Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southeast Notes: Ware, Butler, Heat, Bagley, Brogdon, Da Silva

December 5th, 2024 at 10:59pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Heat are giving No. 15 overall pick Kel’el Ware an opportunity for playing time by having sent him to the G League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce. The big man made his G League debut on Thursday, securing 17 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks and two steals in a win. Instead of having him bounce back and forth between the developmental team and Miami, the Heat are hoping to have Ware play in three-game stints for Sioux Falls, according to The Athletic’s James Jackson.

According to Jackson, the Heat are impressed by Ware’s progress and his mental fortitude as he develops and learns the system. The Heat are seeing success with two-big lineups featuring Bam Adebayo and Kevin Love, so there’s no rush to force the rookie into unfamiliar situations. He has gotten some minutes against the likes of Nikola Jokic, but his spot in the rotation has been inconsistent.

“It’s all valuable, even when he’s with us,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “But the next logical thing is trying to get him some time — get him some game minutes and see how he can impact winning. But I’m encouraged by the work he’s been putting in.”

The Heat remain confident Ware will become a rotation regular at some point, even if doesn’t happen this season, Jackson writes.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

After missing Monday’s game to the Celtics due to knee soreness, Jimmy Butler returned for the Heat on Wednesday to help lead them to victory. According to the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang, Butler looked sharp in the victory, filling up the stat sheet in a blowout win over the Lakers. “He passed all the protocols, he wants to be out there, we want to get him out there and the trainers felt that he made enough progress the last two days,” Spoelstra said of getting Butler back on Wednesday. “While we were still in Boston, he was around the clock in the training room doing as much treatment as he possibly could.“
At 10-10, the Heat have had a middling season so far. They were blown out on Monday by Boston but dominated Los Angeles on Wednesday. They set franchise records in assists (42) and tied for most threes in a game (24) in the win over the Lakers. Even through consistency questions, the Heat’s identity is coming to light, Chiang writes in a separate piece. Leaning on their defensive strengths and playing through Butler are two major tenets for Miami, as in most recent seasons.
The Wizards are 2-18 this season, leaving head coach Brian Keefe searching for answers to help make the team more competitive. The team moved Marvin Bagley into the starting lineup on Thursday (Twitter link). Bagley finished with a team-high 16 points in a blowout loss, while Jonas Valanciunas played a season-low 13 minutes off the bench.
Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon, who has started all but one of his nine appearances this season, exited Thursday’s game with hamstring tightness and didn’t return (Twitter link). Brogdon is averaging 13.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 51.3% from the field this season. The Wizards next play a back-to-back at home against the Nuggets on Saturday and Grizzlies on Sunday. Their 16th straight loss on Thursday matched a franchise record.
Tristan Da Silva continues to play a pivotal role on the 16-8 Magic, filling in as a part-time starter while Paolo Banchero is out. Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel writes in a subscriber-only story that Da Silva’s play is drawing praise from up and down the organization. This year’s 18th overall pick is averaging 7.5 points and 3.7 assists per game while starting in 14 of his 20 appearances.

Southeast Notes: Daniels, Ware, Wizards, Williams

December 4th, 2024 at 10:17pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, acquired as part of Atlanta’s blockbuster trade that shipped Dejounte Murray to the Pelicans, put the defensive clamps on Murray during the former Hawk’s first game against his old team, writes Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Murray was limited to shooting just 2-of-15 from the field against the Hawks on Monday, while Daniels notched 19 points on 50% field goal shooting.

Murray was the subject of frequent boos from the Atlanta home crowd, and couldn’t get much offense cooking against Daniels. Daniels has emerged as the defense-first backcourt partner for Trae Young that the Hawks had hoped Murray would be when they first acquired him from the Spurs in 2022.

