Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Heat Sign Cody Zeller

February 20th, 2023 at 6:33pm CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 20: The Heat have officially signed Zeller, the team tweets.

FEBRUARY 19: In addition to reaching an agreement to sign Kevin Love, the Heat plan to fortify their frontcourt depth by adding Cody Zeller to their 15-man roster, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press first reported (via Twitter) that Zeller was “targeting” signing with the Heat, after Michael Scotto of HoopsHype stated on Saturday that the veteran center had worked out for Miami.

The fourth overall pick in the 2013 draft, Zeller spent his first eight NBA seasons in Charlotte, then played for Portland in 2021/22. He had a limited role for the Blazers last season, averaging 5.2 PPG and 4.6 RPG in a career-low 13.1 minutes off the bench in 27 games before a right patellar avulsion fracture ended his season.

Zeller signed a non-guaranteed training camp deal with Utah this past September, but failed to earn a spot on the Jazz’s regular season roster and was waived at the end of the preseason. He has been seeking a new NBA home since then, having also worked out for the Lakers earlier in the season.

The Heat’s salary-dump trade of center Dewayne Dedmon prior to the deadline created some extra breathing room below the luxury tax for the organization, putting Miami in position to fill its 14th and 15th roster spots without becoming a taxpayer. The deal also thinned out the team’s frontcourt depth, so when the Heat went shopping on the buyout market following the deadline, they were said to be focusing on frontcourt players rather than guards.

Zeller will give Miami an experienced veteran option on the depth chart behind All-Star center Bam Adebayo. Omer Yurtseven, Orlando Robinson, and Udonis Haslem are also in the mix at the five, but Yurtseven is coming off ankle surgery and hasn’t played at all this season, Robinson is on a two-way contract and is nearing his games-played limit, and Haslem hasn’t played regular minutes for the last few years.

Assuming Love and Zeller both officially sign, as expected, the Heat would have a full 15-man roster, leaving no room for Robinson to get a promotion or Jamaree Bouyea to get another 10-day deal unless another player is waived.

We’ll see how that situation plays out, but if Robinson isn’t in the franchise’s plans going forward, Miami could cut him when he reaches his games-played limit, then bring back Bouyea to a two-way contract.

Kevin Love Signs With Heat

February 20th, 2023 at 5:28pm CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 20: Love has officially signed with the Heat, the team announced (via Twitter).

FEBRUARY 19: Veteran forward Kevin Love intends to sign with the Heat after he clears waivers, agent Jeff Schwartz has confirmed to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Miami had been considered the frontrunner to sign Love after he completed a buyout agreement with the Cavaliers on Saturday. However, reports at the time indicated that he hadn’t yet made a final decision, with Wojnarowski noting that the 34-year-old still wanted to meet with the Sixers. Now, following that conversation with Philadelphia, it appears Love has made up his mind (Twitter link).

The Heat were viewed as a logical landing spot for Love because they can offer him the ability to play a key role right away. Miami has been on the lookout for power forward help for months, following P.J. Tucker‘s exit in free agency last summer. Caleb Martin has been the de facto starter at that spot for much of the season, but the 6’5″ wing lacks the size to match up with stronger, more physical fours.

Love, who fell out of the rotation in Cleveland last month and played his last game as a Cavalier on January 24, can’t replicate what Tucker did for the Heat last season, since he’s not as stout or as versatile defensively. But the five-time All-Star will bring some size, scoring, and rebounding to a Miami team that ranks 26th in the NBA in offensive rating (111.1) and 27th in rebounds per game (41.4) at the All-Star break.

Love’s averages of 8.5 PPG and 6.8 RPG on .389/.354/.889 shooting in 41 games (20.0 MPG) for the Cavs this season are somewhat underwhelming, but he put up 13.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and a .430/.392/.838 shooting line in a similar role (22.5 MPG) across 74 appearances for Cleveland last season.

The Heat won’t have to make a corresponding roster move to sign Love, since they have two open spots on their 15-man roster following the expiration of Jamaree Bouyea‘s 10-day deal with the team. Even after signing Love, Miami will have one more opening to either bring back Bouyea on another 10-day contract, promote Orlando Robinson from his two-way deal, or sign someone else.

According to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link), Cody Zeller – who recently worked out for the Heat – has emerged as a strong candidate to fill that final open roster spot.

Having been officially waived on Saturday, Love will clear waivers on Monday, so the Heat are in position to sign him before their season resumes on Friday in Milwaukee. Miami has a portion of its mid-level exception and its full bi-annual exception available, giving the club the ability to offer Love more than the veteran’s minimum, but the terms of his deal haven’t yet been reported.

In addition to Miami and Philadelphia, the Suns and Lakers were among the other teams believed to have some level of interest in Love.

