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2017 Offseason In Review: Miami Heat

October 19th, 2017 at 11:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2017 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s moves from the last several months and look ahead to what the 2017/18 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Miami Heat.

Signings:

James Johnson: Four years, $60.002MM. Fourth-year player option.
Dion Waiters: Four years, $47.3MM.
Kelly Olynyk: Four years, $45.611MM. Fourth-year player option.
Jordan Mickey: Two years, minimum salary. Second-year team option.
Udonis Haslem: One year, minimum salary.
Derrick Walton Jr.: Two-way contract. One year. $50K guaranteed.

Camp invitees:

Larry Drew II: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10. (Waived)
Erik McCree: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10. (Waived)
Matt Williams: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract. (Converted to two-way contract)
DeAndre Liggins: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed. (Waived)
Tony Mitchell: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed. (Waived)

Trades:

Acquired A.J. Hammons from the Mavericks in exchange for Josh McRoberts, the Heat’s 2023 second-round pick, and cash ($5.1MM).

Draft picks:

1-14: Bam Adebayo — Signed to rookie contract.

Extensions:

Josh Richardson: Four years, $41.965MM.

Departing players:

Luke Babbitt
Chris Bosh (waived; medical retirement)
Josh McRoberts
Willie Reed

Other offseason news:

Purchased a controlling interest in the Sioux Falls Skyforce; will now own and operate the G League affiliate.
Rodney McGruder to miss three to six months with leg injury.
Exercised 2018/19 rookie scale option on Justise Winslow.

Salary cap situation:

Used up cap room. Now operating over the cap, but well under the tax. Carrying approximately $100MM in guaranteed team salary. Room exception ($4.328MM) still available.

Check out the Miami Heat’s full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.

Story of the summer:

An annual threat to land the top players on the free agent market, the Heat are an appealing possible destination for stars for a variety of reasons, including the head coach, the management team, the culture, and – not least of all – the climate. As such, it’s no surprise that the front office went after Gordon Hayward this offseason — the All-Star forward wasn’t the best free agent on the market, but he was probably the best one who legitimately considered changing teams.

For the second straight year, however, the Heat secured a meeting with the summer’s top free agent, only to be eliminated from consideration early. A year ago, Kevin Durant passed on the allure of South Beach, and this time around, Hayward’s decision ultimately came down to Utah vs. Boston.

A lack of recent success chasing stars won’t necessarily diminish Pat Riley‘s enthusiasm for pursuing them in future offseasons, but it did force him to change directions this year. Rather than locking up a bunch of players to one-year contracts and rolling over their cap space to the summer of 2018, the Heat made lucrative, long-term commitments to a handful of players after missing out on Hayward.

James Johnson went from a one-year deal worth $4MM to a four-year deal worth $60MM. Dion Waiters, coming off a contract that paid him less than $3MM for one year, inked a four-year pact worth $47MM+. Josh Richardson wasn’t a free agent, but he got a new contract too, signing an extension that will bump his salary from the minimum this year to more than $10MM annually for the next four seasons.

It’s an intriguing strategy for the Heat, one that probably eliminates any chance they had of making a free agent splash in 2018. There are many movable contracts on the roster, so targeting stars on the trade market will still be an option. But Miami’s Plan B this summer suggests that Riley – in the years between legit title contention – is far more comfortable putting together a solid, but unspectacular, roster capable of making the playoffs than he would be blowing things up in search of potential star power in the draft.

Key offseason losses:

The remaining members of the Heat’s Big Three played their final games with the club back in 2015/16, before Dwyane Wade left in free agency and Chris Bosh was sidelined with blood clot issues. However, Bosh technically remained on the roster through the 2016/17 campaign, having been officially waived just this spring. Miami was able to remove his remaining cap hits from the club’s books as a result of Bosh’s medical retirement.

Obviously, the big man’s departure won’t have an on-court impact on the Heat from last year to this year, since he didn’t appear in a single game last season. Nonetheless, Bosh was a significant part of the Heat’s most recent championship teams, and his departure represents the official end of an era in Miami.

As for the departing players who actually played in 2016/17, none are irreplaceable. Willie Reed (5.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG) was a productive backup center behind Hassan Whiteside, and Luke Babbitt (.414 3PT%) was an effective sharpshooter during his lone season with the Heat, but both players only averaged about 15 minutes per game.