The 21-year-old Daniels is in the third season of his rookie-scale deal, and seems to be fitting in nicely with his new squad. So far this year, the 6’8″ guard is averaging a career-best 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 3.0 assists per night.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

The Heat sent rookie center Kel’el Ware to their G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, this week for the first time this season, reports Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Ware has played a grand total of 69 minutes across Miami’s first 20 contests this year, so his stint with the Skyforce will give him a chance for increased reps. The seven-footer was selected with the No. 15 pick out of Indiana.
The Wizards‘ epic losing streak has reached 15 games, approaching the team’s franchise record, writes Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. Washington tied that record, 16 straight defeats, just last season. The Wizards could potentially match or even break that tally in the coming days. Washington next plays Dallas (Thursday), Denver (Saturday), and Memphis (Sunday), all Western Conference squads with winning records.
Hornets center Mark Williams suited up for his first game in almost a year, a 110-104 loss to Philadelphia on Tuesday. Williams had been sidelined with a lingering strained tendon in his left foot this fall after missing most of last season due to a back issue. Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer writes that the big moment signified a positive step forward for the young center. Notching just nine minutes of action, the seven-foot big man scored four points on 1-of-4 shooting from the floor and 2-of-2 shooting from the foul line. He also pulled down three rebounds and blocked one shot.

Knockout Round Matchups Set For NBA Cup; Games Scheduled For Non-Quarterfinalists

December 4th, 2024 at 6:27am CST by Luke Adams

Following the conclusion of the group play games in the NBA Cup on Tuesday, the eight teams advancing to the knockout round have been set, and the quarterfinal games have been scheduled.

After the Warriors, Rockets, and Hawks previously clinched spots in the knockout round, the Thunder, Mavericks, Bucks, Knicks, and Magic joined them as a result of Tuesday’s outcomes. The quarterfinal matchups are as follows, per the NBA (Twitter links):

Eastern Conference:

Orlando Magic (No. 4) at Milwaukee Bucks (No. 1): Tuesday, December 10 (7 pm ET)
Atlanta Hawks (No. 3) at New York Knicks (No. 2): Wednesday, December 11 (7 pm ET)

Western Conference:

Dallas Mavericks (No. 4) at Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 1): Tuesday, December 10 (9:30 pm ET)
Golden State Warriors (No. 3) at Houston Rockets (No. 2): Wednesday, December 11 (9:30 pm ET)

While those four games will be played in the home team’s arena, the winners will advance to a neutral site for the final four. The semifinals (Dec. 14) and final (Dec. 17) will be held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The quarterfinal and semifinal results will count toward each team’s regular season record, whereas the final won’t. A team that loses in the quarterfinals will play the other quarterfinal loser in its conference in newly scheduled regular season games to make sure those clubs get the full 82.

Meanwhile, the 22 teams who did not advance to the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup have each had two regular season games added to their initial 80 to fill that mid-December gap on their schedules.

Here are the newly added games for those clubs, according to the league (Twitter link):

Thursday, December 12:

Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics (7:30 pm ET)
Toronto Raptors at Miami Heat (7:30 pm ET)
Sacramento Kings at New Orleans Pelicans (8 pm ET)

Friday, December 13:

Washington Wizards at Cleveland Cavaliers (7 pm ET)
Indiana Pacers at Philadelphia 76ers (7 pm ET)
Los Angeles Lakers at Minnesota Timberwolves (8 pm ET)
Brooklyn Nets at Memphis Grizzlies (8 pm ET)
Charlotte Hornets at Chicago Bulls (8 pm ET)
Los Angeles Clippers at Denver Nuggets (9 pm ET)
Phoenix Suns at Utah Jazz (9:30 pm ET)
San Antonio Spurs at Portland Trail Blazers (10 pm ET)

Sunday, December 15:

New Orleans Pelicans at Indiana Pacers (5 pm ET)
Boston Celtics at Washington Wizards (6 pm ET)
Minnesota Timberwolves at San Antonio Spurs (7 pm ET)
Portland Trail Blazers at Phoenix Suns (8 pm ET)
Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Lakers (9:30 pm ET)

Monday, December 16:

Philadelphia 76ers at Charlotte Hornets (7 pm ET)
Miami Heat at Detroit Pistons (7 pm ET)
Chicago Bulls at Toronto Raptors (7:30 pm ET)
Cleveland Cavaliers at Brooklyn Nets (7:30 pm ET)
Denver Nuggets at Sacramento Kings (10 pm ET)
Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Clippers (10:30 pm ET)

Wizards Rumors: Kuzma, Valanciunas, Brogdon, Davis, Baldwin, Coulibaly

December 2nd, 2024 at 1:35pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards view Kyle Kuzma as a team leader who can help the team stay competitive and assist in the development of some of the young players on the roster, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. But Scotto says teams around the NBA view Kuzma as a potential trade candidate due to his skill set, the team-friendly declining structure of his contract, and the fact that he probably doesn’t fit Washington’s long-term timeline.

