Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Author Claims LeBron Wanted Riley To Coach In Miami

September 15th, 2018 at 7:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

Early in his first season in Miami, LeBron James sent a message to Heat president Pat Riley that he should take over coaching duties from Erik Spoelstra, author Ian Thomsen claims in a new book. That story is among several contained in “The Soul of Basketball: The Epic Showdown Between LeBron, Kobe, Doc, and Dirk That Saved the NBA,” which Thomsen promoted in a recent appearance on Zach Lowe’s podcast (Hat tip to Dane Delgado of NBC Sports).

Spoelstra was in his third year as head coach when a rift reportedly developed between him and James during a 9-8 start. After a loss to the Mavericks, James dropped a subtle hint to Riley that he wanted him back behind the bench.

“[I] asked how things were progressing,” Riley recalls in the book. “They just said, ‘We’re not feeling it, or something like that.’ We talked about the typical things we have to do, have patience, all that stuff. And I remember LeBron looking at me and he said, ‘Don’t you ever get the itch?’

“And I said, ‘The itch for what?’ He said, ‘The itch to coach again.’ I said, ‘No I don’t have the itch.’

“He didn’t ask any more questions and I didn’t offer any more answers but I know what it meant and I always go back and wonder what he was thinking at that time. He walked out scratching at his leg like it was itching.”

Riley, of course, remained in the front office as Spoelstra led Miami to four straight NBA Finals and a pair of championships. James was involved in a similar scenario after returning to Cleveland, where he reportedly clashed with coach David Blatt, who was eventually replaced by Tyronn Lue.

Waiters May Not Be Ready For Opener

September 14th, 2018 at 5:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Heat shooting guard Dion Waiters may not be ready for the beginning of the regular season, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Teammate Briante Weber told Jackson that Waiters, who underwent ankle surgery in January, has not participated in any contact work or pickup games with his teammates. With Dwyane Wade continuing to waffle on whether he’ll re-sign with the team, Miami could pursue other free agent options, Jackson adds, with Jamal Crawford, Mario Chalmers and Joe Johnson among a pool of potential targets.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Hawks center Dewayne Dedmon, who suffered an avulsion fracture in his left ankle last week, has shed his walking boot, according to a team press release. He will now participate in weight-bearing rehabilitation and then be re-evaluated in two weeks. Dedmon, who will make $7.2MM this season, will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
The Magic are close to hiring Bill Pope as their director of pro personnel, Marc Stein of the New York Times tweets. Pope currently holds a similar position with the Kings.
Tomas Satoransky will enter camp as the Wizards’ backup point guard but there’s no guarantee he’ll remain in the rotation, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes in a player profile. Satoransky had trouble holding onto that spot last season and newcomer Austin Rivers and Troy Brown Jr. can play the point behind John Wall if needed. There’s also more depth at the wing, reducing the chances of Satoransky seeing action at those positions, Hughes adds.

Dwyane Wade Still Hasn’t Made A Decision On Playing

September 14th, 2018 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Dwyane Wade was evasive about his playing future in a public appearance Thursday in Miami to promote a new restaurant, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. He reiterated to reporters that he will definitely remain with the Heat if he continues his career, but he hasn’t made a decision yet.

“I wish I had an answer for you. I don’t have it today,” Wade said. “… A lot goes into it. We’ve kind of talked about it over the course of my career. So you guys can play the tape back and hear the same answers over and over again. But a lot goes into it.”

Wade was a valuable reserve in Miami after the Cavaliers traded him back to his long-time home in February, averaging 12.0 PPG in 21 games. He reportedly wants to feel comfortable with his role on the team before committing to another year, which likely includes an increase in playing time from the 22.2 minutes per game he saw last season.

There’s also the matter of money. The Heat are over the cap, but have a $5.3MM taxpayer mid-level exception still available. If they don’t want to give Wade at least part of that, the best they can offer is the $2.4MM veteran’s minimum.

“You’ve got to call my agent and ask him,” Wade responded when asked what the team is offering. “I haven’t dealt with the money part of it.”

The Heat have been holding a roster spot open for Wade all summer, and they would like an answer soon with training camp opening in a week and a half. However, Wade doesn’t seem to be influenced by any deadlines.

