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Southeast Notes: Lowry, Haslem, Poole, Wright, Griffin

November 11th, 2023 at 11:35am CST by Tristan Tucker

With guard Tyler Herro out for at least the next two weeks, the Heat want to see a more aggressive version of veteran guard Kyle Lowry, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.

Lowry has been effective for the Heat, averaging 6.9 points, 5.3 assists and 4,9 rebounds per game while leading the team in deflections and drawn charges. However, he’s only taking 5.8 shots per night, his lowest output since the 2008/09 season.

“At this point in his career, it’s all about winning,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “That’s what I really love about Kyle. He’ll sacrifice points, he’ll sacrifice stats. He does so many other things that impact winning. With that said, I don’t want him to be an afterthought, either. His aggressiveness and finding those moments in between where he can create some chaos is one of the greatest strengths that he’s had over the course of his entire career.”

Lowry has just a 10.6 usage percentage, Chiang adds, which is not only the lowest of any Heat player this season but would also be the lowest in his career.

“But Kyle is smart and he knows his aggressiveness is important to our team,” Spoelstra said. “The aggressiveness comes from the attacks, getting in the paint. But also being a recipient behind the three-point line and aggressively hunting those open catch-and-shoot threes. That’s really important for our team. It’s part of his brilliance. He’s been able to find ways to be effective on the ball or off the ball, and that’s important for our team.”

Herro currently leads the Heat in shot attempts and points, so there’s plenty of production left to pick up for Lowry and the Heat’s other guards. Lowry, 37, is in the final season of a three-year, $85MM contract.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Udonis Haslem played for the Heat for 20 years, officially retiring after the conclusion of the 2022/23 season. Haslem stuck around Miami, helping players at practice and then taking on the role of vice president of basketball development. According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman, Haslem isn’t allowed to unretire and suit up for the Heat as a player now that he’s receiving a salary in a front office role, something the big man was unaware of. “I didn’t know that. But I don’t miss it. I wasn’t planning on that. I’m fine with that,” Haslem said.
Wizards guard Jordan Poole is taking what he learned from the Warriors to Washington, he told Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer in an interview. After winning a championship with the Warriors in 2022, Poole is getting the chance to help lead a team, something that always intrigued him, according to Fischer. “Obviously, I wanted to be in a position to have my own team, and then if it did come, how would I go about that?” Poole said. “Luckily, I’m able to do that so young, after learning from some of the best. It’s cool. It’s a smooth transition. We’re building everything from scratch, essentially. Building up a new foundation. Everything in Golden State was already established, so we kinda had to fit into the mold that they have there.“
Wizards guard Delon Wright exited Friday’s game against the Hornets with a left knee injury, according to the team (Twitter link). According to The Athletic’s Josh Robbins, Wright won’t play in Washington’s games on Sunday in Brooklyn or Monday in Toronto and will undergo further testing to determine the severity of the injury (Twitter link).
Following a promising rookie season in which he immediately impacted the Hawks rotation, AJ Griffin hasn’t played much in his sophomore year. Griffin averaged 8.9 points in 19.5 minutes across 72 games (12 starts) last year compared to 3.2 points in 9.2 minutes this year. Head coach Quin Snyder explained that Griffin is working on his defense. “I think not just AJ, we want growth from others,” Snyder said, per Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter links). “As I’ve said before, sometimes minutes are hard to come by with this group… I think he’s focused.”

Largest Trade Exceptions Available This Season

November 10th, 2023 at 2:38pm CST by Luke Adams

As the NBA’s 2024 trade deadline approaches, it’s worth keeping in mind which teams hold traded player exceptions that could come in handy to grease the wheels on an in-season deal.

As we explain in our glossary, a traded player exception allows a team to take on salary in a trade without sending out any salary in return. The amount of the exception (plus $250K) is the amount of salary the team is permitted to take back without salary-matching – either in a single deal or in multiple trades – for one year.

For instance, a team with a $10MM trade exception could acquire a player earning $4MM and a player earning $6.25MM without having to worry about sending out any outgoing salary.

