Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southeast Notes: Gordon, Magic, Hawks, Heat

November 17th, 2020 at 2:29pm CST by Luke Adams

Before the Trail Blazers reached an agreement with Houston to acquire Robert Covington in exchange for Trevor Ariza, this year’s No. 16 pick, and a protected 2021 first-round selection, Portland used similar assets to attempt to acquire Aaron Gordon from the Magic, according to Mitch Lawrence of SiriusXM NBA Radio (Twitter link), who says Orlando didn’t bite.

Gordon is believed to be available, with one recent report suggesting the Magic are attempting to move up in the draft by attaching the forward to the No. 15 pick. However, it makes sense that Orlando would be lukewarm on an offer made up of an expiring contract and two mid-to-late first-rounders. If the Magic do move Gordon, they’d likely want to get an impact player in return, or at least create a path to land one (ie. securing a high lottery pick).

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman confirmed on Monday that his team has explored the possibility of trading up or trading down in the draft, but said the “greatest likelihood” is that the club remains at No. 15, per Roy Parry of The Orlando Sentinel.
Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk said something similar in his Monday conference call, suggesting that staying put at No. 6 is most likely for his club, followed by trading down. As Chris Kirschner of The Athletic relays, Schlenk also spoke about Atlanta shifting from “asset accumulation to hopefully talent accumulation” using its cap room this offseason, suggesting the team is no longer prioritizing accommodating salary dumps with its cap space.
Texas Tech guard Jahmi’us Ramsey conducted a personalized workout on Zoom with the Heat, he told reporters today (Twitter link via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). Ramsey added that he also did a Zoom workout that about 22 teams watched.

Heat Guarantee Salaries For Kendrick Nunn, Duncan Robinson

November 17th, 2020 at 1:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat have guaranteed the 2020/21 salaries for guard Kendrick Nunn and forward Duncan Robinson, a league source tells John Hollinger of The Athletic (Twitter link). Previously, their matching minimum salaries ($1,663,861) for next season had been fully non-guaranteed.

Given the impact Nunn and Robinson had for the Heat in 2019/20, guaranteeing those salaries was always considered a mere formality.

Nunn, a contender for Rookie of the Year, averaged 15.3 PPG and 3.3 APG in 67 games (all starts), while Robinson emerged as one of the NBA’s most dangerous outside shooters, knocking down 44.6% of 8.3 three-point attempts per game in 73 contests.

Both Nunn and Robinson will be eligible for restricted free agency in 2021. Meeting the starter criteria next season would increase the value of their qualifying offers and accompanying cap holds. However, those holds will still be modest enough that they shouldn’t be an impediment to Miami maximizing its cap room to pursue a star free agent.

Goran Dragic Will Explore Market In Free Agency

November 15th, 2020 at 1:46pm CST by Arthur Hill

Goran Dragic would like to return to the Heat, but tells Shams Charania of The Athletic (video link) he plans to listen to other offers when free agency starts Friday.

The veteran point guard was used mainly as a reserve last season, but moved into the starting lineup for the playoffs and played a huge role in helping Miami reach the NBA Finals. He averaged 19.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists in the postseason, showing he still has some value left at age 34.

“For me, the most important thing is that I be respected because I put a lot of hard work in my game, and I think I play hard,” Dragic told Charania. “So, of course, I know Miami wants to bring me back. I’m hoping we can finish this championship run next season, but I know this is part of the business. It’s a lot of options here and we’ll see. I’m open to all suggestions, and from there on, we’re gonna see which one is the best possibility for me and for my family. So, yeah, Miami’s up there. They were great to me and we’ll see. Hopefully, we can make a deal.”

If Dragic wants to remain with the Heat, he may have to accept a one-year contract. Miami is trying to preserve cap space for next summer’s free agent class and is expected to be in the running for two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo if he becomes available. Dragic earned $19.2MM last season in the final year of a five-year extension.

Also in the interview, Dragic discusses his adjustment to being a sixth man during the season and says he has fully recovered from the plantar fascia tear that sidelined him during the NBA Finals.

Lakers Expected To Pursue Wesley Matthews

November 15th, 2020 at 12:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Lakers are interested in signing shooting guard Wesley Matthews to replace Danny Green, Marc Stein of the New York Times tweets.

Matthews holds a $2.69MM player option on his contract but he’s expected to decline it so that he can become an unrestricted free agent.

Green is headed to the Thunder in an agreed-upon deal that will send Dennis Schroder to Los Angeles. Matthews, 34, started 67 regular-season games for the Bucks last season and averaged 7.4 PPG, 2.5 RPG and 1.4 APG. Matthews also averaged 7.2 PPG in 10 postseason starts for Milwaukee.

