Heat Notes: Jovic, Swider, Williams, Jaquez

A report from Serbian outlet Meridian Sport (hat tip to Eurohoops) suggests that forward Nikola Jovic suffered a fracture in his ankle joint in the spring, but the Heat continue to refer to Jovic’s injury – which he sustained last month during a drill at Kaseya Center – as a left ankle sprain and a fractured toe, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.

According to Chiang, the injury has improved in recent weeks and the Heat expect the former first-round pick to be available when training camps tip off this fall. However, Jovic’s status for the Olympics remains up in the air.

The Heat haven’t ruled out the possibility of medically clearing Jovic prior to the Olympics, a league source tells Chiang, but that clearance hasn’t happened yet. And even if the team does clear him, the Serbian basketball federation will make the final decision on Jovic’s status for the Paris Games, Chiang adds.

According to Meridian Sport, Jovic didn’t travel with the Serbian national team for its exhibition games in France (on July 12) and in Abu Dhabi (vs. Australia and the U.S. on July 16-17).

Here’s more on the Heat:

  • In a separate story for The Miami Herald, Chiang examines what it means for the Heat’s roster that they withdrew their qualifying offers to Cole Swider and Alondes Williams. As Chiang details, Miami doesn’t have room under the second tax apron to add a 15th man at this point, but could still rotate players in and out of its two-way contract slots. While the Heat aren’t technically hard-capped at the second apron, they’ve made it clear they have no desire to surpass that threshold unless it’s to acquire a star player.
  • The Heat made an early playoff exit this spring and haven’t done much to upgrade their roster this summer, but they still believe they’re capable of contending if they stay healthy, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jackson isn’t so sure, arguing that Miami isn’t among the top tier of Eastern Conference teams and making the case that the front office should at least consider the possibility of a Jimmy Butler trade before the season begins.
  • Second-year forward Jaime Jaquez isn’t concerned about the Heat’s relatively quiet offseason, suggesting that the front office’s lack of major moves reflects its confidence in the current group — and in the team’s developmental prowess. “I think when you look at what they’ve been doing in the offseason, they’re betting on the guys that they’ve brought in here, guys that they have drafted,” Jaquez said this week, according to Chiang. “As a player, you got to respect that and you want to make good on their bets. Betting on us, so it’s our job, especially us younger guys like myself and (Jovic), to step up into these roles and take that challenge. I think we’re both ready for it.”
  • Jaquez, who is on the Heat’s Summer League roster in Las Vegas, added that he’s going to work on improving his “leadership skills” this month.

How Teams Are Using 2024/25 Mid-Level Exceptions

In addition to receiving nearly $141MM in cap room and being allowed to surpass that threshold in order to sign players using Bird Rights or the minimum salary exception, each NBA team also receives a mid-level exception. The value of this exception varies depending on a club’s total team salary.

A team that goes under the cap to use its available cap room, for instance, receives a form of the MLE known as the room exception. An over-the-cap team receives the full mid-level exception, unless that team is also over the first tax apron ($178,132,000), in which case it gets a modest “taxpayer” version of the MLE. A team whose salary is over the second tax apron ($188,931,000) isn’t permitted to use its mid-level at all.

We detailed the exact values of each form of mid-level exception earlier this offseason, but here’s a quick breakdown:

  • Room exception: Can be used for contracts up to three years, with a starting salary worth up to $7,983,000.
  • Full/non-taxpayer mid-level exception: Can be used for contracts up to four years, with a starting salary worth up to $12,822,000.
    • Note: Though its name suggests otherwise, using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception doesn’t mean a team can’t or won’t be above the luxury tax line ($170,814,000) at season’s end; it simply means the team’s total salary can’t surpass the first tax apron ($178,132,000).
  • Taxpayer mid-level exception: Can be used for contracts up to two years, with a starting salary worth up to $5,168,000.

Now that most of the NBA’s teams have used up their cap space, it’s worth keeping an eye on which clubs still have part or all of their mid-level exceptions available, which we’ll do in the space below.

This list will be kept up to date throughout the 2024/25 league year, with new MLE deals added once those signings are officially completed and we confirm the contract details.

Note: After the 2025 trade deadline, the value of the exceptions below will begin to prorate downward.