In recent years, sizable traded player exceptions have served as wild cards that helped accommodate both pre-deadline and offseason deals. For example, after creating a $17MM trade exception when they sent Davis Bertans to the Thunder and moved down a couple spots in the 2023 draft lottery, the Mavericks used that TPE to acquire Richaun Holmes along with an additional first-round pick later in the night.

Many trade exceptions expire without being used, but as our tracker shows, there are many sizable ones available this season that could be useful when trade season begins in earnest.

Here are the 20 most valuable trade exceptions around the NBA for now, along with their expiry dates in parentheses:

Atlanta Hawks: $23,019,560 (7/8/24)
Brooklyn Nets: $19,928,571 (7/8/24)
Brooklyn Nets: $18,131,946 (2/9/24)
Washington Wizards: $12,354,400 (6/24/24)
Washington Wizards: $9,800,926 (7/8/24)
Miami Heat: $9,450,000 (7/8/24)
Portland Trail Blazers: $8,778,377 (9/27/24)
Portland Trail Blazers: $8,300,000 (2/9/24)
Memphis Grizzlies: $7,492,540 (7/8/24)
Miami Heat: $7,243,842 (7/8/24)
Philadelphia 76ers: $6,831,413 (11/1/24)
New York Knicks: $6,803,012 (7/8/24)
Brooklyn Nets: $6,802,950 (7/8/24)
Phoenix Suns: $6,500,000 (7/17/24)
Boston Celtics: $6,202,500 (7/12/24)
Washington Wizards: $5,379,250 (6/24/24)
Phoenix Suns: $4,975,371 (2/9/24)
Dallas Mavericks: $4,953,980 (7/8/24)
Miami Heat: $4,700,000 (2/7/24)
Houston Rockets: $4,510,000 (10/17/24)

Those Hawks and Nets trade exceptions are big enough to be genuine assets, but I wouldn’t expect either club to make full use of them during the season. Both Atlanta and Brooklyn are about $8-10MM away from the luxury tax line and would move even closer to becoming taxpayers if certain players on their rosters earn bonuses currently considered unlikely.

Neither team is close enough to title contention to warrant becoming a taxpayer this season unless it’s for a major, major acquisition, so don’t count on either the Hawks or Nets using a TPE to bring in a $15MM role player with no outgoing salary.

The luxury tax looms as an issue for some of the other teams on this list as well, but there are some intriguing TPEs to keep an eye on. Would-be contenders like the Sixers, Celtics, and Suns may consider using their exceptions to try to fortify their benches ahead of the postseason, while a rebuilding team like the Wizards – with nearly $30MM in breathing room below the tax – could be a dumping ground for an unwanted contract — as long as that contract comes attached to a draft asset or two.

Teams like the Lakers and Pelicans, who are just narrowly over the tax threshold and could duck below by trading a single player, are potential trade partners to watch for Washington.

It’s worth noting that some of these exceptions may be used in a deal that could otherwise be completed using salary matching. For instance, a team with a $10MM trade exception that swaps one $8MM player for another could use the exception to take on the incoming player and create a new $8MM exception using the outgoing player.

Jaquez Earning Increased Role

November 9th, 2023 at 9:16pm CST by Rory Maher

First-round pick Jaime Jaquez is earning an increased role with the Heat, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, who notes that more playing time could be available with Tyler Herro expected to miss multiple weeks with a Grade 2 right ankle sprain. In Wednesday’s matchup with Memphis, Jaquez played the entire fourth quarter, providing the team solid defense and recording eight points on 3-of-3 shooting, including a three-pointer that sealed the win late. “I just keep trying to make him trust me more,” Jaquez said of head coach Erik Spoelstra. “Keep making him proud. Try not to mess it up. That’s kind of where I’m at right now.”

Tyler Herro To Miss Multiple Weeks With Grade 2 Ankle Sprain

November 9th, 2023 at 2:39pm CST by Luke Adams

After undergoing an MRI on Thursday on his injured right ankle on Thursday, Heat guard Tyler Herro has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 sprain, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter links).

