Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

D’Angelo Russell Rumors: Extension Talks, Heat, Lowry, Suns

January 13th, 2023 at 6:00pm CST by Rory Maher

Prior to a blockbuster trade to acquire Rudy Gobert in the offseason, the Timberwolves explored the possibility of acquiring Dejounte Murray instead, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

According to Fischer, extension talks between the Wolves and guard D’Angelo Russell went nowhere in the offseason, and there’s a belief among rival teams that Minnesota is open to moving him. It’s unclear if those extension talks came before or after the team’s interest in Murray, but clearly there was a difference of opinion on value.

A couple weeks ago, Brian Windhorst of ESPN floated a hypothetical on his Hoop Collective podcast wondering if the Wolves would consider calling the Heat about Kyle Lowry in exchange for Russell’s $31.4MM expiring contract. Lowry has one more year on his deal at $29.7MM, and Windhorst thought Miami might be open to moving him due to future luxury tax concerns, though he admitted he wasn’t sure how the Heat would view Russell’s fit.

A couple days later, Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype wrote about Russell’s situation and explored the idea of Russell-Lowry swap. Russell unfollowed the Wolves on social media the same day, which raised some eyebrows.

“Yeah, it’s my life,” the Russell told Fischer of paying attention to rumors. “That’s it. Just be conscious of it.”

While neither of those instances were actual rumors, Fischer hears from sources that the Heat have actually shown interest in Russell, but says a “direct deal for Lowry would appear unlikely.” Fischer suggests the Wolves might be hesitant to acquire Lowry due to his contract and the possibility of having to extend him or risk losing him for nothing, much like their current situation with Russell.

Fischer writes that there isn’t much of a market for lead guards with large salaries, but rival executives are watching the Clippers and Suns as teams looking for backcourt upgrades. The Suns were linked to Russell a handful of years ago, and he’s close with star Devin Booker, per Fischer.

Winderman: Dedmon Will Have To Earn Back Heat's Trust

January 13th, 2023 at 1:25pm CST by Luke Adams

After serving a one-game suspension for a sideline outburst, Heat center Dewayne Dedmon will have to take on the challenge of winning back the team’s trust, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. As Winderman observes, several former Heat players – including Meyers Leonard, Dion Waiters, and James Johnson – were traded not long after being disciplined by the team in some form or another.

Heat Suspend Dewayne Dedmon One Game Without Pay

January 11th, 2023 at 9:39pm CST by Rory Maher

After consulting with the NBA, the Heat have suspended backup center Dewayne Dedmon for one game without pay for conduct detrimental to the team, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.

As Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel notes (via Twitter), Dedmon cannot be sanctioned further by the NBA after being suspended by the Heat due to a “no double-jeopardy” rule.

Dedmon was suspended for an incident during Tuesday’s victory over Oklahoma City. After being subbed out of the game less than three minutes into the second quarter, he got into an argument on the sidelines with head coach Erik Spoelstra and assistant Caron Butler.

When the big man, visibly angry, left the bench and began walking toward the locker room, he swatted at a Theragun and sent the massage device flying onto the court in the middle of play (video link via Bleacher Report). Dedmon was ejected from the game for the incident.

The 33-year-old has dealt with plantar fasciitis in his left foot in 2022/23, which has limited his effectiveness. Through 29 games, he’s averaging 5.9 points and 3.7 rebounds on .512/.306/.727 shooting in 11.7 minutes per contest.

Dedmon makes $4.7MM this season, so he will lose approximately $32K as a result of the one-game suspension.

Southeast Notes: Wizards, Vucevic, Magic, Favors, Heat

January 11th, 2023 at 7:25pm CST by Rory Maher

Johnny Davis, the 10th overall pick last June, has rarely seen the court for the Wizards, making just 10 appearances for an average of 5.0 minutes per contest. The rookie guard has spent most of the season with the team’s G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go, averaging 11.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.1 APG and 1.0 SPG on .408/.352/.786 shooting in 14 games (25.2 MPG) during the Showcase Cup.

Head coach Wes Unseld Jr. has been keeping a close eye on the lottery pick’s G League performances, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington.

“I think the injuries have been a big piece of it. It’s hard to really evaluate a guy who hasn’t had a ton of opportunities here. I’ve seen a lot of growth with his G-League development,” Unseld said of Davis, who is currently sidelined with a right hip strain.