Expected To Use Part Of MLE On Love, Minimum Deal For Zeller

February 20th, 2023 at 1:35pm CST by Rory Maher

The Heat intend to bolster their frontcourt depth by signing Kevin Love and Cody Zeller. Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald reports that Love is expected to receive part of the Heat’s mid-level exception, while Zeller will likely receive a minimum-salary deal for the rest of the season, though the details were still being finalized as of Sunday afternoon.

Kyle Lowry Hopes To Return Before End Of Month

February 19th, 2023 at 2:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Left knee soreness kept Heat point guard Kyle Lowry out of action for the last six games before the All-Star break and there was some concern that he could miss a few more weeks beyond the break. However, a source tells Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link) that Lowry now hopes to return to the lineup by the end of the month.

Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald confirms Reynolds’ report, tweeting that Lowry’s knee has improved and that he’s targeting a return on February 27 or shortly thereafter. According to Reynolds, the Heat should have a clearer picture of Lowry’s outlook in the coming days, but there have been “encouraging signs.”

Lowry, who has battled health issues over the course of his second season in Miami, is averaging 12.0 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.3 rebounds in 33.3 minutes per game across 44 appearances. His shooting numbers (.396/.333/.855) have been disappointing and are well below his career rates, but Jackson says the coaching staff still believes the 36-year-old can help the team.

According to Jackson, the Heat’s optimism about Lowry’s prognosis was a factor in their decision to sign two big men in free agency – Kevin Love and Cody Zeller – rather than using one of their open roster spots on a guard.

As Jackson tweets, Gabe Vincent has performed well in Lowry’s absence, and if the six-time All-Star’s knee issues continue to plague him down the stretch, the club is comfortable turning to Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, and Victor Oladipo for ball-handling responsibilities when Vincent is off the floor.

Jackson’s reporting suggests that Lowry may be ruled out for the Heat’s two first games coming out of the break, in Milwaukee on Feb. 24 and Charlotte on Feb. 24. The team’s Feb. 27 contest is in Lowry’s hometown of Philadelphia. If he’s unable to suit up for that one, his next chance to return would be at home vs. the Sixers on March 1.

Heat Notes: Love, Adebayo, Westbrook, Yurtseven, O. Robinson

February 18th, 2023 at 7:32pm CST by Arthur Hill

Heat players are excited about the prospect of adding Kevin Love to their current roster, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Miami is considered to be the frontrunner to sign the veteran big man once he clears waivers, with a source telling Chiang that Love is intrigued by the possibility of regular playing time and the chance to team up with veteran stars Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler.

Adebayo and Tyler Herro both received questions about Love on Saturday during All-Star Weekend media sessions. In addition to the talent upgrade, they pointed out that Love would bring plenty of postseason experience.

“Anytime we can get somebody the caliber of Kevin Love, he’s played in so many big games, so many big playoff runs and he’s experienced,” Herro said. “He’s been there before. Getting a guy like that, we’ve seen what we can do if we add veteran players like that midway through the season. Usually that leads to good runs and long playoff runs for us as a team.”

There’s more from Miami:

Adebayo is in the second season of a five-year extension, and team president Pat Riley hopes to keep in him Miami long after that contract expires, Chiang notes in a separate story. Riley sees the 25-year-old center as a franchise cornerstone and a candidate to spend his entire career with the Heat. “It’s been a blessing to have him,” Riley said. “I go back to (Alonzo Mourning) and ‘Zo was a franchise face and then Dwyane (Wade) along with Udonis (Haslem), and now I look at Bam the same way because of longevity. I see Bam here, I hope, for his whole career.”
Miami is considered a potential destination for Russell Westbrook if he pursues a buyout with the Jazz, but the feedback Heat officials have gotten while investigating Westbrook has been “mixed” at best, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jackson hears that the team expects Kyle Lowry to be productive once he returns from his knee issues, so adding a big man is a greater priority than finding a point guard.
The Heat are facing a decision between Omer Yurtseven and Orlando Robinson, not only for backup center minutes for the rest of the season, but probably in offseason contract talks as well, per Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Yurtseven, who is still awaiting his season debut after undergoing ankle surgery in November, has an expiring contract and can be made a restricted free agent with a $2.2MM qualifying offer. Robinson can only be active for four more games on his two-way contract and would have to be converted to a standard deal to play beyond that.

Cavs, Kevin Love Complete Buyout; Heat In Lead To Sign Him

February 18th, 2023 at 3:46pm CST by Luke Adams

3:46pm: The buyout is now official and Love has been waived, the Cavs announced in a press release.