The plan is for Herro to wear a walking boot for the next 10 days and to be reevaluated in two weeks, Chiang continues.

It sounds like the guard’s absence will extend beyond the two-week mark, however. The Heat’s announcement indicates they’ll have a better of Herro’s return timeline at that point, and sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link) that the 23-year-old will be out for “several” weeks.

Herro suffered the injury on Wednesday vs. Memphis when he landed on Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s foot after shooting a floater in the first quarter. He fell to the court in pain, then hobbled to the locker room without putting any weight on the ankle.

“It was something I felt right when it happened,” Herro said. “I felt it and I kind of knew mentally. I heard some crunches and cracks in my ankle. I’m like, ‘Yeah, that will be it.’ I actually told the bench, ‘I’m done. I can’t keep going.’ It’s unfortunate, but I’m just going to continue to work hard. I’ve been through this injury stuff before and I’m just going to keep working.”

The subject of persistent trade rumors this summer as the Heat were linked to Damian Lillard for months, Herro stayed put in Miami and said in multiple media interviews ahead of the season that he was determined to make himself too valuable to move.

He was off to a good start toward that goal, having averaged 25.3 points per game on .446/.410/.909 shooting in his seven healthy games (all starts) while also chipping in 5.6 rebounds and 5.0 assists per night.

Duncan Robinson started the second half on Wednesday in Herro’s place and may see his role expand with the team’s other top shooter on the shelf. Kyle Lowry, Dru Smith, Josh Richardson, and Haywood Highsmith are among the other candidates to see bumps in minutes for as long as Herro remains unavailable.

Southeast Notes: Herro, Rozier, Miller, Mexico City

November 9th, 2023 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Heat guard Tyler Herro expects to miss “probably a couple weeks” after spraining his right ankle in Wednesday’s game at Memphis, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Herro landed on Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s foot after shooting a floater in the first quarter. He fell to the court in pain, then hobbled to the locker room without putting any weight on the ankle.

“It was something I felt right when it happened,” Herro said. “I felt it and I kind of knew mentally. I heard some crunches and cracks in my ankle. I’m like, ‘Yeah, that will be it.’ I actually told the bench, ‘I’m done. I can’t keep going.’ It’s unfortunate, but I’m just going to continue to work hard. I’ve been through this injury stuff before and I’m just going to keep working.”

X-rays were negative, but Herro returned to Miami this morning for an MRI with the team’s medical staff, Chiang adds. He was averaging 25.3 PPG coming into Wednesday, and an extended absence would create a major challenge for a team that already has the fifth-worst offensive rating in the league.

Duncan Robinson started the second half with Herro unavailable, and Dru Smith played nearly 15 minutes off the bench. Chiang notes that Kyle Lowry took on a larger role, posting season highs with 17 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists.

“It’s a process at this point,” Bam Adebayo said. “We’ll get him back when we get him back. The biggest thing for him is getting healthy and being able to stay at that high level he’s been at it.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Hornets guard Terry Rozier doesn’t have a timetable to return from the left adductor strain he suffered Saturday night, per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Addressing the media for the first time since the injury, Rozier said it happened on a routine play. “It was just going downhill,” said Rozier, who has already been ruled out for Friday’s game. “I think just trying to do an in-and-out. I’ve watched the play a lot of times and I think I just dragged my foot, and it kind of tweaked in the groin area. So, it kind of strained it and that’s what happened. But I’ve never had an injury like that before, so that’s why I kind of reacted like that. But I’ll be fine.”
With Rozier sidelined, the Hornets have inserted Brandon Miller into their starting lineup, Boone adds. The No. 2 overall pick has gotten off to a strong start and is among the rookie leaders in points, rebounds, assists and minutes per game. “He’s doing good,” Rozier said. “He’s just getting his feet wet. He’s one of those guys that just gets better day-by-day, like really huge too. So, I’m happy to see his growth … I think we all are. I’m happy he’s in that position to start.”
Mexico City will host tonight’s game between the Magic and the Hawks, shining a spotlight on a location that could be considered for the NBA’s next round of expansion, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.