The Mavericks nearly traded for Kuzma at last season’s trade deadline, but the Wizards reportedly brought that opportunity to the forward, who decided to pass on it. As Scotto writes, the Pacers had some interest in Kuzma before they acquired Pascal Siakam and the Kings have also been connected to him over the past couple seasons.

While it’s unclear if any of those clubs would circle back to Kuzma at this point, Scotto hears that the Bucks, Warriors, Lakers, Heat, and Cavaliers are among the other teams that have kept tabs on the 29-year-old.

Here’s more on the Wizards:

Jonas Valanciunas and Malcolm Brogdon are among the Wizards’ veteran trade candidates being monitored by rival teams, says Scotto. According to Scotto, Valanciunas has provided the sort of veteran mentorship to No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr that Washington hoped for, going up against the rookie big man in practice and teaching him things on both sides of the ball.
While the Wizards have a few trade candidates to watch, Scotto suggests that second-round picks may not move the needle much for the front office, especially if they come attached to bad contracts. Washington has already stockpiled several extra second-rounders and turned down offers consisting of second-round picks for Tyus Jones at last season’s deadline, Scotto adds.
Johnny Davis and Patrick Baldwin Jr., both of whom are on expiring contracts after having their 2025/26 team options declined in October, were shopped on the trade market prior to the season and are potential salary fillers for in-season deals, per Scotto.
Although Bilal Coulibaly has taken a step forward in his second NBA season, the 20-year-old is still adjusting to being relied upon as a two-way threat, according to Varun Shankar of The Washington Post, who notes that the Wizards forward’s offensive production has slipped following a hot start. “It’s been a lot thrown at me,” said Coulibaly, who has averaged 8.8 points per game with a .377/.208/.667 shooting line in his past nine games after putting up 17.0 PPG on .575/.387/.828 shooting in his first eight. “But I got to go through it because that’s what I want to do in my future, in the near future. I want to be a great two-way player. … I’ll take it.”

Heat Notes: Butler, Herro, Rozier, Richardson

December 2nd, 2024 at 11:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Heat forward Jimmy Butler had to leave Sunday’s game in the closing seconds due to pain in his right knee, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. After being fouled on a drive to the basket with 1:27 remaining, Butler took a while to get up and appeared to be favoring the knee. He stayed in a game a little longer, but was taken out with 24.2 seconds left to play and Miami trailing by just three points.

Butler is considered questionable for tonight’s contest in Boston, which brings back memories of last spring when he was unavailable for a playoff series with the Celtics due to a sprained MCL in the same knee. He wasn’t sure about his status as the team prepared for its flight.

“I don’t know,” Butler told reporters. “We’ll see how I feel whenever I wake up in the morning, get all the treatment that I can get and hopefully I’m ready to rock.”

Responding to an offseason challenge from team president Pat Riley, Butler was determined to be available for more regular season games this year, but his body may not be able to hold up at age 35. Chiang notes that he has already missed four of the team’s first 18 games due to a sprained ankle, and any issues with the right knee have to be watched closely. Butler also wasn’t certain if the medical staff is planning an X-ray or MRI on the knee.

“I ain’t even there yet,” he said. “I’m just happy to be able to put this sleeve on, do all this treatment on this plane. Then when we land in Boston, we’ll figure it out.”

[UPDATE: Butler has been ruled out for Monday’s game in Boston.]

There’s more on the Heat:

Tyler Herro now ranks second in franchise history for most made three-pointers in a career, Chiang adds. With 808, he passed Tim Hardaway Sunday night and only trails teammate Duncan Robinson, who has 1,056 since signing with the Heat in 2018. “I’ll be chasing him for a while,” Herro said.
The Nets and Warriors were among the teams mentioned in trade rumors involving Butler earlier in the season, but league executives don’t consider him a good fit for Brooklyn because of his age, while Golden State seems happy with its current roster, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The Knicks had some interest in Butler during the offseason, but trade talks didn’t get very far before New York pivoted to Mikal Bridges, Scotto says, adding that there has been some “quiet discourse” about whether the Texas native could end up with the Mavericks or Rockets. He also states that executives who’ve checked on Butler came away believing that Miami wants to save any decision until after the season.
Outside of Butler, the Heat’s top trade assets are future first-round picks and Terry Rozier, Scotto adds. Rozier’s shooting numbers have declined and he was recently moved out of the starting lineup. He’s making $24.92MM this season and next season, and he will get an extra $1.72MM next year if he appears in at least 70 regular season games and his team reaches the second round of the playoffs.
Josh Richardson hasn’t been able to find a role with this year’s team after picking up a $3.1MM player option rather than testing free agency, Chiang states in a separate story. The veteran guard didn’t get off the bench in four straight games before missing Sunday’s contest due to an illness. He also missed time with a strained calf and left heel pain. “It’s been hard,” Richardson admitted. “Frustrating, but it is what it is. I’m just trying to stack days. My shoulder got healthy, trying to get up to speed and get ready and then feet things start popping up. So I’m just trying to get everything in my body on the same page.”

