- After visiting the Lakers on Friday, French center Darel Poirier had workouts lined up with the Heat, Sixers, Jazz, and Timberwolves, according to Nicola Lupo of Sportando (Twitter link). Poirier played in the G League in 2018/19 with Washington’s affiliate, but remains draft-eligible for 2019.
- Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald cites a source who says PJ Washington (Kentucky) is working out for the Heat and relays a report indicating that Washington’s teammate Tyler Herro will also visit the club. In a tweet, Jackson adds that the Heat will work out Miami’s Dewan Hernandez on June 15.
The Heat decided to pull back in trade discussions when discussing a Josh Richardson-centered deal for Jimmy Butler last season, but the swingman won’t be untouchable in trade talks going forward, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel relays in his latest mailbag.
Winderman writes that if Richardson is needed to complete a deal, he could be in a similar situation to Caron Butler‘s in the mid-2000s. Butler was included in the trade with the Lakers to bring Shaquille O’Neal to the Heat. Richardson, who will turn 26 in September, cooled off as a long-range marksman in 2018/19, making just 35.7% of his attempts from behind the arc. He’s under contract through the 2021/22 season (final year of the pact is a player’s option).
Here’s more from Miami:
- Udonis Haslem could have a role as a consultant with the Heat, Winderman contends in the same piece. Haslem remains undecided about retiring as a player, though Winderman notes that he expects the power forward to actively remain with the Heat in some capacity regardless of his official decision. Former Heat center Alonzo Mourning trains with the team and instructs younger players, though he isn’t required to travel. That wouldn’t be a bad deal if Haslem decides to retire.
- Kevin Porter Jr. (USC) will make a visit to Miami to work out for the Heat, a source tells Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Jackson writes that the team is intrigued by his scoring ability, athletism, and high ceiling.
- Pat Riley and the Heat’s brass attended Priority Sports’ Chicago workout last week to see a handful of prospects, Jackson relays in the same piece. Gonzaga’s Brandon Clarke, Purdue’s Carsen Edwards, Maryland’s Bruno Fernando, Wisconsin’s Ethan Happ, Virginia’s Ty Jerome, Nebraska’s Isaiah Roby, Tennessee’s Admiral Schofield, DePaul’s Max Strus and Belmont’s Dylan Windler participated in drills. Jackson notes that Clarke is likely the only prospect in contention for the No. 13 overall pick.
- Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel ponders whether the Heat, who finished with a 39-43 record this season, should take an international route in the draft. Miami was awarded the No. 13 pick for next month’s annual event.
- The Heat could use a star player to help attract other free agents to town, Winderman writes in a separate article. This recruiter could stem from a developing project such as Josh Richardson or Justise Winslow, or a future acquisition down the road.
Malik Allen was the only member of Tom Thibodeau’s former staff who was retained by the Timberwolves after Ryan Saunders had the interim tag removed earlier this week. However, Allen may be on the move as well. He has emerged as a prime candidate to replace Juwan Howard on Erik Spoelstra’s staff, Marc Stein of the New York Times tweets. Howard left the Heat to take the University of Michigan head coaching job.
Former NBA stars have a mixed record when taking over their alma maters, but Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is confident that his assistant, Juwan Howard, will be successful at Michigan, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Howard accepted a five-year deal this morning to coach the Wolverines, who recently lost John Beilein to the Cavaliers.
“Juwan is an absolute star as a person, player and coach,” Spoelstra said. “I feel he is more than ready. He is a terrific leader and mentor, which translates very well to the collegiate level. While we are losing a valuable member of our staff and a great friend, I am happy for him and his family. He will forever be a champion and part of the Heat family and I am excited to see him take the next step.”
Howard has been on the staff in Miami for the past six seasons, and his duties included helping to develop Hassan Whiteside and Bam Adebayo, so the Heat will likely seek a replacement who has experience in working with big men. Jackson notes that the team now only has two assistants, Chris Quinn and Anthony Carter, who have NBA playing experience.
There’s more news from Miami:
- Although Udonis Haslem would be a logical choice to succeed Howard, he has stated numerous times that he doesn’t want to be a coach, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Haslem, who has spent his entire 16-year career in Miami, has morphed into a virtual assistant coach’s role, playing just 16, 14 and 10 games the past three seasons. “I don’t want to do coaching,” he said last year. “The coaching is not for me.” Haslem also hasn’t announced his retirement and may want to stay on the active roster next season.
- Whiteside and Goran Dragic will become instant trade chips if they exercise their options for next season, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Whiteside has a $27MM option, while Dragic’s is $19.2MM, which Winderman believes is too high for either player to opt out. Both must decide by June 29.
- The Heat may take a chance at Oregon’s Bol Bol, whose father Manute briefly played for the organization, with the No. 13 pick, Winderman writes in a separate story. Bol represents a gamble because he’s recovering from a foot injury that limited him to nine games in college.
5:36pm: The move is official, according to a tweet from the university.
1:48pm: Heat assistant and former University of Michigan star Juwan Howard will return to his alma mater to become the new head coach of the program, according to Jeff Goodman of Stadium, who reports (via Twitter) that Howard and the Wolverines have agreed to a five-year deal.
Miami Heat Beat first reported on Tuesday that Howard was expected to be named Michigan’s new head coach, though the two sides apparently didn’t finalize an agreement until today, according to reports from Goodman and others.
Michigan had been on the lookout for a new head coach after John Beilein – who had held the position since 2007 – accepted the Cavaliers’ job earlier this month. Howard’s name surfaced frequently throughout the Wolverines’ search process, with former Fab Five teammate Jalen Rose among those who endorsed him for the role.
