the 41-year-old would welcome the chance to see some action, he has embraced his increasingly off-court role within the organization, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.

“I’m always ready,” Haslem said. “And that’s my job, is to stay ready so I don’t got to get ready. And I’m always ready if Spo (head coach Erik Spoelstra) needs to put me out there and contribute to winning basketball games. But I understand that the bigger impact that I have is off the basketball court, before the clock starts.”

Last season, Haslem only played in four regular-season games, but he helped the Heat make their sixth NBA Finals appearance since 2005. The role on the team he plays is deeper than actually going out there to set screens and rebound the basketball, according to Spoelstra, who says the big man is “moving mountains with his leadership.” However, the Heat coach said the team would have no qualms about using Haslem on the court if needed.

“I always have the ultimate confidence in UD,” Spoelstra said. “And he and I have been through so many pressure-packed moments that I feel I can throw him in at any time, even in the fourth quarter if he hadn’t played before that.”

P.J. Tucker Away From Rockets, Expected To Be Traded

March 12th, 2021 at 12:25am CST by Luke Adams

Rockets forward P.J. Tucker is away from the team and there’s a belief that he has likely played his last game with Houston, head coach Stephen Silas said after Thursday’s game in Sacramento, his club’s 14th straight loss.

“P.J.’s not with the team,” Silas said (video link via Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston). “He traveled here (to Sacramento), but is traveling back to Houston (instead of accompanying the team to Utah). We’re going to try to figure out something that works for him and works for us, in terms of him not being on the team anymore.

“I was under the assumption that he was going to be playing tonight, and he didn’t play. And that was disappointing. But it’s no secret that it’s been a rough year. He’s been professional… But at this point we’re going to do what’s best for the group and what’s best for P.J., and that’s probably not having him here.”

Prior to Silas’ post-game presser, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon had reported that Tucker, who is “increasingly frustrated” about not having been traded to a contending team, was a healthy scratch and that there was uncertainty about whether he’d return to the lineup at all. Silas essentially confirmed that report after the game, suggesting that both sides are on board with the divorce.

“He decided he was just not really with it, and we decided that’s a good idea — let’s move on,” Silas said, explaining why Tucker didn’t practice with the team on Wednesday and didn’t play vs. the Kings on Thursday (video link via Berman).

Unlike other players that have been pulled from their teams’ lineups in recent weeks, such as Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond, and LaMarcus Aldridge, Tucker has a very manageable expiring salary, worth just under $8MM. As such, it shouldn’t be too tricky to find a taker for him, despite the fact that he’s having a down year.

While he’s still a solid defender, the 35-year-old isn’t contributing much on offense this season, averaging a career-low 4.4 PPG with a .314 3PT% in 32 games (30.0 MPG). Tucker believes joining a contender would allow him to display his value in ways he hasn’t been able to on the struggling and rebuilding Rockets, a person familiar with his thinking told Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.

According to Woj and MacMahon, the Rockets have engaged in several trade discussions with teams about Tucker in recent weeks, including the Bucks, Lakers, Heat, and Nets. The Sixers, Jazz, Nuggets, and Timberwolves have also been cited as clubs with potential interest in the veteran forward, as Houston seeks a young, productive rotation player.

Sources tell ESPN that the Rockets thought they were in position to sign Tucker to an extension earlier in 2020/21, having offered $17MM ($10MM guaranteed) over two seasons. However, they balked when Tucker’s camp countered with a fully guaranteed two-year, $24MM deal.

The Tucker situation is the latest unfortunate development in what’s turning into a nightmare of a season for the Rockets, who already had to deal with a prolonged push from superstar James Harden to be traded.

Houston has slumped badly with Christian Wood out due to an ankle sprain, and the club’s injury situation has gone from bad to worse within the last couple days. As Feigen details, John Wall was hit on the side of his left knee in a scrimmage on Wednesday and was ruled out for Thursday’s game, while fellow guard Eric Gordon strained his groin vs. Sacramento and will undergo an MRI (Twitter link).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On LaMarcus Aldridge: Best Fits, Trade Issues, Heat

March 11th, 2021 at 9:20pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Now that former All-Star power forward/center LaMarcus Aldridge is set to part ways with the Spurs, there is widespread speculation across the league about how exactly he can be moved (the Spurs are focused on a trade rather than a buyout) and which teams provide the best fit for the aging big man.

Bobby Marks of ESPN discusses the difficulties of making an Aldridge trade work during an Instagram conversation (video link), noting, “San Antonio is not known to make trades during the regular season,”

Marks acknowledges that, due to Aldridge’s exorbitant $24MM expiring deal, a team would have to send out at least $19MM in contracts when making a trade. Because the Spurs are just $1MM below the tax line, they’ll look to avoid taking back more than $25MM back in contracts unless they send out additional players.