Here’s where things currently stand:


Mid-Level Exception:

Non-taxpayer: $12,822,000
Taxpayer:
$5,183,000

Teams marked with an asterisk (*) technically have access to the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception but aren’t currently in position to use the entire thing without surpassing the first tax apron.

Atlanta Hawks

  • Used: $0 *

Boston Celtics

  • Used: $0
  • The Celtics are operating above the second apron and don’t currently have access to a mid-level exception.

Brooklyn Nets

  • Used: $0 *

Chicago Bulls

Cleveland Cavaliers

  • Used: $0

Dallas Mavericks

Denver Nuggets

  • Used: $5,168,000 (Dario Saric)
  • The Nuggets are operating above the first apron and can’t currently use more than the taxpayer portion of the MLE.

Golden State Warriors

Houston Rockets

  • Used: $0 *

Indiana Pacers

  • Used: $0 *

Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers

  • Used: $0
  • The Lakers aren’t currently in position to use any portion of the MLE due to their proximity to the second apron.

Memphis Grizzlies

  • Used: $0 *

Miami Heat

  • Used: $0
  • The Heat aren’t currently in position to use any portion of the MLE due to their proximity to the second apron.

Milwaukee Bucks

  • Used: $0
  • The Bucks are operating above the second apron and don’t currently have access to a mid-level exception.

Minnesota Timberwolves

  • Used: $0
  • The Timberwolves are operating above the second apron and don’t currently have access to a mid-level exception.

New Orleans Pelicans

  • Used: $0 *

New York Knicks

  • Used: $0
  • The Knicks are currently limited to the taxpayer portion of the MLE based on their proximity to the first apron.

Phoenix Suns

  • Used: $0
  • The Suns are operating above the second apron and don’t currently have access to a mid-level exception.

Portland Trail Blazers

  • Used: $0 *

Sacramento Kings

  • Used: $0 *

Toronto Raptors

  • Used: $0 *

Washington Wizards


Room Exception:

Available: $7,983,000

Charlotte Hornets

  • Used: $0

Detroit Pistons

  • Used: $0

Oklahoma City Thunder

  • Used: $0

Orlando Magic

  • Used: $0

Philadelphia 76ers

San Antonio Spurs

  • Used: $0

Utah Jazz

  • Used: $0

Information from CapSheets.com was used in the creation of this post.

Central Notes: Beauchamp, Pistons, Burleson, Holland, Bulls

Former first-round pick MarJon Beauchamp has appeared in 100 games across his first two seasons with the Bucks, but he has yet to establish himself as an indispensable part of the rotation, having averaged a modest 13.1 minutes per night since entering the NBA. Beauchamp will be suiting up for Milwaukee’s Summer League team for a third consecutive year and wants to show in Las Vegas that he’s capable of taking on a larger role this fall, as Eric Nehm of The Athletic details.

“I asked (Bucks head coach Doc Rivers) and he said he wanted me to play two games, and it’s up to me after that,” Beauchamp told Nehm. “But really, I just want to do whatever’s going to help me get on the court next year. So, I’m sacrificing, and I feel like I just need to go out there and be me, of course, and just show that I can guard and make open shots and just be able to play.”

While Beauchamp’s two years of NBA experience will give him a leg up on most of the other players in Vegas, the Bucks don’t just want him just looking to rack up big scoring numbers, Nehm writes. The club’s summer league coach, Pete Dominguez, said the 23-year-old wing has been asked to focus on making the right plays when he gets the basketball.

“Doc has been consistent with him,” Dominguez said. “Quick decisions. Don’t hold it. Shoot it, drive it, pass it. Quick decisions. That’s what we’ve been drilling with him all summer long. I think that’s what he’s getting ready to really showcase in Las Vegas.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