Before he reached a deal to replace Beilein at Michigan, Howard received interest from multiple NBA teams seeking a new head coach this spring. He reportedly met with the Cavaliers and Lakers about their job openings, and was said to be on the Timberwolves’ list of candidates before they opted to retain interim coach Ryan Saunders.
The Heat figure to scour the coaching market for a new assistant to replace Howard on Erik Spoelstra‘s staff.
It looks like the Grizzlies will have to scratch one name off their list of potential head coaches. Lithuanian basketball journalist Donatas Urbonas is reporting that Zalgiris Kaunas is confident Sarunas Jasikevicius will return to coach the team next season (Twitter link). Memphis, the only NBA team currently without a head coach, reportedly has interest in Jasikevicius if he decides to leave Europe.
“Today it seems like everything is OK and Saras is staying in Zalgiris,” team executive Robertas Javtokas said in a TV interview. “I think last year we had even bigger headache due to Saras’ future status. Of course, if [an] NBA offer comes, we will be very glad for him. It would be an issue for us, but we know Saras won’t be here forever and we must be ready for this.” (Twitter link)
Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin was the latest candidate to interview for the Grizzlies’ vacancy. He joins former Suns coach Igor Kokoskov, Trail Blazers assistant Nate Tibbetts, Jazz assistant Alex Jensen and Warriors assistant Jarron Collins.
There’s more out of Memphis:
- By conducting a thorough coaching search, the Grizzlies are making up for their mistake last summer when they didn’t talk to anyone outside the organization before giving the job to interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff, writes Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian. Herrington recommends that the team look for someone relatively young who has head coaching experience at some level and a track record of player development.
- Center Jonas Valanciunas recently indicated that the coaching hire will affect whether he decides to opt in to a $17.6MM salary next season, Herrington notes. Valanciunas, who averaged 19.9 points and 10.7 rebounds per game after being acquired from the Raptors midway through the season, has a June 13 deadline to make his decision.
- A Mike Conley trade is more likely to happen after July 1 because more teams will have cap room to absorb part of his salary, Herrington writes in a separate story. The Grizzlies will be well stocked at point guard if they draft Ja Morant and keep free agent Delon Wright, so Herrington expects the club to focus on players who get drafted next month, along with future draft picks and young players with affordable contracts for the next few years. The Timberwolves, Heat, Pistons, Jazz and Pacers are considered the most likely landing spots for Conley, according to Herrington, but the Knicks, Lakers, Clippers and Celtics are candidates to enter the mix depending how free agency turns out.
The Mike Conley-to-the-Heat talk is just that at the moment. It’s strictly speculation, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel, though the scribe wonders if there’s a potential deal that makes sense for both Miami and Memphis.
Matching salary would be easy if Hassan Whiteside opts in and the Grizzlies are willing to take back the center as a main pillar of the trade. However, what would Miami have to add as an incentive for Memphis to make the move? The Grizzlies would get out of Conley’s contract, which runs through the 2020/21 season, though the franchise would undoubtedly want more than just cost savings if they deal their long-time point guard.
The Heat are not in a position to trade away their first-rounder this year (No. 13 overall), having given away their 2021 selection in the Goran Dragic deal. The organization could offer Dragic (assuming he opts in) in place of Whiteside, but that kind of deal doesn’t really move the needle for Miami.
Then there are the financial repercussions for Miami in taking back Conley. He’ll collect approximately $32.5MM and $34.5MM in each of the next two seasons (Conley has an ETO on the 2020/21 season, but it would be shocking if he opts out). As it currently stands, the Heat’s first shot at sizeable cap space is prior to the 2020/21 season and trading for Memphis’ point guard would delay that eureka moment by an entire calendar year.
Here’s more from Miami:
- Kendrick Nunn is guaranteed $50K if he’s on the roster come July 1 and Winderman contends (in the same piece) that Nunn’s future with the Heat could be tied to the team’s draft. If Miami acquires a second-round pick—Minnesota owns their 2019 selection—then Nunn’s spot on the team may be in jeopardy.
- A source close to Dragic would be “very surprised” if the point guard opts to hit the free agent market this summer, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald relays. Dragic likes playing for the Heat, though the decision could come down to whether his camp gets the sense that a long-term lucrative deal awaits him this offseason.
- The Heat are operating under the assumption that both Whiteside and Dragic will opt into their respective deals for next season, Winderman writes in a separate piece. Whiteside’s player option for 2019/20 is worth approximately $27.1MM while Dragic’s comes in at roughly $19.2MM.
- Patience with Dion Waiters and James Johnson was wearing thin during the 2018/19 campaign, Winderman adds in the same article. Both players have had injury woes throughout their respective contract with the Heat, though Winderman writes that it doesn’t mean there isn’t an “avenue for redemption” next season. Each players’ contract runs through the 2020/21 season, though Johnson’s pact contains a player option on that final season.
After receiving consideration for multiple NBA head coaching jobs this offseason, Heat assistant Juwan Howard now appears to be in the running for a job at his alma mater. Multiple sources tell Josh Henschke of The Michigan Insider that Howard and Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel have a meeting lined up for Tuesday to discuss the Wolverines’ head coaching vacancy.
Michigan has been on the lookout for a new head coach since John Beilein – who had held the position since 2007 – accepted the Cavaliers’ job earlier this month. Howard’s name has frequently come up since Beilein’s departure, with former Fab Five teammate Jalen Rose among those who have endorsed him for the role.
Jordan Schultz of ESPN first reported on Friday (via Twitter) that Howard had spoken with Turnkey Sports, the firm leading the Wolverines’ search. Howard was informed that Manuel was “very interested” in speaking with him, according to Schultz.
Earlier this spring, Howard met with the Cavaliers and Lakers about their head coaching openings. He’s also reportedly on the Timberwolves’ list of candidates after they opened a search beyond interim coach Ryan Saunders.