“The level of confidence he’s playing with, I think he’s starting to see the game slow down for him. Offensively, I think he’s starting to settle in to see the types of plays and the types of shots we want him to take. So, there’s a lot of growth there. I know it’s not translating as fast as maybe we would all like to see, but I think it bodes well.”

Go-Go head coach Mike Williams also spoke to Hughes about Davis, saying he’s done a nice job defensively, but he needs to work on his decision-making and shooting offensively.

Here’s more from the Southeast:

The Wizards are shorthanded for tonight’s game against the Bulls. In addition to guard Bradley Beal, who continues to be sidelined with a left hamstring strain, big men Daniel Gafford (right ankle sprain) and Kristaps Porzingis (right rib contusion) were downgraded from questionable to out (Twitter link). Deni Avdija and Taj Gibson started in place of Gafford and Porzingis. Backup forward Rui Hachimura should also see an uptick in minutes.
In an appearance on The Sixth Man Show podcast, Bulls center Nikola Vucevic was asked if he would be open to returning to the Magic if it made sense for him down the road. “Of course, I mean yeah,” Vucevic said. “That’s something that I would love to do at some point. We’ll see when that is possible, if that’s realistic and how it all works out. But yeah, for sure, I would like to, if anything, at least get one last year in Orlando. I think it’s only right it happens, so we’ll see. … I feel like I have a lot of basketball left, so who knows what will happen, but yeah, for sure, it’s something that’s on my mind, I can’t say it’s not.” The two-time All-Star will be a free agent in the summer.
Veteran center Derrick Favors, an Atlanta native who just inked a 10-day contract with the Hawks, says he grew up a fan of the team. “Oh, definitely a fan growing up,” Favors said, per Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscriber link). “Back when they had like Josh Smith, Joe Johnson, those guys. I’m definitely a fan, Al Horford. And just being from Atlanta has always been a dream to, you know, at least put the jersey on at least one time. So, it’s definitely a dream, and I’m blessed and humbled to be here.” According to Williams, Favors went through shootaround Wednesday, but he wasn’t sure if he’d see the court against the Bucks. “It’s up to them, you know, if they call the name, call my number, I’ll be ready,” he said. “You know, if not, then you know, I’ll be ready for the next game. So, you know, we’ll see.”
Head coach Nate McMillan provided a little more context on Favors’ potential role during his 10-day stint, Williams adds (Twitter links). He said he would prefer Favors to go through a practice before actually playing, but he might play Wednesday if needed. McMillan views Favors as an “insurance policy” when the Hawks need more size.
The Heat have dealt with so many injuries this season that head coach Erik Spoelstra admits that he sometimes forgets who is actually available to play, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “We’ve been dealing with a lot of moving parts,” he said. “I kept on forgetting who’s available and who’s not.” Miami only had a seven-man rotation after Dewayne Dedmon was ejected Tuesday.

Heat’s G League Affiliate Acquires Justin Champagnie

January 11th, 2023 at 5:35pm CST by Rory Maher

The Heat‘s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, has claimed former Raptors forward Justin Champagnie off waivers, the Skyforce announced in a press release.

Champagnie, went undrafted in 2021 after two seasons at Pitt. He caught on with the Raptors, signing a two-way deal and appearing in 36 games as a rookie for an average of 7.8 minutes per contest. Champagnie then had his two-way deal converted to a standard contract last summer, but it was only partially guaranteed and he was waived by Toronto at the end of last month.

The 21-year-old has only made three NBA appearances thus far in 2022/23, but he has been a standout performer in the G League, averaging 22.5 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.5 SPG and 0.9 BPG on .521/.368/.714 shooting during the Showcase Cup with Toronto’s affiliate, the Raptors 905. He remains an NBA free agent.

There is a viable pathway for Champagnie to land an NBA deal with the Heat if he performs well with the Skyforce and certain moves are made.

Backup center Dewayne Dedmon has fallen out of the Heat’s rotation and a recent incident with the coaching staff likely won’t do him any favors. If he gets traded, which seems probable, rookie center Orlando Robinson, who is on a two-way contract, is viewed as strong candidate to be promoted to a standard deal.

If both of those things transpire, Champagnie could receive Robinson’s two-way spot. If the Heat dump Dedmon’s salary in a trade, then they could also look to add a second player on their standard roster — their 15th spot is currently open due to their proximity to the luxury tax line, but removing Dedmon’s cap hit would give them the flexibility to fill it.

Heat’s Dedmon Ejected, May Face Additional Discipline Following Sideline Incident

January 11th, 2023 at 9:07am CST by Luke Adams

With only nine players active for the Heat on Tuesday night, center Dewayne Dedmon had an opportunity to rejoin the rotation, but his night didn’t last long.