  • The Pistons are hiring Kevin Burleson as an assistant coach under J.B. Bickerstaff, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Burleson, who has also served as an assistant in Memphis and Minnesota, has been the head coach of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Houston’s G League affiliate) for the past two seasons. He was previously part of Bickerstaff’s coaching staff for one season in Memphis (2018/19).
  • Following his first Summer League practice in Las Vegas, No. 5 overall pick Ron Holland spoke to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic about his first few weeks as a member of the Pistons, expressing his appreciation that the team drafted him without having hosted him for a pre-draft workout. “I did nine or 10 workouts and they weren’t one of them,” Holland said. “In talking to (the Pistons) and talking to my agent, I learned that they watched a lot of film and did a lot of background research on me. For them to still do all that, and not be able to get me for a workout, it does mean a lot. It shows that they have a lot of confidence in me and believe in my passion for the game. They see me as someone who can come here and help turn the program around, and that’s a huge blessing to me.”
  • The Bulls have officially announced that Wes Unseld Jr. and Dan Craig are joining Billy Donovan‘s coaching staff, as was reported earlier in the offseason. The team’s announcement also included confirmation that assistant coach John Bryant has been promoted to the front of the bench, Henry Domercant is transitioning from his role as head coach of the Windy City Bulls to become a second-row assistant in Chicago, and Billy Donovan III is the new head coach in Windy City.

Suns Re-Sign Josh Okogie To Two-Year Contract

JULY 13: The Suns have officially re-signed Okogie to his two-year contract, according to the transaction log at NBA.com.


JULY 11: Free agent wing Josh Okogie has agreed to a two-year, $16MM contract to stay with the Suns, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (via Twitter) that the second season of the 6’4″ guard/forward’s deal will be non-guaranteed.

According to Charania and Gerald Bourguet of PHX Sports (Twitter links), Okogie had drawn some interest from several other clubs before ultimately deciding to return to Phoenix. Bourguet notes that the Suns used Okogie’s Early Bird rights to bring him back into the fold.

Cap expert Yossi Gozlan tweets that Okogie’s new detail will increase the Suns’ luxury tax penalty by an eye-popping $47MM.

The 25-year-old arrived in Phoenix in the 2022 offseason as a free agent after spending his first four pro seasons with the Timberwolves. Minnesota initially selected him with the No. 20 pick out of Georgia Tech in the 2018 draft.

Okogie has emerged as a valuable role player across two playoff seasons in the competitive Western Conference. In his 60 healthy games last season, Okogie averaged a modest 4.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.8 steals in just 16.0 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .417/.309/.745. He is more valued for his multifaceted defense than his scoring, however, a skill set that may be a bit harder to measure.

Pistons Sign Bobi Klintman To Four-Year Deal

12:52pm: Klintman’s deal is official, according to the NBA’s transaction log.


11:39am: The Pistons are signing Bobi Klintman to a four-year contract worth just under $8MM, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (Twitter link). The first two seasons are fully guaranteed, Charania adds.

Detroit selected Klintman, 21, with the 37th overall pick in last month’s draft. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype first reported that the Pistons were hoping to sign the Swedish forward to a multiyear standard contract.

Scotto confirms Klintman’s salary will be worth more than the minimum in 2023/24 (Twitter link) — a four-year, minimum-salary deal for a rookie would work out to $7,895,796, so it sounds like Klintman will earn an extra $100K or so next season. The Pistons will almost certainly use the second-round exception to sign the 6’9″ combo forward.

After spending his freshman season at Wake Forest in 2022/23, Klintman decided to play in Australia last season as part of the NBL’s Next Stars program. He appeared in 23 games for the Cairns Taipans in ’23/24, averaging 9.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG and 0.8 SPG on .443/.357/.793 shooting (21.3 MPG).

Warriors Notes: Curry, Kuminga, Moody, Jackson-Davis

While it isn’t Golden State’s top priority this offseason, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. told reporters on Friday that discussing an extension with Stephen Curry is on the team’s radar, as Kendra Andrews of ESPN writes.

That guy can get whatever he wants,” Dunleavy said of Curry. “It’s been a sprint here getting through the draft and free agency and summer league, but all of that will get figured out. Steph, I think I can say pretty confidently, that he will be a Warrior for life.”

Curry, a two-time MVP, is currently training for the Paris Olympics with Team USA. The 36-year-old is under contract for two more seasons (at $55.8MM and $59.6MM). He would be limited to a one-year extension worth $62.6MM in 2026/26 due to the Over-38 rule, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (via Twitter).

Dunleavy also said signing former lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody to rookie scale extensions is important to the club (Twitter video link via Anthony Slater of The Athletic). Both players will be extension-eligible until the day before the ’24/25 regular season begins.

