Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Heat Likely To Keep White, Waive Another When Provision Expires

January 28th, 2017 at 9:07am CST by Austin Kent

The recent play of 10-day contract signee Okaro White has the Heat reconsidering their roster. Originally added as a 16th man via a league hardship provision, White has had so much of an impact on the team that the franchise is reluctant to see him go now that Josh Richardson has returned to health.

That means it could be somebody like Derrick Williams who the Heat release instead, says Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.

“I can assure you that White has made himself a keeper,” he writes in a Heat mailbag.

In five games with the Heat, White has proven an ability to contribute across the board. More importantly, with White in the rotation, the team hasn’t lost a game. Though they remain 14th in the Eastern Conference with their 17-30 record, the six-game win streak has given the team momentum.

Heat Sign Okaro White To Second 10-Day Contract

January 27th, 2017 at 11:23am CST by Arthur Hill

11:23am: The signing is official, according to a tweet from the team.

10:06am: The Heat will sign power forward Okaro White to a second 10-day contract, tweets Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.

White joined the team on a 10-day deal January 17th after Miami was granted a hardship exception. He has appeared in four games, averaging 3.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and one block in 16.5 minutes of action.

Once the second 10-day deal expires, the Heat will have to decide whether to waive White or sign him for the rest of the season. He had been playing for the team’s D-League affiliate in Sioux Falls after being cut by Miami in training camp.

Heat Notes: Waiters, Bosh, Gay

January 25th, 2017 at 6:23pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Heat are open to keeping Dion Waiters long-term and the shooting guard, who holds a player option worth $3MM for next season, feels like he’s finally found a home in the league, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes.

“Everything, the organization, my teammates, my coach, of course [Pat Riley],” he said. “I feel right at home. Like I said before, when I signed, it wasn’t ever about the money. It was about the opportunity and just having a place you could call home, the enjoyment, and having fun. It’s been good. It’s just been consistent love. I’m happy for the opportunity and I’m just happy to be here.”

Here’s more from Miami:

Chris Bosh hasn’t definitively decided to resume his basketball career, but the idea of playing alongside Dwyane Wade or LeBron James appeals to him, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports. Jackson hears that Bosh, who suffers from blood clotting, has not been working toward a comeback this season. Bosh reached out to the Players Association last season in an attempt to force the Heat to allow him to play, but he has not reached out to the union for that kind of help this season, a source tells Jackson. Jackson also hears that the big man isn’t responding to some of the union’s calls.
The Heat remain interested in Rudy Gay as a second-tier free agent should the team not be able to sign a star, Jackson writes in the same piece. Jackson notes that Gay, who ruptured his Achilles earlier this month, “loves the idea” of playing for Miami.
Udonis Haslem will make $4MM in the final year of his contract, but he wants to sign a new deal with the Heat during the offseason, as he tells Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. “My body still feels good,” Haslem said. “I plan on being around at least another year after this year.”
The MRI on Tyler Johnson‘s shoulder came back negative and the Heat are not expected to request a roster exception from the league, Winderman relays in a separate piece. Johnson has missed the team’s last two games because of the sprained shoulder.

Heat Notes: Johnson, Waiters, White, Rebuild

January 24th, 2017 at 1:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat still have one of the three worst records in the NBA, as our 2016/17 Reverse Standings show, but the team is on an out-of-nowhere four-game winning streak, prompting Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald to take a closer look at the primary contributors during the run. Jackson identifies a mix of younger players making a strong impression – such as Rodney McGruder, Okaro White, and Willie Reed – along with veterans who may end up being trade candidates for the club, like Dion Waiters and Luke Babbitt.

Here’s more on those players, along with a few more Heat notes:

Tyler Johnson isn’t traveling with the Heat this week on their two-game trip to Brooklyn and Chicago, but he doesn’t believe his left shoulder injury is serious, adding that it won’t require surgery. “I still think it’s day to day,” Johnson said, according to Jackson. “It’s not so much pain. More irritation.”
In a Monday mailbag, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel explores whether it makes more sense for the Heat to hang onto the surging Dion Waiters as part of their long-term plan or to seriously explore moving him at the trade deadline.
As Winderman details for The Sun Sentinel, head coach Erik Spoelstra had plenty of praise for Okaro White, who is currently with the team as a 16th man. “We like his DNA, the fabric that it brings,” Spoelstra said of the undrafted rookie. “He’s not afraid of the moment. But he’s also trained with us. If he didn’t have that background of summer league, being here all summer, training camp and developing with us, I wouldn’t feel any kind of comfort level throwing him out there like that.”
While Heat president Pat Riley has completed successful roster revamps in the post, he has a “big challenge ahead” this time around, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said on Monday (link via Dave Hyde of The South Florida Sun Sentinel). As Kerr notes, when Golden State made its summer pitch to Kevin Durant, the presence of stars like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green moved the needle significantly — Miami didn’t have that kind of player in attendance at its meeting with Durant.