After being subbed out of the game less than three minutes into the second quarter, Dedmon got into an argument on the sidelines with head coach Erik Spoelstra and assistant Caron Butler, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (subscription required).

When the big man, visibly angry, left the bench and began walking toward the locker room, he swatted at a Theragun and sent the massage device flying onto the court in the middle of play (video link via Bleacher Report). The incident resulted in his ejection from the game, and there’s an expectation that the NBA will fine or suspend Dedmon for tossing something onto the court during play, Chiang writes.

Dedmon, the Heat’s primary reserve center earlier in the season, has fallen out of the rotation as of late despite the ongoing absence of big man Omer Yurtseven (ankle surgery). With two-way center Orlando Robinson assuming backup duties behind Bam Adebayo, Dedmon hasn’t played more than 10 minutes in a game since December 14.

As Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel writes, Robinson’s emergence and the anticipated return of Yurtseven later this season have essentially made Dedmon expendable for the Heat, so the 33-year-old is a good bet to wind up on the trade block once he becomes eligible to be dealt this Sunday.

Dedmon is in the first season of a two-year, $9MM contract he signed with the Heat last summer, but his $4.3MM salary for 2023/24 is non-guaranteed, so it shouldn’t require a significant asset for Miami to move off of his deal.

If they’re able to move him in a salary-dump trade, the Heat would create enough breathing room below the luxury tax line to immediately fill the 15th spot on their roster in addition to replacing Dedmon. Robinson is a strong candidate to be promoted to fill that spot sooner or later.

Robinson Passes Dedmon On Depth Chart?

January 9th, 2023 at 10:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Two-way player Orlando Robinson may have passed Dewayne Dedmon on the depth chart as the Heat‘s backup center. Robinson finished Sunday’s one-point loss to Brooklyn with six points, nine rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes, while Dedmon didn’t play due to coach’s decision for the first time this season. The Heat outscored the Nets by 24 points with Robinson on the court, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald notes.

“I thought he just gave us great minutes,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Even when we had to take (Bam Adebayo) out in the fourth quarter, that could have been an emotional downer, like a real buzz kill. But O had been playing really well and when I turned to him, everybody else was like: ‘Yeah, let’s do this.’ He’s earned the minutes and I think the way he was really sprinting to the rim on some of the pick-and-rolls and creating a little bit of confusion, really helped us generate some clean looks.”

Heat guard Kyle Lowry has been downgraded to out for Tuesday’s game against the Thunder, Chiang tweets. The Heat have a number of injury concerns. Rotation players Caleb Martin (left quadriceps strain) and Duncan Robinson (finger surgery) have also been ruled out, while Tyler Herro (left Achilles soreness) and Adebayo (right wrist contusion) are questionable.

Bam Dealing With Right Hand Injury

January 9th, 2023 at 4:05pm CST by Rory Maher

Heat center Bam Adebayo has a right hand injury, which is why he sat out the final 5:11 of Sunday’s loss to Brooklyn, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (subscriber link). Adebayo said he’s actually been dealing with it for a few days, but the injury was aggravated in the first half. “I don’t know how he’ll feel tomorrow,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said. “There was a really hard hand contusion in the first half and he tried to gut it out in the second half, and you could see he was basically playing with one hand. It was just extremely sore. So I had to make that tough call and take the decision out of his hands in the fourth quarter and we’ll just evaluate him tomorrow.” Adebayo said X-rays were negative, and an MRI on Monday revealed a wrist contusion, but nothing more serious. He’s officially listed as questionable for Tuesday’s contest vs. the Thunder, according to Chiang (Twitter link).

Pacific Notes: LeBron, R. Jackson, Ayton, Dozier

January 9th, 2023 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

LeBron James is disputing the nature of a weekend report by Sam Amick of The Athletic that he’s becoming impatient for Lakers management to upgrade the roster. The story suggests that James was sending a message to the front office with his comments after Saturday’s game, but in a response on Twitter, James said that wasn’t his intention.

“Hey Sam actually my patience isn’t waning,” he wrote. “You make it sound like I’m frustrated when I’m really not. I told you over and over, my job is focused on the guys in the locker room, my job isn’t the roster. That’s the reality of that conversation. And I said what I said with the Upmost respect and calmness cause that’s the mood I’m in! Your welcome! 5 game winning streak.”