Marks lists five clubs that could potentially deal for Aldridge: the Celtics, who own a $28.5MM TPE, the Heat, the Sixers, the Suns, and a reunion with the Trail Blazers. Marks considers the Suns to be the best fit for Aldridge if he were to reach the buyout market, where the 35-year-old veteran could serve as a backup behind starting center Deandre Ayton.

David Aldridge, Sam Amick, and Joe Vardon of The Athletic discuss the best potential landing spots for Aldridge. Beyond the teams Marks touches on, Aldridge is considered an interesting fit with the Lakers to replace the largely-ineffective Marc Gasol in the rotation at center. The Athletic writers consider Aldridge still capable of contributing to a playoff contender at this late stage in his career.

Speaking of the Heat, Anthony Chiang and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald report that Miami numbers among the teams who have spoken with the Spurs about potentially trading for Aldridge, though the Heat are probably limited in players they would be willing to sacrifice to reach the $19MM threshold necessary for an Aldridge exchange.

Meyers Leonard Receives Fine, Suspension For Comment

March 11th, 2021 at 10:24am CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA has fined Heat center Meyers Leonard $50K for making an anti-Semitic comment, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Leonard has also been suspended for a week from all Heat facilities and team activities. The $50K fine is the largest allowable under league rules.

Leonard, who uttered the slur during a video game livestream, will also be required to take part in a cultural diversity program (Twitter link).

“Meyers Leonard’s comment was inexcusable and hurtful, and such an offensive term has no place in the NBA or in our society,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “Yesterday he spoke to representatives of the Anti-Defamation League to better understand the impact of his words and we accept that he is genuinely remorseful. We have further communicated to Meyers that derogatory comments like this will not be tolerated and that he will be expected to uphold the core values of our league — equality, tolerance, inclusion and respect — at all times moving forward.” (Twitter link)

Leonard’s offensive comment came while he was playing “Call of Duty: Warzone” on Twitch. He issued an apology, calling it “not a proper representation of who I am.” Leonard is out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury and has a $10.1MM team option for next season.

Because Leonard is currently injured, he won’t forfeit salary for the games he misses during his week-long suspension, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

Spurs To Part With LaMarcus Aldridge

March 10th, 2021 at 6:17pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Spurs and LaMarcus Aldridge have reached an agreement to part ways, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Coach Gregg Popovich broke the news tonight on a pre-game Zoom call with reporters, saying, “We’ve mutually agreed for him to work on some opportunities elsewhere.” (Twitter link from Tim MacMahon of ESPN)

Aldridge’s departure could take the form of a trade, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports that San Antonio is working on trade scenarios for the veteran big man and has been “engaged on several fronts” (Twitter link). The Spurs are confident that they can find a trade partner, possibly within the next week, and no move has been made toward a buyout, sources tell Woj (Twitter link).

Aldridge, 35, lost his starting job last month and was coming off the bench for the first time since his rookie season. He’s averaging 13.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while shooting 36% from three-point range, but the emergence of Jakob Poeltl has made him expendable.

Popovich explained that Aldridge has accepted his new role, but the organization believes he would be better off somewhere else.

“He’s been a great teammate, there’s no problem there,” Popovich said. “We just think this is a win-win for LaMarcus and the club. When an opportunity arises, that will be up to management, his agent and we will all move forward.” (Twitter link from Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express News)

Aldridge is making $24MM this season in the final year of his contract, so it won’t be easy for another team to match salaries in a deal.

Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel notes that Heat president Pat Riley tried to lure Aldridge as a free agent in 2015, but didn’t have enough cap room to make a competitive offer (Twitter link). Winderman suggests (via Twitter) that some combination of Meyers Leonard, Kelly Olynyk and Andre Iguodala would work salary-wise, but Miami would likely have to throw in another asset to get the Spurs’ interest.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Meyers Leonard To Be Away From Heat Indefinitely

March 9th, 2021 at 9:30pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

After using an anti-Semitic slur during a Twitch live stream yesterday, injured Heat reserve center Meyers Leonard will be “away from the team indefinitely,” the team announced in a statement (via Twitter).

Leonard issued an apology today for his comment, as Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

“While I didn’t know what the word meant at the time, my ignorance about its history and how offensive it is to the Jewish community is absolutely not an excuse and I was just wrong,” he said. “This is not a proper representation of who I am and I want to apologize to the Arisons, my teammates, coaches, front office, and everyone associated with the Miami Heat organization, to my family, to our loyal fans and to others in the Jewish community who I have hurt.”

After re-signing with the Heat for a guaranteed $9.4MM during the 2020 offseason, Leonard appeared in just three games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.

The NBA and the Heat announced earlier today that they were reviewing the offending video clip in which Leonard uttered the slur as he played ‘Call of Duty: Warzone’ on Twitch. The Heat have since indicated they’ll let the league take the lead on the probe.