The Bucks have reportedly made retaining Matthews a priority. Other playoff-caliber teams, such as the Heat, could also get in the mix.

Matthews’ value is mainly as a floor spacer. He’s a 38.1% career 3-point shooter, though his success rate dropped to 36.4% last season.

Heat Hire Caron Butler As Assistant Coach

November 14th, 2020 at 4:43pm CST by Luke Adams

NOVEMBER 14: The move is official, tweets Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel.

NOVEMBER 13: The Heat are hiring former NBA forward Caron Butler as an assistant coach on Erik Spoelstra‘s staff, a source tells Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link).

Having last appeared in the NBA in 2016 and having announced his retirement in 2018, Butler has spent the last few years working as a basketball analyst. When he retired, Butler said he intended to remain involved in the game “in some form or another” — this will be his first coaching role.

Butler, 40, averaged 14.1 PPG and 5.0 RPG in 881 career regular season games between 2002 and 2016, racking up 12,430 points over the course of his 14 NBA seasons. The two-time All-Star also appeared in 65 postseason games, winning a title with the Mavericks in 2011, though he was unable to suit up for Dallas during those playoffs due to an injury.

Although Butler only spent the first two years of his playing career with the Heat, he had a significant impact in those two seasons, per Reynolds, who notes (via Twitter) that Dwyane Wade credited Butler for teaching him everything he knows “about how to be a professional.” Spoelstra was an assistant on Miami’s staff during Butler’s stint with the team, so their relationship dates back nearly two decades.

Butler will help fill the hole on the Heat’s sidelines created when veteran assistant Dan Craig left for the Clippers.

Draft Notes: Anthony, Vassell, Maledon, Maxey

November 13th, 2020 at 9:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Southeast Division clubs have shown the most interest in North Carolina point guard Cole Anthony. He’s had individual workouts for the Wizards, Heat and Magic, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News tweets. The son of former NBA guard Greg Anthony is ranked 19th on ESPN’s Best Available list. The Wizards own the No. 9 pick, with Orlando holding the No. 15 selection and Miami sitting at No. 20.

We have more draft news:

Florida State guard Devin Vassell, ranked 11th by ESPN, has worked out for a handful of teams, Steve Popper of Newsday tweets. Vassell said he’s visited with the Knicks, Warriors, Celtics, Hawks and Magic. The presence of the Hawks (No. 6 pick) and Knicks (No. 8) suggest Vassell could go in the top 10. Golden State’s interest is intriguing, suggesting Vassell would be a target if the club trades down from the No. 2 pick.
French point guard Theo Maledon has worked out for three Atlantic Division clubs as well as the Spurs, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. The Nets (19th pick), Celtics (three first-rounders) and Raptors (No. 29) have also taken a look at Maledon, who is rated 24th overall by ESPN.
As of Thursday, the Pelicans were the only team to host Tyrese Maxey, Rod Beard of the Detroit News tweets. The Kentucky shooting guard is 14th on ESPN’s list and New Orleans holds the 13th pick, so its interest late in the lottery makes sense.

And-Ones: Cousins, Cap Projections, Two-Way Players, Hard Cap

November 13th, 2020 at 7:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

DeMarcus Cousins is still recovering from the torn ACL in his left knee and may not be ready to play when the 2020/21 season begins in December, Austin Kent of SLAM reports. Cousins missed all of last season after suffering the injury during a summer workout. Cousins’ agent Jeff Schwartz told Kent that his client is focused on returning at full strength. Cousins, who is an unrestricted free agent, received offers prior to the restart but chose to continue his rehab.

We have more news from around the basketball world:

The Knicks are in the best position in terms of cap space next offseason, Danny Leroux of The Athletic notes. Depending upon what they do this offseason, New York might have enough room for two max players. The Spurs, Hornets, Hawks and Heat could also be in good position to sign a max player. Leroux breaks down every team’s cap situation and what kind of spending power they might have in 2021.
There’s a good chance that two-way players will be able to remain with their NBA teams for more than 45 days during the upcoming season, Marc Stein of the New York Times tweets. With a condensed offseason as well as coronavirus concerns, team executives are seeking more roster flexibility, Stein adds.
With a flat luxury-tax line and hard cap, several teams will be forced into hard decisions in the coming weeks, Bobby Marks of ESPN notes. The hard cap of $138.9MM could force the Lakers to decide between trying to re-sign Rajon Rondo and spending their $9.3MM mid-level exception on another free agent, Marks notes. The hard cap figure could also force the Bucks to waive Ersan Ilyasova, who has a non-guaranteed $7MM contract, Marks adds.