Here’s more on the Warriors:

  • Addressing this summer’s roster moves – including parting with Chris Paul and Klay Thompson and bringing in Buddy Hield, De’Anthony Melton, and Kyle Anderson – Dunleavy said that changes were needed after the way the Warriors’ 2023/24 season ended. “I think it would have been hard to run the same team back,” Dunleavy said, per Andrews. “Although 46 wins is pretty good, we didn’t make the playoffs. But this isn’t something where it’s like broken completely. We just need to tune some things up. I think we’ve been able to do that, and we’re excited about this group.”
  • The Warriors’ offseason work isn’t necessarily complete, but adding another free agent to fill the 15th roster spot won’t be an option for the time being, with the team right up against its hard cap (the first tax apron). “Free agency stuff has calmed down. We’ve got 14 guys and are against the first apron, so adding in that regard right now would be tough,” Dunleavy said. “But you’re always looking around the league to get better, talking to teams and exploring stuff. I like our team, but there’s also some things that we can look to improve at.”
  • Asked during an appearance on 95.7 The Game (Twitter links) whether the Warriors would be willing to trade Kuminga in a deal for an impact player, head coach Steve Kerr didn’t directly answer the question, but suggested no one on the roster besides Curry is absolutely untouchable. “There’s very few players in the league who are not talked about in trade discussions,” Kerr said. “Steph Curry is not being discussed in trade talks. Everybody else is. If you went down the list of NBA teams, the Lakers (are) probably not talking to anybody about LeBron (James). Everybody’s got maybe one or two guys who are off the table. The vast majority of NBA players are constantly going to be discussed in trade talks because everyone’s trying to do the same thing, which is improve their team.”
  • In a conversation with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, second-year big man Trayce Jackson-Davis discussed a handful of topics, including the experience of being on the U.S. Select Team and what sort of role he expects to have in Golden State next season. “(Kerr) wants me to be more offensive-minded and continue to make plays out of the dunker (spot), almost like the way (Domantas) Sabonis plays,” Jackson-Davis said. “That’s similar to what he wants me to be.”

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Veteran Big Man Mike Muscala Retiring

Veteran big man Mike Muscala is ending his playing career, telling Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman that he plans to retire.

Muscala’s father, Bob, informed Lorenzi that Mike plans to pursue a graduate degree in sports management, with an eye on continuing his basketball career in coaching and/or management.

The No. 44 overall pick of the 2013 draft, Muscala has spent the past 11 NBA seasons playing for the Hawks, Sixers, Lakers, Thunder, Celtics, Wizards and Pistons. He finished last season in Oklahoma City, returning to the Thunder in March after playing for them from 2019-23.

Muscala, 33, spent the first five seasons of his career with Atlanta. He was traded multiple times during the 2018/19 season before finding a home in Oklahoma City for a few years. He spent the past year-plus playing for four different teams — OKC, Boston, Washington, Detroit and finally OKC again. According to Lorenzi, Muscala said relocating so many times in a short period of time took its toll on him, but he was grateful to finish his career with the Thunder.

It means a lot,” Muscala said of his time with the Thunder back in May. “I went through a lot in my life when I was here, just the city, the fans, the way that they support the team, what the team means to the community, those are things that I feel like I can relate to.

“I’ll always be a Thunder fan no matter what happens in my life.”

In 548 regular season contests, including 45 starts, the former Bucknell star averaged 5.9 PPG and 3.1 RPG in 15.0 MPG. The 6’10” center/forward was known mostly for his outside shooting ability (37.3% career from three-point range) and for being a positive locker-room presence.

Mavericks Sign Emanuel Miller

The Mavericks have signed forward Emanuel Miller, according to a team press release. While the terms of the deal weren’t revealed, the move was announced alongside the signing of Jazian Gortman, who agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal. It stands to reason that Miller is likely also joining the team on an Exhibit 10 contract.

Miller went undrafted in 2024 after playing five collegiate seasons — first at Texas A&M and then at TCU. In his final season of college ball, Miller averaged 15.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 48.6% from the field and 38.3% from beyond the arc.

According to Mike Curtis of Dallas Morning News (Twitter link), Mavericks summer league coach Jared Dudley referred to Miller as one of the most physical players on the team.