“The words used by Meyers Leonard were wrong and we will not tolerate hateful language from anyone associated with our franchise,” the team said. “The Miami Heat will cooperate with the NBA while it conducts its investigation.”

The Heat’s contract with Leonard also includes a $10.1MM team option for the 2021/22 season. That option was always a long shot to be picked up — now, given the big man’s injury and this off-court incident, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which it’ll be exercised.

Heat Notes: Leonard, Trade Targets, Robinson

March 9th, 2021 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat are reviewing a video clip that shows center Meyers Leonard using an anti-Semitic slur during a Twitch live stream on Monday night while playing ‘Call of Duty: Warzone,’ writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.

The NBA is also reviewing the incident, issuing a statement that reads, “We just became aware of the video and are in the process of gathering more information. The NBA unequivocally condemns all forms of hate speech.”

Leonard is out for the season with a shoulder injury and is a long shot to have his $10MM+ team option for 2021/22 exercised. If he was already in jeopardy of having played his last game for Miami, this video certainly didn’t help matters. So far, it’s unclear how the NBA and Heat will respond — a fine or a suspension seems like a possibility.

Here’s more on the Heat:

A pair of veteran scouts who spoke to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald agreed that the Heat’s roster is in need of a stretch four and said Sacramento forward Harrison Barnes and San Antonio forward Rudy Gay would be among their targets if they worked for the team. The Spurs would be open to listening on Gay, according to Jackson. The two scouts also identified Rockets forward P.J. Tucker and Kings forward Nemanja Bjelica as logical targets — Miami has been linked to both.
With restricted free agency on tap this summer, Heat sharpshooter Duncan Robinson is putting in work to become a more complete player rather than just a three-point specialist. Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel takes a closer look at Robinson’s development.
After a slow start to the season, the Heat won seven of their last eight games entering the All-Star break. Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald explores what the club needs to do to carry that success over into the second half, starting with keeping Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo healthy.

Vucevic, Other Magic Vets Drawing Trade Interest

March 8th, 2021 at 11:37am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics aren’t the only team that has Magic center Nikola Vucevic high on its wish list. The Heat, Spurs, and Hornets have also expressed “significant” interest in the All-Star big man, sources tell Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.

Miami, San Antonio, and Charlotte would all be intriguing landing spots for Vucevic. The Heat presumably envision him playing alongside Bam Adebayo up front; the Spurs have seen LaMarcus Aldridge‘s production decline this season and may view Vucevic as an eventual replacement for the veteran; and the Hornets could use an impact player at the five to complement primary play-makers LaMelo Ball and Gordon Hayward.

However, O’Connor cautions that front office executives around the NBA are skeptical that the Magic will move Vucevic at this month’s trade deadline, since he still has multiple years left on his contract. After earning $26MM this season, the 30-year-old will make $24MM in 2021/22 and $22MM in ’22/23.

Even if the Magic are open to considering a Vucevic trade, they’d seek a substantial return, according to O’Connor. Shams Charania of The Athletic conveyed a similar sentiment last week, writing that Orlando would want a “massive” package for its All-Star center.

While the Magic seem unlikely to deal Vucevic, there are other solid veterans on their roster whom they could be more open to moving. O’Connor reports that the club is receiving calls on guards Evan Fournier and Terrence Ross, with the Hornets among the clubs inquiring on Fournier, while the Nuggets have asked about Ross.

Aaron Gordon is viewed as a possible trade candidate too, and the Magic have some lower-priced veterans who could appeal to contenders as depth pieces. However, Orlando hasn’t shown much enthusiasm for making major trades in recent years, so it would be a bit of a surprise if the team goes into full-fledged fire-sale mode, despite its record (13-23) and place in the Eastern Conference standings (14th).

Examining Where Heat's Young Players Stand Entering All-Star Break

March 7th, 2021 at 8:46pm CST by JD Shaw

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald examines where the Heat‘s young players stand entering the All-Star break. Jackson explores the production of Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn and Duncan Robinson this season, all three of whom have shown serious potential during their time with Miami.

Exploring Whether Team Should Pursue Trades, Iguodala's Impact On Team

March 7th, 2021 at 6:24pm CST by JD Shaw

Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald examines Andre Iguodala‘s veteran impact on the Heat. Iguodala, a former Finals MVP, is currently in his 18th NBA season. “He brings that stability on the floor and even off the floor,” teammate Goran Dragic said of Iguodala. “He has got a lot of experience. He has been in a lot of tough games. He won championships. So it’s always nice to have a guy next to you to ask for some advice. He’s like an open book. … Him, [Udonis Haslem], those two guys are tremendous for our team.”
Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel explores whether the Heat should trade for a star player now — even if it impacts the team’s long-term flexibility. Miami has expressed interest in several combo forwards ahead of the March 25 deadline, winning seven of its final 10 games before the All-Star break.