Udonis Haslem Plans To Re-Sign With Heat

November 13th, 2020 at 11:00am CST by Luke Adams

Heat big man Udonis Haslem announced today that he intends to return to the franchise for at least one more season, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Haslem, 40, has been a member of the Heat since 2003, having made his debut with the team over 17 years ago. During that time, he has appeared in 858 regular season games for Miami, plus another 147 postseason contests. He has won three titles with the organization, averaging 7.6 PPG and 6.7 RPG for his career.

In recent years, Haslem’s on-court role has declined significantly. In 2019/20, he appeared in just four regular season games, logging a total of 44 minutes. It was the fourth straight year in which he has played no more than 130 minutes.

However, the Heat value Haslem’s veteran leadership and presence on the bench, and appear willing to continue to signing him to one-year, minimum-salary contracts as long as he wants to continue his career.

According to Winderman (Twitter link), Haslem said today that he still thinks he can contribute, but won’t push for minutes. The veteran declined to say whether or not 2020/21 will be his final season, tweets Winderman.

Now that Vince Carter has retired, Haslem may begin the ’20/21 campaign as the NBA’s oldest player, unless Jamal Crawford or another veteran free agent in his 40s signs a new contract.

Heat Notes: Leonard, Carey, Achiuwa, Scrubb

November 12th, 2020 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Reiterating a point he made in a previous interview, Heat center Meyers Leonard told Jeremy Werner of 247Sports.com that when he considers his options in free agency, he’ll be looking for a spot where he can contend, rather than one where he can try to put up big numbers.

“I don’t give a damn about numbers. I care about winning,” Leonard said. “I think that they knew that in Miami. I know that (coach Erik Spoelstra) and my teammates sure as hell did. I would tell Bam (Adebayo) often, ‘I don’t give a damn about rebound numbers. You go grab 15, and I’ll block out their best rebounder and you come grab them.'”

Leonard also said that he thinks a reunion is a possibility, but that he’s prepared to consider other landing spots if the Heat decide to move on.

“The NBA is a business. I think there’s mutual interest between Miami and I, but we’ll see,” he said. “There’s other teams that are very interested. I’m in a good spot.”

Here’s more on the Heat:

The Heat conducted a private, in-person workout last week with Duke big man Vernon Carey Jr., according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). Carey is only the No. 43 prospect on ESPN’s big board but has received some first-round buzz and could be an option for Miami at No. 20.
Carey is far from the only draft-eligible frontcourt player receiving interest from the Heat. The team also recently worked out Memphis’ Precious Achiuwa and has interest in Maryland’s Jalen Smith, Jackson writes for The Herald. ESPN ranks both players in its top 20.
The Heat have conducted two interviews with 6’6″ shooting guard Jay Scrubb, a source tells Jackson. The No. 76 prospect on ESPN’s board, Scrubb is considered one of 2020’s best junior college prospects. Within the same Herald article, Jackson notes that Miami has also interviewed Stanford guard Tyrell Terry.

Blazers, Heat, Thunder, Wolves Paid Tax For 2019/20

November 12th, 2020 at 2:11pm CST by Luke Adams

Just four NBA teams finished the 2019/20 season in tax territory and none of those clubs will be on the hook for a substantial bill. As Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press relays (via Twitter), this season’s four taxpayers, along with the penalties they’ll pay, are as follows:

Portland Trail Blazers: $5,082,084
Miami Heat: $2,461,242
Oklahoma City Thunder: $2,102,278
Minnesota Timberwolves: $497,502

Since half of the luxury tax penalty money is reallocated to the teams that finished out of the tax, those 26 non-tax clubs are in line for modest payouts of $195,060, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter). Marks notes that the $10,143,106 in total tax penalties represents the lowest leaguewide amount since the NBA introduced its luxury tax system in 2002/03.

While those four teams wouldn’t have been subjected to big tax bills either way, they received a small break from the NBA, according to Marks and Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report (Twitter links). The league implemented its anticipated tax adjustment for 2020/21 a year early, reducing teams’ penalties by the percentage that the league’s basketball related income (BRI) fell short of the preseason projection.

As cap expert Albert Nahmad and Shams Charania of The Athletic detail (via Twitter), the NBA ultimately finished with a BRI figure of $6.865 billion after initially projecting $8.034 billion. That means the league only earned about 85.4% of its anticipated BRI and in turn only charged taxpaying teams 85.4% of their tax penalties.

For example, Portland should have owed $5,947,943 in tax penalties, but was only charged $5,082,084. The other three taxpaying clubs received similar reductions.

The Blazers only saved about $866K based on the league’s leniency and the other three clubs saved less than that, but the temporary change the tax system could have a significantly greater impact in 2020/21, when more clubs project to be in the tax and the NBA is bracing for a more substantial loss in revenue.