Heat Notes: Johnson, Draft, Bench

January 22nd, 2017 at 2:16pm CST by Will Joseph

It is unclear how long Tyler Johnson will be out after suffering a strained left shoulder, and if he misses two more games the Heat would be allowed to add another player, Ira Winderman of Sun Sentinel relays. This is the same shoulder that bothered Johnson last season and held him out of more than half of last season’s games. He is listed as day-to-day and missed Saturday’s game. With Justise Winslow, Josh Richardson, Josh McRoberts and Chris Bosh also unavailable to the team, the Heat last week were granted a roster exemption to add Okaro White on a 10-day contract, as Winderman notes. Guard Briante Weber is a name to watch, Winderman writes, if the Heat get another spot.

Here is more out of Miami:

James Johnson, whom Miami signed to a one-year pact over the summer, has developed into an asset off the bench with improved 3-point shooting, passing ability and consistency, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. Johnson should see plenty of interest from teams after reducing his body fat and becoming more athletic, which has led to the standout season, Jackson adds.
Despite the injuries, the Heat are evidently not playing for a lottery spot and have been rolling lately. A significant reason for Miami’s three-game winning streak is the play on both ends of the court by guard Dion Waiters, as Winderman notes (video link). With making the playoffs still unlikely, Winderman surmises that the Heat at least offered a glimpse at what could have been or, perhaps, into the future.

Contract May Keep Wade In Chicago

January 22nd, 2017 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Trading Reggie Jackson isn’t the right answer for the Pistons, argues Bob Wojnowski of The Detroit News. A rumor made the rounds Friday that Detroit was considering a deal with Minnesota involving Jackson and Ricky Rubio. Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy contacted Jackson and assured him it wasn’t true. Wojnowski states that it would be a mistake for the team to trade its floor leader after investing so heavily in him two years ago. “If he traded me, I told him it was news to me,” Jackson said. “I appreciated the text, just let me know I’m his guy. But I don’t really pay attention much to it.”

Goran Dragic Maintains Competitive Spirit

January 20th, 2017 at 9:10pm CST by Milo Taibi

Goran Dragic has Dwyane Wade‘s competitive spirit, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said this week, as Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel details. “This game means so much to Goran Dragic,” Spoelstra said. “When we lose, he doesn’t sleep. He takes it hard like a coach would. I get text messages from him about things that he thought he could have done better or differently, hours after the game.” Dragic’s 20.3 points per game are his highest total since 2013/14 with the Suns.

Magic Offered Heat Vucevic For Dragic

January 20th, 2017 at 10:07am CST by Arthur Hill

Orlando tried to pick up Miami point guard Goran Dragic, offering center Nikola Vucevic and a future first-rounder in return, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com.

Miami rejected the offer as the Heat already have Hassan Whiteside manning the middle on a maximum deal he signed in July. Still, it confirms persistent rumors that Orlando has interest in acquiring Dragic.

The Heat don’t seem to be interested in dealing Dragic before the February 23rd deadline, Stein adds. The 30-year-old still has three seasons and more than $54MM left on his contract. Vucevic, who has been in and out of the starting lineup this season, is signed for two more years at $25MM.

Bulls Interested In Chris Bosh

January 20th, 2017 at 9:39am CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls will be “at the front of the line” to sign Chris Bosh if the veteran forward can play next season, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Chicago is already making plans to recruit Bosh, who will turn 33 in March, Stein adds.

Bosh hasn’t played since last season’s All-Star break after doctors discovered blood clots for a second time. He failed a physical right before training camp and his NBA future remains in limbo.

Miami is expected to petition the league to get the final two seasons of Bosh’s contract removed from its salary cap, but sources are telling Stein they don’t expect that to happen before March 1st to make sure he’s not playoff-eligible for another team. The Heat can make the move any time after February 9th, which is the one-year anniversary of his last game for Miami.

Salary-Cap Exception Approved For Heat

January 18th, 2017 at 7:49pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat have been granted a $1.3 million salary-cap exception, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. The exception can be used through March 10 to sign a single player whose contract expires at the end of the season. The amount is half the salary for Justise Winslow, who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery earlier this month. The Heat would have to open a spot to use the exception because they have a full roster after signing Okaro White on Tuesday.