The club also parted ways with Josh McRoberts this offseason, bringing his frustrating tenure in Miami to an end. While McRoberts would have been a nice fit for the Heat if he had been able to stay on the court, injuries limited him to just 81 games in three seasons with the organization.

Key offseason additions:

The Heat’s most notable offseason acquisition was big man Kelly Olynyk, whose arrival in Miami was indirectly as a result of the club’s inability to land Hayward. When the Celtics secured a commitment from Hayward, they had to rescind their qualifying offer to Olynyk in order to maximize their cap room. At that point, the Heat pounced on the newly unrestricted Olynyk, agreeing to terms with him just a few hours later.

A former lottery pick, Olynyk was a solid rotation piece in Boston, but even after a memorable performance against the Wizards in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals earlier this year, he wasn’t viewed as a marquee free agent. The Heat’s willingness to offer him a four-year contract worth over $45MM was a surprise, and I’ll be curious to see how he fits in the team’s frontcourt alongside Whiteside.

The Heat are a smart franchise, and they’re renowned for an intense conditioning program that helps get the most out of players. If they were eager to bring Olynyk into the mix, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they have a vision for how he’ll make the team better.

Outside of Olynyk, the team’s offseason additions were limited. Miami used its 14th overall pick on Bam Adebayo, but he’s an unfinished product at just 20 years old, and is unlikely to play a major role in his rookie season. Elsewhere in the frontcourt, free agent signee Jordan Mickey is more likely to earn a rotation spot than A.J. Hammons, who was a throw-in in a trade with the Mavericks and will likely be first on the chopping block if the Heat need to open up a roster spot.

Outlook for 2017/18:

Despite finishing last season on a 30-11 run, this Heat club almost certainly doesn’t have a 60-win ceiling. It’s a solid roster, and players like Whiteside and Goran Dragic are perhaps borderline stars, but neither of them is equipped to be the best player on a serious championship contender — a playoff appearance is possible and a postseason series win isn’t entirely out of the question, but that’s probably as far as Miami can hope to go in 2017/18.

That’s not bad, but it’s also not the sort of season Riley has grown accustomed to. It will be interesting to see whether he remains patient and sticks with the current version of this Heat team, or if he gets antsy and looks to make a major move or two at this season’s trade deadline.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Heat Notes: Nelson, Hammons, Olynyk, Winslow

October 18th, 2017 at 8:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jameer Nelson may seem like an attractive option for a Heat team without a true backup point guard, but that doesn’t mean Miami will try to sign him, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel in a mailbag column. The Nuggets waived Nelson today to open a roster space for Richard Jefferson. If no one claims the 35-year-old and his more than $4.7MM salary before Friday, he will become a free agent and can sign with any organization.

The Heat’s option best option to back up Goran Dragic, according to Winderman, is probably Josh Richardson, who is being used as the starting small forward. Justise Winslow, James Johnson, Dion Waiters and Tyler Johnson can all handle the ball, but none is a traditional point guard.

Winderman states that team president Pat Riley didn’t seem concerned about finding another backup when he was asked about the situation in preseason. “If we didn’t feel comfortable with Tyler and with Josh and also with Dion, then we would have gotten probably, exactly what you’re talking about — a veteran, 10, 12 years in the league, can really play, smart, can run an offense, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera,” Riley said. “But we don’t feel like we need that. And if we did, then it would have been easy for us to acquire that kind of player.”

There’s more news out of Miami:

A.J. Hammons‘ easier path to being traded may have helped him earn Miami’s final roster spot, Winderman adds in the same piece. DeAndre Liggins, who was waived Saturday, would have provided wing depth and probably would have played more than Hammons, whom Winderman ranks eighth among the team’s bigs. However, because Liggins signed with the Heat during the offseason, league rules wouldn’t have allowed him to be traded until December 15. Hammons, who was acquired in a July trade with Dallas, can be dealt at any time.
Miami plans to let free agent addition Kelly Olynyk show off his passing skills, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. The Heat signed Olynynk with an eye toward allowing him to expand his game, just as they did with James Johnson. “They’re going to put the ball in my hands more and let me be myself and create plays and facilitate for others,” Olynyk said.
Rodney McGruder‘s injury means the Heat can’t afford to bring Winslow back slowly, writes Manny Navarro of The Miami Herald. Winslow had surgery in January to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder and was limited to 18 games last season. “Obviously we don’t like to see teammates go down – that’s unfortunate – but our mentality is always next man up,” Winslow said. “So, most likely, that’s looking like me. My role is going to be increased earlier in the season. I’ve just got to be ready.”