Injury Notes: Davis, Hayes, Jones, Herro, C. Thomas

November 8th, 2023 at 9:21pm CST by Rory Maher

After previously expressing optimism that he wouldn’t miss additional time with the injury, Lakers big man Anthony Davis was ruled out of Wednesday’s game vs. Houston due to left hip spasms, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes.

The Lakers were also without reserve center Jaxson Hayes, who is dealing with a left ankle sprain, McMenamin adds.

Davis initially sustained the injury on Monday against Miami, exiting the game in the third quarter. Sources tell McMenamin the Lakers are hopeful Davis will be back in action for Friday’s matchup in Phoenix.

Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:

The Pelicans were extremely shorthanded on Wednesday, with multiple rotation players sidelined for various reasons. A third starter — wing Herbert Jones — was ruled out ahead of the matchup vs. Minnesota due to a right fibula contusion, tweets Will Guillory of The Athletic. With so many players injured, all three of the team’s two-way players (Matt Ryan, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Dereon Seabron) received first-quarter minutes, with Robinson-Earl getting a starting nod, Guillory adds (via Twitter). Robinson-Earl just signed his two-way deal with the Pelicans last week.
Heat guard Tyler Herro is off to a strong start in 2023/24, but unfortunately he sustained a right ankle sprain in the first quarter of Wednesday’s game vs. Memphis and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest, the team announced (via Twitter). Bally Sports Heat has the video (Twitter link), with Herro landing on Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s foot following a floater in the lane. Herro was unable to put weight on his leg after the injury and hopped to the locker room.
Another player off to a terrific start this season is Nets guard Cam Thomas. Unfortunately, he suffered a left ankle sprain on Wednesday vs. the Clippers and missed the remainder of the game, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter links), who adds that Thomas will undergo an MRI on Thursday. The 2021 first-round pick rolled his ankle after stepping on P.J. Tucker‘s foot (Twitter video link via Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily).

Heat Hire Udonis Haslem As VP Of Basketball Development

November 7th, 2023 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Udonis Haslem, who spent 20 years with the Heat as a player, is officially back with the franchise — this time in a front office role. According to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, Miami has hired Haslem as the club’s vice president of basketball development.

As Reynolds details, Haslem’s duties will include working with the coaching staff, mentoring players with the Heat and the Sioux Falls Skyforce (Miami’s G League affiliate), and representing the franchise in the community and in business endeavors.

Haslem has spent some time at Heat practices in recent weeks, with a report ahead of opening night indicating that he was expected to receive a formal front office title soon.

During his final years as a player, Haslem repeatedly said that he didn’t have much interest in coaching but that he would like to have a post-retirement role with the Heat in the front office or as a minority stakeholder. While an ownership shares hasn’t materialized so far, Haslem’s new position will keep him involved in the organization for the foreseeable future.

As Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel tweets, Haslem is the latest in a long line of former Heat players to work for the team after retiring. He joins Alonzo Mourning, Shane Battier, Caron Butler, Malik Allen, Wayne Ellington, Glen Rice, and Chris Quinn in that group.

LeBron: Came To Miami To Win Titles

November 6th, 2023 at 7:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

LeBron James, whose Lakers played against Miami on Monday, spoke at length about his time with the Heat. James indicated he had a singular purpose when he bolted his hometown team to play there, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “I came here for one reason and for one reason only, to win championships. That was my only goal,” he said. “That’s the only reason that I teamed up with (Dwyane Wade) and (Chris) Bosh. Because I felt like I couldn’t do it in Cleveland. So I had an opportunity to be a free agent, I did what I thought was best not only for my career but for me at that point in time.”

L.A. Notes: Harden, Clippers, Hayes, Prince, Vincent, Lakers

November 5th, 2023 at 5:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

James Harden will be on some sort of minutes restriction in his Clippers debut on Monday against the Knicks, Adam Zagoria relays in a NJ.com story.