Trade Rumors: Collins, Jazz, Bulls, Nets, Zion, Butler

December 1st, 2024 at 5:29pm CST by Rory Maher

In each of the past two seasons, the Jazz started out surprisingly competitive, with .500 records in early February, only to sell off veterans and tank down the stretch to improve their lottery odds. With a 4-15 start to the 2024/25 campaign, Utah’s front office probably isn’t concerned about the team’s place in the reverse standings.

That doesn’t mean the Jazz won’t be listening to offers for their veterans again though, according to Marc Stein at Substack, who lists big man John Collins and guards Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton as three trade candidates to keep an eye on.

On paper, Collins put up solid numbers in ’23/24, which was his first season with Utah, averaging 15.1 PPG and 8.5 RPG on .532/.371/.795 shooting in 68 games (28.0 MPG). But there was a fairly long adjustment period between player and team — his fit was awkward at times in the frontcourt.

Collins has looked more comfortable — and been more productive — to open ’24/25, averaging 17.8 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.5 APG and 1.3 SPG (up from 1.1 and 0.6 last season, respectively) in approximately the same amount of minutes (28.7 MPG). His shooting line is currently .535/.353/.949.

The 27-year-old’s bounce-back season has Utah’s front office happy with the decision to acquire him from Atlanta for essentially a second-round pick, Stein writes. Collins is owed $25.8MM this season, with a $26.8MM player option for ’25/26, so his contract could prove more difficult to move than that of Clarkson, who is owed $14.1MM this season and $14.3MM in ’25/26, Stein adds. Sexton, meanwhile, will earn $18.4MM in ’24/25, followed by $19.2MM in ’25/26.

Here are some more trade rumors from around the NBA:

Like Jake Fischer, Stein hears the Bulls are considered a prominent seller ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline, with Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic and Lonzo Ball considered the most likely candidates to be dealt. In fact, Stein says Chicago’s front office seems confident it will be able to trade “at least one” of those players in the next few months.
A surprisingly competitive 9-11 start reportedly won’t deter the Nets from trading away veterans, with Brooklyn expected to join Utah and Chicago as clear sellers. “Just about everyone on their roster is available as long as they don’t take back long-term money,” one source told Brian Windhorst of ESPN (Insider link). “(But) they’re not giving anyone away. At least not yet.” According to Stein, rival teams are particularly intrigued by the strong play of veteran point guard Dennis Schröder, who is on an expiring $13MM contract.
This isn’t a trade rumor, but Stein reports that there’s a “rising expectation” that Pelicans star Zion Williamson will hire Bill Duffy of WME Sports to be his next agent. Williamson, who is currently sidelined by a hamstring strain, recently parted ways with CAA. Duffy has several prominent clients around the NBA, per RealGM, including Vucevic, Luka Doncic, Scottie Barnes and Anthony Edwards, among others.
A number of teams are monitoring Jimmy Butler‘s situation with the Heat, Fischer said on a Bleacher Report livestream (video link). However, Fischer hasn’t heard any recent chatter specifically involving the six-time All-Star, who can be an unrestricted free next summer if he declines his $52.4MM player option for ’25/26.

Southeast Notes: J. Johnson, Valanciunas, Kuzma, Heat

November 29th, 2024 at 7:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Fresh off signing a five-year, $150MM contract extension with the Hawks last month, Jalen Johnson has taken on an increased role so far this season, earning more touches and more play-making responsibilities, as Spencer Davies writes for RG.org.