“Kevin Love had an outstanding run with the Cavaliers, including memorable on-court moments, four NBA Finals appearances and an NBA Championship in 2016,” said president of basketball operations Koby Altman. “Kevin represented the organization and the city of Cleveland with the utmost charm and professionalism during his nine seasons in Northeast Ohio.

“He also embodied everything a franchise would want in a player, and the admiration and gratitude we have for him will ultimately land his jersey in the rafters of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. We thank Kevin for his impact and wish him nothing but the best, knowing that he has solidified his place in the hearts of Cavaliers fans and this organization forever.”

11:07am: The Cavaliers and Love have completed a buyout, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Wojnarowski confirms that Miami is the frontrunner to sign Love, but says he intends to talk to to the Sixers before finalizing a decision.

9:29am: The Heat have emerged as the frontrunners to sign Kevin Love once he finalizes a buyout agreement with the Cavaliers, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

As Charania explains, other teams with interest in signing Love believe he favors Miami due to the Heat’s ability to offer a defined role, as well as their position in the standings.

The Heat are currently the seventh seed in the East, but have a three-game cushion on the eight-place Hawks and are within striking distance of the Knicks and Nets, the two teams directly ahead of them for the East’s final two guaranteed playoff berths.

Miami has been on the lookout all season long for power forward help following P.J. Tucker‘s exit in free agency last summer. Caleb Martin has served as a de facto starter at that spot for much of the season, but the 6’5″ wing lacks the size to match up with stronger, more physical fours.

Love, who has been out of the Cavs’ rotation and is said to be nearing a buyout, can’t replicate what Tucker did for the Heat last season, since he’s not as stout or as versatile defensively. But the 34-year-old can bring some size, scoring, and rebounding to a Miami team that ranks 26th in the NBA in offensive rating (111.1) and 27th in rebounds per game (41.4).

Love’s averages of 8.5 PPG and 6.8 RPG on .389/.354/.889 shooting in 41 games (20.0 MPG) for the Cavs this season are somewhat underwhelming, but he put up 13.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and a .430/.392/.838 shooting line in a similar role (22.5 MPG) across 74 appearances for Cleveland last season.

The Heat have an opening on their 15-man roster, so no corresponding move would be necessary to add Love, though there are still a few steps to go before the move can become official. The Cavs will need to formally buy out and waive Love, then he’ll spend two days on waivers. Once he become a free agent, Miami would still need to hold off a last-minute push from rival suitors to make things official with the five-time All-Star.

The Suns are among the teams believed to have interest in Love, while the Lakers were also reportedly “kicking the tires,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said during a TV appearance (YouTube video link).

Cody Zeller Worked Out For Heat

February 17th, 2023 at 7:26am CST by Luke Adams

The Heat recently brought in free agent center Cody Zeller for a workout, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The fourth overall pick in the 2013 draft, Zeller spent his first eight NBA seasons in Charlotte, then played for Portland in 2021/22. He had a limited role for the Blazers last season, averaging 5.2 PPG and 4.6 RPG in a career-low 13.1 minutes off the bench in 27 games before a right patellar avulsion fracture ended his season.

Zeller signed a non-guaranteed training camp deal with Utah this past September, but failed to earn a spot on the Jazz’s regular season roster and was waived at the end of the preseason. He has been seeking a new NBA home since then and also worked out for the Lakers earlier in the season.

As Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported this week, the Heat – who have one spot available on their 15-man roster and can create a second opening when Jamaree Bouyea‘s 10-day deal expires – are prioritizing frontcourt targets. Winderman mentioned Kevin Love and Serge Ibaka as possibilities and it appears the team is considering other vets as well.

Power forward is the spot the Heat would really like to address, but their center rotation isn’t entirely settled either. While rookie big man Orlando Robinson has been Bam Adebayo‘s primary backup for much of the season, he’s approaching the games-played limit on his two-way contract and would need to be promoted to the 15-man roster to remain active beyond that limit.

The Heat traded away Dewayne Dedmon prior to this month’s deadline and don’t seem comfortable relying on veteran Udonis Haslem to play a regular role. Omer Yurtseven is nearing his return from left ankle surgery, but it’s unclear how effective he’ll be after being sidelined for several months.

Suns Among Teams Interested In Kevin Love

February 16th, 2023 at 10:39pm CST by Rory Maher

The Suns are among the teams interested in Kevin Love if he finalizes a buyout with the Cavaliers, Brian Windhorst of ESPN said in an appearance on Pardon the Interruption (YouTube link).

As Windhorst points out, Love was teammates with Suns president of basketball operations James Jones when Cleveland won its lone championship in 2016, so there’s a connection there. Love also played with Kevin Durant and Chris Paul on Team USA in 2012, when the Americans went undefeated in the London Olympics.