“There will probably be something,” coach Tyronn Lue said of limiting Harden’s minutes. “We don’t want to just jump right into it and play him crazy minutes, so we’ll just talk to the medical staff and just see what’s best.”

Harden will also have to adjust to being off the ball on a majority of possessions when he’s sharing the backcourt with Russell Westbrook.

“That’s what we talked about the last two or three days, is just when they’re on the floor together, just making sure James is off the ball and let Russ be more of the point guard,” Lue said.

We have more on the Los Angeles teams:

Jaxson Hayes is listed as questionable for the Lakers’ road game against the Heat on Monday due to a sprained left ankle, Khobi Price of the Orange County Register tweets. Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, Jalen Hood-Schifino and Jarred Vanderbilt are already listed as out due to a variety of injuries. However, Taurean Prince is not on the injury report after missing the last two games due to a knee injury.
Vincent won’t be able to play against his former team because of a knee injury, but he indicated he wanted to return to Miami during free agency. Vincent’s stock rose during the postseason, putting him out of the Heat‘s price range, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “I think I had a good playoff run, and I think that changed my value,” Vincent said. “I think once that changed, it just became more difficult. I think Miami wanted me to be there. I think I was naturally looking to return to the team I just had a Finals run with and the team I had been with for the last three or four seasons. It’s unfortunate it didn’t work out. But my value had changed.” Vincent joined the Lakers on a three-year, $33MM deal.
The Lakers have been outscored 117-54 in second-chance points through six games and coach Darvin Ham says it’s simply a matter of effort and positioning, Price writes. “You can’t scheme rebounding,” Ham said. “You’ve got to want to get the ball. Plain and simple. The shot goes up, if your opponent is in your area, you’ve got to get hits, put bodies on bodies and be the most aggressive one to the ball. That’s it. There’s no play I can draw up to get more rebounds.”

Heat Notes: Highsmith, Herro, Love, Vincent

November 4th, 2023 at 5:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

Haywood Highsmith made his first start of the season Friday night as coach Erik Spoelstra continues to experiment with forwards to fit alongside Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo in the Heat’s frontcourt, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jackson notes that Highsmith is the fifth player to fill that role in Miami’s last 11 meaningful games, with Kevin Love, Caleb Martin, Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jaquez also getting opportunities as starters.

Highsmith scored 10 points and stood out defensively on Friday as the Heat outscored the Wizards by 10 points in his 22 minutes on the court. He told Jackson that he’s determined to become a rotation player in his third season with Miami.

“Now that I’m here, I’m here to stay and trying to be an NBA player for a long, long time,” Highsmith said. “Trying to get more minutes and create a role for myself in this league and putting everyone on notice that I’m here to stay.”

There’s more from Miami:

Tyler Herro has shown improvement on defense this season, Jackson adds. In four games guarding Mikal Bridges, Cade Cunningham, Jordan Poole and Cam Thomas, Herro has held them to a combined 8-of-22 from the field. “I’m not a bad defender,” Herro said. “I’m trying to tell you guys that. If you watch the game, I’m decent. I am getting better. I was our best defender at Kentucky. … I have speed and quickness. I can read plays before they happen.”
Love didn’t play at all Friday, but his role on the team won’t diminish, Jackson states in a separate story. Spoelstra indicated to reporters that the lineup change may be temporary and emphasized that he wasn’t blaming Love for the team’s 1-4 start. “I hated having to make that move because Kevin brings so much from a connection and spirit and leadership standpoint,” Spoelstra said. “This is just a move for now. K-Love is going to have a role for us. It’s just for right now, just to stabilize, a move I felt was best for the time being. And we’ll see what happens. I will continue to evaluate until we get our game to whatever we need to get it to.”
Gabe Vincent expected to re-sign with the Heat after last season’s run to the NBA Finals, per Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. However, the three-year, $33MM offer he received from the Lakers was too good to turn down. “I had an opportunity to perform the way I did in the playoffs, and I think that changed drastically what my offseason looked like,” Vincent said.