Entering Friday’s game vs. Cleveland, Johnson was averaging 20.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.4 steals in 36.4 minutes per game — all of those numbers are career highs. He didn’t miss a beat on Friday, contributing 20 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists in a second consecutive win over the NBA’s top-seeded Cavaliers. He was a game-high +17 in his 35 minutes of action.

“Just a guy like him to be able to play with so much confidence, drive to the basket, dunk on people, make threes, make plays for other guys,” Hawks center Clint Capela told Davies. “It’s been very high level for our team. It’s been getting our team to a different scale.”

Asked about how Johnson can continue improving, Capela suggested consistency is a crucial next step, while head coach Quin Snyder said he wants to see the fourth-year forward continue making strides on defense. The general consensus is that Johnson’s ceiling is even higher than what he has shown so far.

“He’s young, so he can get better in everything honestly,” teammate De’Andre Hunter told Davies. “He still has a lot of room to grow. I think overall he can just keep expanding his game like he has, and he’s gonna continue to reach new heights.”

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

Jonas Valanciunas is the Wizards player who is most likely to be traded this season, league sources tell Kurt Helin of NBC Sports. Valanciunas has frequently been linked to the Lakers, who had interest in him in free agency, but L.A. won’t be the only team in the market for a big man at the trade deadline. Helin speculates that clubs like Phoenix, Indiana, and Miami could also be seeking frontcourt depth.
Kyle Kuzma sprained a rib on Wednesday and will miss at least a couple games, according to Wizards head coach Brian Keefe, who said the veteran forward isn’t expected to suit up for Saturday’s game in Milwaukee or Tuesday’s contest in Cleveland (Twitter link via Josh Robbins of The Athletic).
Despite both battling back issues this week, Heat swingman Jimmy Butler and forward/center Kevin Love were cleared to play on Friday vs. Toronto, as Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald tweets. Love was the first player off the bench for Miami.

Heat Notes: Jaquez, Jovic, Richardson, NBA Cup

November 29th, 2024 at 2:07pm CST by Rory Maher

The Heat need more from recent first-round picks Jaime Jaquez and Nikola Jovic if they want to improve their middling 8-8 record, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required).

Both players appeared to be on the rise last season. Jaquez earned a spot on the All-Rookie First Team, while Jovic started his final 26 games of the ’23/24 campaign. However, they haven’t been as effective to open ’24/25, with both seeing their minutes reduced; Jovic was a healthy scratch in each of the past two games.

Here’s more on the Heat:

What’s behind Jaquez’s slow start? Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald tackles that question in a mailbag, writing that the second-year forward is actually attempting more shots in the restricted area — typically a good thing — but is making fewer of those looks (51.1% vs. 65.4% last season). The former UCLA star has also missed a handful of games due to a stomach illness and sprained ankle, Chiang notes.
Veteran guard/forward Josh Richardson admits he was disappointed that the shoulder injury he sustained last season forced him to pick up his $3.05MM player option for ’24/25, Winderman writes in another story. “It is what it is,” Richardson said. “I’m happy to be playing basketball. I wish it could have turned out different, because I thought I started playing good basketball when I got hurt last season. But that’s life, and you can’t live with regrets. So I’m just trying to work my way back, make the best of this year.” The 31-year-old, who will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, has been in and out of Miami’s lineup due to a nagging heel injury, but his role appears “murky” even when he’s available, Winderman adds.
Miami dropped to 1-2 in NBA Cup play following Tuesday’s loss to Milwaukee. The Heat will need plenty of help to advance to the quarterfinals even if they defeat Toronto on Friday. Chiang has the details.

Southeast Notes: Poole, Wizards, Butler, LaMelo

November 28th, 2024 at 9:31pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Veteran guard Jordan Poole considers the Wizards‘ recent struggles necessary for the team to eventually take the leap to the next level. Following a 121-96 home defeat to the Clippers on Wednesday, Washington’s 13th in a row, Poole addressed reporters post-game, per Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network (Twitter video link).

“It’s just a matter of figuring things out,” Poole said. “Good things take time… You’ve got to go through it. Every organization has to go through tough times in order to figure out what the good times are like, if that makes sense. You’ve got to figure it out, you’re building a foundation, you’re laying pieces. It’s not supposed to be easy.”

Washington is currently 2-15 on the year, and in prime position to earn a top lottery pick for next year’s loaded draft.