The Suns have an open roster spot and both their taxpayer mid-level and bi-annual exceptions available, so they could offer Love more than a minimum-salary contract if they’re so inclined.

According to Windhorst, Love requested the buyout due to a lack of playing time, having been a healthy scratch for the past 12 games. Windhorst suggests the Cavs weren’t “thrilled” with the request, but they had gone 9-3 with Love out of the rotation, so they didn’t want to switch things up when they’re having success without him.

A few teams called Windhorst after the news broke requesting background information on the veteran big man, so he is attracting interest despite having a down year — Love is averaging career lows in points (8.5), rebounds (6.8), minutes per game (20.0). A thumb injury, which is now healed, limited his effectiveness from an efficiency standpoint, as his FG% (.389) and 3PT% (.354) are his worst marks since 2012/13, when the 34-year-old played just 18 games due to injury.

Windhorst says the Heat are “very interested” in Love, but notes that Cleveland might have to play Miami in the first round of the playoffs — paying him to join a direct competitor in the East obviously doesn’t make much sense. Windhorst wonders if the Cavs will negotiate to try to force Love to join a Western Conference team instead.

Heat Notes: Love, D. Robinson, Injuries, Herro

February 16th, 2023 at 12:53pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat may be able to attract Kevin Love by offering a starting role, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. News broke late Wednesday night that Love is involved in buyout talks with the Cavaliers, and Miami was mentioned as a possible destination for the 34-year-old big man, who was recently removed from the rotation in Cleveland.

Caleb Martin currently serves as the Heat’s starting power forward, but at 6’5″ it’s not his natural position. Love could bring more size, better rebounding and improved passing to the starting lineup if he can be convinced to sign with Miami. Winderman notes that the addition of Love would also reduce the urgency to give a standard contract to Orlando Robinson, who is nearing the end of his eligibility on his two-way deal.

The Heat have their full $4MM+ bi-annual exception available, as well as $3MM+ on their mid-level exception, which gives them an advantage in the buyout market over teams that are limited to minimum-salary offers. Miami has also been linked to players such as Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley, but Winderman hears that the front office is prioritizing front-line help over a guard, making Love or Serge Ibaka a more likely target (Twitter link).

There’s more from Miami:

Duncan Robinson was able to return Wednesday after finger surgery in January sidelined him for the past 20 games, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Robinson, who still feels discomfort in his finger, was originally expected to be sidelined until after the All-Star break, but he played Wednesday because the team has so many other injured players. “That was one of the things that I knew when I elected to do the procedure is that there was going to be pain,” Robinson said. “But it’s significantly less than it was before and it functions better than it did before.”
The Heat will welcome the All-Star break to heal up from their injuries, Chiang adds. Tyler Herro, Nikola Jovic, Kyle Lowry, Victor Oladipo and Omer Yurtseven were all unavailable Wednesday, and Miami ranks second in the league with 235 missed games. All five players are expected back at varying points after the break ends. “The biggest thing for us is we’re glad everybody will get fresh legs,” Martin said. “We’ve been down a lot of guys most of the season, so it will be good to get everybody fresh from the jump.”
Herro is considered day-to-day with a left knee contusion, but he’s still expected to participate in the three-point contest at All-Star Weekend, according to Chiang.

Kevin Love, Cavaliers Nearing Buyout Agreement

February 16th, 2023 at 12:11am CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Longtime Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love is working toward a buyout agreement with the team, sources inform Shams Charania and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic.

Love is currently making $28.9MM in the final season of a four-year, $120MM contract extension he signed with the team in 2018. The deal kicked in the following season.

According to The Athletic’s writers, the Heat are already said to be interested in procuring Love’s services. Given Miami’s issues with floor spacing and its lack of traditionally sized power forwards, this would feel like a natural fit.

The 34-year-old big man has been with the Cavaliers since he was traded to the club by the Timberwolves ahead of the 2014/15 NBA season.

Love, a five-time All-Star, won a title in Cleveland in 2016 alongside All-Stars LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. As Charania and Lloyd note, the former No. 5 pick out of UCLA was the only remaining player from that title team who was part of the exciting ’22/23 club that is currently the fourth seed in the East.

The 6’10” vet had fallen out of Cleveland rotation last month around the same time Dean Wade returned from a shoulder injury. Love played what could be his last game for the team on January 24, a 105-103 loss to the Knicks.

Even before that, Love had taken more of a backseat to Cleveland’s starting frontcourt tandem of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen this season. 6’7″ Cedi Osman has taken on more minutes as the team’s de facto reserve power forward of late.

Across 41 games while still in the team’s rotation, Love posted averages of 8.5 PPG and 6.8 RPG, with shooting splits of .389/.354/.889.