Heat’s McGruder, White Get Salary Guarantees

October 18th, 2017 at 3:47pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat are guaranteeing the 2017/18 salaries for a pair of second-year players, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel, who reports that Rodney McGruder and Okaro White will receive full guarantees for the season.

Both McGruder and White are in their second NBA seasons and have minimum salary contracts worth $1,312,611. Those contracts had only been partially guaranteed for about $453K before today, per Basketball Insiders.

As Basketball Insiders’ data indicates, both players were in line to have their salaries guaranteed if they remained on the roster through the first game of the regular season. We interpreted that as the Heat’s first game, listing an October 18 deadline on our salary guarantees calendar, but Winderman’s report suggests that both players are safe and already in line for their full guarantees.

Although McGruder and White received some good news in relation to their contracts, both players will be unable to play for the Heat in tonight’s season opener. White, who is battling a sprained left shoulder, expects to be back soon, as he tells Winderman. However, McGruder recently underwent surgery to repair a stress fracture in his leg and will likely be sidelined for a few months.

The Heat now have 15 players on fully guaranteed salaries for 2017/18.

Rodney McGruder Expected To Miss 3-6 Months

October 17th, 2017 at 2:48pm CST by Luke Adams

OCTOBER 17: McGruder underwent successful surgery to repair his left tibia stress fracture today, the Heat confirmed in a press release. The team has yet to announce a timetable for McGruder’s recovery.

OCTOBER 12: The Heat’s depth on the wing is about to take a hit, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical, who reports (via Twitter) that swingman Rodney McGruder is expected to undergo surgery on a stress fracture in his leg. The procedure would likely sideline him for three to six months, league sources tell Charania.

McGruder, 26, enjoyed a productive rookie season with the Heat in 2016/17, finding his way into the starting lineup for 65 of his 78 games. For the season, he averaged 6.4 PPG, 3.3 RPG, and 1.6 APG in 25.2 minutes per contest.

Heading into the 2017/18 season, McGruder had been competing for a spot in the Heat’s starting lineup, with Josh Richardson and Justise Winslow among the other options the club had been considering at small forward. With McGruder reportedly set to miss a significant portion of the season, Richardson looks like the favorite to step into that starting role.

Currently, only about $453K of McGruder’s minimum salary is guaranteed, but he shouldn’t be in danger of losing his roster spot. Even in the unlikely event that the Heat were to waive him, the team would be on the hook for his full salary until he receives medical clearance.

Heat Make Matt Williams’ Contract A Two-Way Deal

October 15th, 2017 at 10:42am CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat have converted rookie guard Matt Williams‘ deal into a two-way contract, the team announced on its website. The move officially puts Miami at the regular season limit, with 15 players on the roster and two-way deals for Williams and Derrick Walton.

Because Williams had an Exhibit 10 contract, the move did not require his consent, tweets Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Two-way contracts limit players to 45 days in the NBA and set their salaries between $75K and $275K.

Williams signed with the Heat in July after playing for their summer league teams in Orlando and Las Vegas. He appeared in all six preseason games and averaged 2.2 points in 6.4 minutes per night.

Williams went undrafted out of Central Florida after topping 1,000 career points and becoming the school’s all-time leader in made 3-pointers with 274.

Heat Waive Liggins, McCree, Mitchell

October 14th, 2017 at 1:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

Miami trimmed its roster to 17 players by waiving DeAndre Liggins, Erik McCree and Tony Mitchell, the team announced on its website.

Liggins signed with the Heat on Tuesday after being acquired and waived by the Hawks last month. He started Friday’s preseason game and scored five points. A two-time G League Defensive Player of the Year, Liggins will likely wind up with Miami’s affiliate in Sioux Falls if he clears waivers.