Miller ranked as ESPN’s 22nd-best available undrafted free agent. Most of the players on the list ranked ahead of them have signed or agreed to two-way deals. If Miller signed an Exhibit 10 deal, he could have it converted to a two-way contract at a later date. The Mavericks currently have one two-way contract opening, with Alex Fudge and Brandon Williams occupying two of the team’s three spots.

An Exhibit 10 contract is a non-guaranteed minimum-salary deal that doesn’t count against a team’s cap unless the player makes the regular season roster. It can be converted to a two-way contract before the season begins or the player can earn a bonus of up to $77.5K if he’s waived and then spends at least 60 days with his team’s G League affiliate.

Jamal Cain Signs Two-Way Deal With Pelicans

JULY 13: The Pelicans have officially signed Cain, per the transaction log at NBA.com.


JULY 12: Free agent wing Jamal Cain has agreed to a two-way deal with the Pelicans, Adrian Wojanrowski of ESPN reports (Twitter link).

Cain, 25, spent the first two seasons of his career with the Heat. He appeared in 44 games with the Heat from 2022-24, averaging 4.4 points and 2.0 rebounds per contest.

The 6’6″ guard/forward has impressed in limited stints with Miami, averaging 8.0 points and 5.3 boards in a three-game win streak in 2022/23 as well as recording 18 points and six rebounds in a win over the Warriors in ’23/24.

Cain played the first four seasons of his collegiate career for Marquette before transferring to Oakland. After going undrafted in 2022, he joined the Heat and earned a two-way contract.

While he played sparingly for the Heat in the regular season, he saw much more playing time in Summer League, preseason and the G League in Miami’s system. He averaged 10.9 PPG across nine games in two seasons with Miami in preseason games and then averaged 21.6 PPG, 9.3 RPG and 1.6 SPG on .540/.372/.815 shooting splits in two years with the Skyforce.

Cain angled for a standard contract last offseason but ultimately didn’t receive one before re-upping with Miami on a two-way deal. Due to the Heat’s roster crunch with their young two-way players, Cain didn’t receive a promotion from his two-way deal over the two seasons he spent in the organization. After the Heat filled out all three of their two-way spots early in free agency and then filled out their regular roster, it was clear Cain wouldn’t be returning.

Now, the Pelicans land a productive wing who spent two years in Miami’s successful development program. As our two-way contract tracker for 2024/25 shows, the Pelicans only have one such spot filled — with Malcolm Hill occupying a spot. For what it’s worth, No. 47 overall pick Antonio Reeves hasn’t signed his rookie contract with the Pelicans, so it’s possible he will fill one of those two open spots alongside Cain.

Nuggets Rookie DaRon Holmes Tears Right Achilles

DaRon Holmes‘ rookie season appears to be over before it started. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), Holmes sustained a torn right Achilles tendon during his Summer League debut on Friday and is expected to miss all of 2024/25.

It’s a brutal blow for a player whom the Nuggets were so high on that they surrendered three second-round picks in order to move up from No. 28 to No. 22 in last month’s draft to make sure they got him.

While there was no guarantee Holmes would have played rotation minutes in his first NBA season, he likely would have been given the opportunity to earn a regular role on a Denver team that will need contributions from a few of its younger players. Instead, the forward/center’s NBA debut will almost certainly be delayed until the fall of 2025.

Prior to entering this year’s draft, Holmes compiled an impressive résumé in three college seasons at Dayton, earning All-Atlantic 10 honors in all three years, including a First Team spot in 2023 and 2024. He was named the Atlantic 10 co-Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 after averaging 20.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.1 blocks in 32.5 minutes per game across 33 starts in 2023/24. He also posted a shooting line of .544/.386/.713.

Prior to his injury on Friday, Holmes had been enjoying a solid Summer League debut, with 11 points and seven rebounds. His parents and agent were in attendance at the game, notes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post.

With Holmes sidelined for the 2024/25 season, the Nuggets figure to lean more on Zeke Nnaji and newly signed big men Dario Saric and Vlatko Cancar for frontcourt depth. DeAndre Jordan will also be back, though his new deal with the team isn’t yet official.

As Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports observes (via Twitter), Denver could apply for a disabled player exception following Holmes’ injury, but it would be worth just $1,532,820, half of the rookie’s $3,065,640 salary, so it wouldn’t be very useful. You can learn more about how disabled player exceptions work in our glossary.