“Whichever day the decision comes, it comes,” he said. “And that’s the right day, whatever date that is.”

Wade Wants To Be Comfortable With Role In Miami

September 13th, 2018 at 2:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

Dwyane Wade isn’t demanding to start, but he does want to feel comfortable with his role on the Heat before committing to play another season, writes Greg Cote of The Miami Herald.

Wade was used exclusively in a reserve role after the Cavaliers traded him to Miami in February. He came off the bench in all 21 regular season games with the Heat, along with four postseason contests.

Wade would like to be used more than the 22.2 minutes of playing time he averaged after returning to Miami, Cote adds. He would be willing to play a mentor’s role, similar to newly re-signed teammate Udonis Haslem, but also wants to contribute on the court.

Miami has been holding a roster spot open for Wade, but had hoped for an earlier decision. Team president Pat Riley originally said he hoped for a final determination by the middle of August, then later said Labor Day was “sort of the drop-dead date for players.”

Cote expects Wade to announce that he’ll play one more year, but not until the team’s Media Day on September 24.

Heat Notes: Draft, Richardson, Wade, Haslem

September 12th, 2018 at 2:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA appears to be holding off a decision to eliminate the one-and-done rule until the 2022 draft, which would be good news for the Heat, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. That would mean Miami wouldn’t miss out on a potential bonanza in the 2021 class with the top college prospects and high school seniors both available. The Heat are the only team that have traded their 2021 first-rounder, sending it to Phoenix in the Goran Dragic deal. The Suns moved it to the Sixers this summer as part of the package to acquire Mikal Bridges.

Jonathan Givony of ESPN recently reported that teams have been told by league executives that no change in the one-and-done rule will occur prior to 2022. The Heat haven’t appealed to the league to make the change in any particular year, Jackson adds.

Jackson shares more from Miami in the same story:

At least one unidentified team offered a first-round pick to Miami in exchange for Josh Richardson during the offseason. The Heat turned it down and have no plans to part with Richardson, who is entering the first season of a four-year, $42MM extension. The team also prefers to hang onto Dragic, Kelly Olynyk, Bam Adebayo, James Johnson and Justise Winslow.
Dwyane Wade has less than two weeks to make a decision before camp opens, but at least one Heat official believes he wants to play this season. Wade has been on vacation in California, but will return to Miami tomorrow to open a restaurant with Udonis Haslem, who has been part of the recruiting effort to get Wade to return.
Haslem said his “love for the organization” and his teammates was behind his decision to return for a 16th season. “If I was looking for playing time, I could have gone someplace else or played in China or something,” he said. “But at the end of the day, would it have made me as happy as being around this organization and being around these guys? No, I don’t think it would.” Haslem saw minimal action last season, averaging about five minutes per night in 14 games.

Heat Exercise Option On Bam Adebayo

September 12th, 2018 at 12:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat have exercised their third-year option on Bam Adebayo, the team announced on its website. The move locks in his $3,454,080 salary for the 2019/20 season.

The decision isn’t surprising after Adebayo’s impressive rookie campaign. The 14th player selected in the 2017 draft, he made an instant impact in Miami, earning a rotation spot and contributing mostly in a reserve role. The 21-year-old posted a 6.9/5.5/1.5 line in 69 games while averaging 19.8 minutes per night.

Adebayo’s fourth-year option, which the Heat will have to decide on next summer, would pay him $5,115,492 for the 2020/21 season.

Matt Williams Signs In Finland

September 12th, 2018 at 8:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Matt Williams, who held a two-way contract with the Heat for part of last season, has signed to play in Finland, according to Orazio Cauchi of Sportando. KTP-Basket announced the deal with Williams this morning.

Undrafted out of Central Florida in 2017, Williams signed a two-way deal with Miami in mid-October and was waived at the end of December. He appeared in three games at the NBA level, playing 11 total minutes and averaging 1.7 PPG.

Williams was more productive in the G League, averaging 10.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per night in 43 games for the Heat’s affiliate in Sioux Falls.