Mitchell, a 25-year-old power forward who signed with Miami on Thursday, has played 96 games for Sioux Falls since 2013. McCree, who inked a training camp deal in September, is a 23-year-old forward from Louisiana Tech.

With Derrick Walton on a two-way contract, Miami still has one more move to make to reach the roster limit. It’s possible that rookie guard Matt Williams‘ contract could be converted to a two-way deal.

Heat Rumors: Hammons, Liggins, Olynyk, Waiters

October 13th, 2017 at 11:02am CST by Dana Gauruder

Rodney McGruder‘s injury could force the Heat to address the imbalanced roster, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald details. McGruder is out 3-6 months with a stress fracture in his leg, swinging the door open for Miami to keep or add another wing player, Jackson continues. The bottom of the roster is filled with power forwards and centers — Bam Adebayo, Udonis Haslem, Jordan Mickey and A.J. Hammons — and the Heat may have to waive Hammons and his guaranteed two-year contract to fortify the wing positions. Miami could keep either DeAndre Liggins or Matt Williams Jr. from its training-camp roster to fill the void, Jackson adds.

In other developments concerning the Heat:

Kelly Olynyk has made a strong case to be the starting power forward, even though James Johnson came into camp as the favorite to win the job, Jackson reports in another story. Olynyk has meshed well with center Hassan Whiteside in preseason action, which is making the decision tougher for coach Erik Spoelstra, Jackson continues. “Their skill sets really complement each other,” Spoelstra told Jackson and other media members. “Kelly does a lot of things very similar to JJ in his own personality, in his own way. We think it fits. We think it works whether he comes off the bench or not, I like the dynamic.”
Dion Waiters had to wait out the Gordon Hayward free agent saga before the Heat committed to him with a four-year, $52MM contract, Sports Illustrated’s Rohan Nadkarni notes during an in-depth feature on Waiters. A confident Waiters opted out of his deal this summer and the gamble ultimately paid off when Miami lost the Hayward sweepstakes and instead spent a chunk of their free-agent money on Waiters. “He likes to say he bet on himself, but he also bet on the organization,” Spoelstra told Nadkarni. “We bet on him as well. We’re not only about reclamation projects. We wanted to develop a relationship that would last longer than a year.”

Heat Waive Larry Drew II, Sign Tony Mitchell

October 12th, 2017 at 12:10pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat have made a change to their roster, announcing today in a press release that they’ve waived guard Larry Drew II. Using the newly-opened roster spot, the club signed free agent forward Tony Mitchell.

Drew, who signed with the Heat last month, has been a regular contributor for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Miami’s G League affiliate, for the last several years, appearing in 96 games for the squad since 2013. He figures to return to Sioux Falls to open the 2017/18 campaign.

As for Mitchell, the Alabama alum had a brief NBA stint back in 2013/14, playing sparingly in three games for the Bucks. Since then, he has spent most of his time playing for teams overseas. Mitchell – not to be confused with the North Texas product who shares the same name and played for the Pistons in 2013/14 – also looks like a good bet to land with the Sioux Falls Skyforce at some point.

With the pair of roster moves, the Heat’s roster count remains at 20 players. Miami, which is carrying one player on a two-way contract, will need to eventually remove four players from its NBA roster to reach the 15-man maximum.

Josh Richardson Determined To Bounce Back

October 12th, 2017 at 11:31am CST by Luke Adams

Having signed a new four-year extension with the Heat this offseason, Josh Richardson is now determined to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2016/17 season, as Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel writes.

Heat Sign DeAndre Liggins

October 10th, 2017 at 11:23am CST by Arthur Hill

Swingman DeAndre Liggins has signed with the Heat, the team announced on its website.

The deal caps an eventful stretch for Liggins, who is joining his sixth team in six months. After playing 61 games for the Cavaliers last season, he was waived in April and claimed by the Mavericks. He played just one game in Dallas before the season ended and was traded to the Rockets in late June. Houston sent Liggins to the Clippers as part of the Chris Paul deal, then late last month, L.A. shipped him and with cash considerations to Atlanta, which immediately waived him.

This will be the second stint in Miami for Liggins, who signed two 10-day contracts and played one game for the team in 2014. He spent two seasons with Miami’s G League affiliate in Sioux Falls, twice earning Defensive Player of the Year honors.