Across 15 games this season, the Michigan alum is averaging 20.3 points on a .449/.432/.883 slash line. He’s also dishing out 4.7 assists and pulling down 2.1 rebounds per.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

Just a month and change into their 2024/25 season, the Wizards are already feeling the effects of their rebuild, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. “To me, we don’t really have a choice,” rookie guard Kyshawn George said Wednesday. “It’s too easy to just give up, and you lean on the people that are around you. I think we have a great group of guys as persons that hold each other accountable. We’re all working toward the same goal — the players and the coaching staff and the whole organization. So, it’s too easy to just say, ‘OK, this is what it is, and we’re not going to get better.’”
Heat All-Star wing Jimmy Butler was held out of the fourth quarter of the team’s eventual 98-94 Wednesday win over the Hornets due to an achy back, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Reserve center Kevin Love is also dealing with back issues. He departed the Heat’s 106-103 loss to the Bucks on Tuesday ahead of the second half and missed the Charlotte game. “He’s not comfortable enough to play today or finish the game yesterday,” Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said Wednesday of Love. “But he’s dealt with it before and we’ll see how he feels when we get back.” Butler is considered probable to suit up for Miami’s next game on Friday, while Love is merely questionable, Chiang writes in another story.
Hornets All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball will sit out Charlotte’s NBA Cup clash with the Knicks on Friday due to a sore left calf, per Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Boone notes that Ball has enjoyed a fairly healthy start to the year, appearing in all 18 contests for the 6-12 Hornets so far. Always a prolific scorer, the 6’7″ pro has topped himself this year, averaging 31.1 points per game on .430/.356/.848 shooting splits. He’s also chipping in 6.9 dimes and 5.4 boards per contest.

Heat Notes: Rozier, NBA Cup, Ware, Larsson, Love

November 27th, 2024 at 7:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

Terry Rozier returned Tuesday after missing two games with discomfort in his right foot, but he wasn’t in his usual spot in the Heat‘s starting lineup, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Rozier came off the bench for the first time this season, and just the second time since being acquired in a trade with Charlotte midway through last season. After scoring 17 points in 21 minutes in a loss to Milwaukee, Rozier said he’s willing to accept the new role.

“It’s who finishes the game. It ain’t who starts,” he said. “I think a lot of people want to start in this league. I’ve started for a while, and it’s not final. Like coach said, it’s nothing against me. It’s just trying something new and I’m going to roll with it. It’s a little adjustment that I’m willing to make as long as coach needs me to.”

Miami won both games when Rozier was sidelined while using a new starting lineup with Duncan Robinson joining Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, Haywood Highsmith and Bam Adebayo. Coach Erik Spoelstra has decided to keep that unit intact, even though Chiang points out that it has been outscored by 21.4 points per 100 possessions over the three-game stretch.

“I feel for Terry because, well one, he got hurt. And we’re at the beginning of a season right now where we’re searching,” Spoelstra said. “So the starting lineup is not an indictment at all on him. We had something that worked for two games. So, of course, we’re going to stick with that right now because we’re not where we want to be.”

There’s more from Miami:

Tuesday’s loss virtually eliminates any chance of the Heat advancing in the NBA Cup, Chiang adds in a separate story. Miami is now 1-2 in the tournament and would need a lot of help to move on, even with a victory Friday against Toronto. “It’s disappointing,” Spoelstra said. “… We wanted to be there in Vegas.”
Despite the loss, there were some encouraging signs from the team’s 2024 draft selections, per Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. First-round pick Kel’el Ware and second-rounder Pelle Larsson were both on the court during a fourth quarter rally that nearly erased a 22-point deficit. Larsson played 22 minutes off the bench, the most of any Heat reserve, while scoring eight points, and Ware posted a +11 plus-minus rating in roughly nine minutes of action. “I like both of their processes right now,” Spoelstra said. “They’ve committed to all the player development. They don’t look at us crazy, with what we have on their schedule every single day. Pelle’s been getting the minutes, so he’s been able to show that to everybody else. But Kel’el’s been doing that behind the scenes, so he’s been showing the staff and his teammates.”
Kevin Love is missing his ninth game of the season tonight after being held out of the second half of Tuesday’s contest with back spasms, Winderman adds in the same piece. Love’s first eight absences were due to a personal matter.