Haslem Wants Wade To Join Him Back In Miami; The Frontcourt

September 11th, 2018 at 7:58pm CST by Austin Kent

The Heat will bring back their “captain”, 38-year-old Udonis Haslem, for the 2018/19 season. Now, an Associated Press report states, he’ll get to work convincing Dwyane Wade to join him in fending off retirement. “My mindset has always been for us to finish it together,” Haslem said. “I want us to do a whole season together. Experience the road, dinner on the road, go through that whole process. I want us to experience that together.” Wade, of course, played half of last season with the Cavaliers after initially leaving Miami for the Bulls in the summer of 2016.
The Heat have a number of options that Erik Spoelstra will need to mix and match in order to fill his frontcourt. Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes in a mailbag with readers that he views Kelly Olynyk as a change-of-pace backup center behind Hassan Whiteside and James Johnson as the club’s power forward.

Heat Re-Sign Udonis Haslem

September 10th, 2018 at 5:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

SEPTEMBER 10: Haslem has officially re-signed, according to a team press release. “It’s great to have our captain back,” Heat president Pat Riley said. “We’re looking forward to having UD back for his 16th season with the Heat.”

SEPTEMBER 6: Veteran forward Udonis Haslem will return for another season with the Heat, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. He agreed to a one-year contract at the veteran’s minimum of about $2.4MM.

The contract will include an “implicit” no-trade clause, notes salary cap expert Albert Nahmad, but it’s almost unthinkable that Miami would try to include Haslem in a deal (Twitter link).

Haslem has spent 15 years in the NBA, all with the Heat, but has transitioned into a mentor’s role in the past two seasons. He got into just 14 games last year, played about five minutes per night and averaged less than a point and a rebound per contest.

Haslem originally signed with Miami in 2003 after going undrafted out of Florida. He became a starter in his second season and averaged close to a double-double in points and rebounds for several years. He provided toughness and leadership as a part-time starter during the Big Three era when the Heat made four straight trips to the NBA Finals.

Miami has been holding two roster spots open throughout the summer for Haslem and Dwyane Wade. Today’s signing brings the Heat’s training camp total to 19 with Wade expected to announce a decision soon. Thirteen players have guaranteed contracts with Duncan Robinson and Yante Maten holding two-way deals and Briante Weber, Marcus Lee, Malik Newman and Jarnell Stokes all having Exhibit 10s (Twitter link).

Heat Notes: Dragic, Olynyk, Stokes, Bosh

September 8th, 2018 at 6:32pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat may be willing to trade Goran Dragic, but only if they can get a first-round pick and some financial flexibility for next summer, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Dragic’s name was floated last week as a possible target for the Suns, who are without a veteran point guard after dealing Brandon Knight to the Rockets.

Dragic is the only established point guard on the Heat roster, but Winderman notes that Miami has a logjam in the backcourt, needing to find time for Dion Waiters, Tyler Johnson, Josh Richardson, Justise Winslow, Wayne Ellington, Rodney McGruder and possibly Dwyane Wade. The Heat, who are over the projected luxury tax for this season with nearly $127MM in guaranteed salary, could also benefit financially from unloading Dragic, who will make more than $18.1MM this year and has a $19.2MM player option for 2019/20.

Winderman passes along more Heat info in the same story:

Kelly Olynyk has committed to play a pair of World Cup qualifying games this month for the Canadian national team. Olynyk is among several NBA players on the roster for Canada, which hopes to qualify for the tournament for the first time since 2010. Olynyk’s games are set for Wednesday and September 17, so they won’t interfere with Miami’s training camp.
Jarnell Stokes is grateful for the opportunity to join the Heat in camp, even though he faces long odds to win a roster spot. The power forward played five games with Miami during the 2015/16 season and has a high opinion of the franchise. “They are very fair when it comes to trusting what they see,” Stokes said in a recent interview with J.D. Shaw of Def Pen Hoops. “A lot of guys go by numbers and politics, but you can pretty much trust that if you put in the work — guys like Tyler Johnson, Hassan Whiteside, Josh Richardson — these guys really did not have an opportunity at first. Miami is typically the spot that is able to trust in what they see.”
Former Heat big man Chris Bosh continues to express his desire to return to the NBA. The Georgia Tech alum, who hasn’t played since doctors discovered a recurrence of blood clots in 2016, said in an interview with ramblinwreck.com that he hopes to work toward a comeback this season. Because Bosh left the Heat over a medical issue and the final two years of his contract were removed from Miami’s cap, he is not permitted to rejoin the team.