While L.A. has climbed back into the playoff race with its recent hot streak, speculation is starting to build around the league that James may want to finish his career somewhere else, according to Sean Deveney of Heavy. Executives have told Deveney that multiple teams are preparing for the possibility that James will try to force a trade this summer, if only so they don’t get caught off guard like they did with Kevin Durant‘s trade request last year.

One executive tells Deveney that the Lakers are hoping to get through this season without trading their first-round picks in 2027 and 2029 and then use their cap room, which could top $30MM, to acquire free agents who would appeal to James, such as Kyrie Irving or Draymond Green. If that doesn’t happen, league executives see the Cavaliers, Heat and Suns as the most likely destinations if James does force his way out.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Coach Tyronn Lue tinkered with the lineup as the Clippers dropped their sixth straight game on Sunday night, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Reggie Jackson, who has been the starting point guard for the past two-plus seasons, played just eight minutes, all in the first half, as Lue turned to Terance Mann to improve the team’s defense. Lue explained that the change isn’t necessarily permanent. “No, I just think tonight it was Reggie,” he said. “Then tomorrow, it could be somebody else. Just kind of experimenting with different things. When you lose five games in a row, you want to try some different things.”
The Suns were missing four rotation players due to injuries as they fell below .500 Sunday night, so Deandre Ayton is determined to keep playing despite tweaking his left ankle late in the game, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “I finished the jump hook and my left leg just drifted off behind me and twisted it. So it feels like it’s a day-by-day thing,” Ayton said. “No ankle is stopping me right now. I’m on a mission so I’m going to be up on my feet. No worries about that.”
Coach Mike Brown was upset about the Kings‘ defense in Saturday’s loss to the Lakers, and the team sees potential help in PJ Dozier, who’s expected to sign a 10-day contract, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.

Heat Notes: Adebayo, Martin, Oladipo, January Deadlines

January 8th, 2023 at 3:19pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

All-Star Heat center Bam Adebayo beleives he’s the best defender in the league, making the claim in a Q&A with Mark Medina of NBA.com.

“I feel like I’ve been the best defender in the last two seasons,” Adebayo said. “I can guard one through five and I can guard anybody on the court. In past seasons, that’s how I got on the court. Defense is how I got to where I am today. That’s never going to be away. I’m always going to have the mindset of wanting to be in the top five on both units.”

Adebayo is certainly the fulcrum of one of the league’s best defenses. The Heat currently rank second in opponent points allowed per game (109.1) and sixth in defensive rating (111.4). His most seasoned teammate thinks he has also evolved as a leader.

“The more he talks, the less I have to do,” reserve big man Udonis Haslem told Medina. “He takes over the huddles. He holds guys accountable. He’s engaged. He’s building that trust and relationship with guys. That’s what you want from your best player.”

Through 36 games this season, Adebayo is averaging a career-high 21.8 PPG while shooting 54.4% from the field and 81.8% from the charity stripe. He’s also chipping in 10 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.1 SPG and 0.8 BPG.

There’s more out of South Beach:

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra believes 6’5″ starting power forward Caleb Martin is growing more comfortable in his new role, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “His versatility is vital to our group,” Spoelstra said. “Night after night after night, he’s taking on all the different kinds of challenges that this league can present, whether he’s guarding the small, super-quick guys, or whether he’s switching on to centers. And he has great instincts for deflections and steals…. Our defense always just seems to be a whole lot more active and fast when he’s out on the court. He’s a playmaker out there, which really truly fits with Jimmy [Butler] and Bam.” Winderman notes that the Heat still intend to make Martin into a reliable spot-up three-point shooter.
Miami reserve shooting guard Victor Oladipo continues to find his way with the club this season, Winderman writes in a separate story. “He’s been getting more comfortable, more confident, getting his legs under him,” Spoelstra remarked. “And he’s a big-time X-factor for us, on both sides of the floor… And I’ve mentioned this before — his growth and improvement and how he feels comfortable within the system and everything, that won’t be linear. It’ll be some minor ups and downs with it, because he has missed a good deal of time.”
Three notable NBA dates in January aren’t having a huge impact on the Heat, explains Winderman in another article. Because of the league’s proximity to the luxury tax, the club as currently comprised won’t be in the market for 10-day contracts, the window for which opened Thursday. The team opted to guarantee reserve big Haywood Highsmith‘s contract for the season Saturday and also seem destined to guarantee the contracts of intriguing two-way players Jamal Cain and Orlando Robinson at the January 20 two-way guarantee deadline.