Andrew Wiggins

Injury Notes: Heat, Lillard, VanVleet, Coulibaly, Yabusele

April 3rd, 2025 at 6:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Heat forward Andrew Wiggins will miss his fourth consecutive game on Thursday due to right hamstring tendinopathy, but another Miami forward, Duncan Robinson, will make his return vs. Memphis, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.

Robinson hasn’t played since March 23, having been sidelined for the club’s past five contests due to a back problem. However, he feels “a lot better,” according to head coach Erik Spoelstra, who reiterated that the injury is different than the one the veteran sharpshooter dealt with at the end of last season (Twitter link via Chiang).

In addition to being without Wiggins, the Heat will still be missing Kevin Love (personal reasons), as well as Terry Rozier, who is listed as out due to an illness, but neither player has been a regular rotation contributor since the All-Star break anyway.

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

The Bucks decided against bringing Damian Lillard on their three-game road trip that begins Thursday in Philadelphia, but head coach Doc Rivers is increasingly optimistic about the guard’s ability to return before the end of the season, as Eric Nehm of The Athletic relays (Twitter link). Lillard was diagnosed last month with a blood clot in his calf. “He had a great report the other day…the numbers are phenomenal,” Rivers said. “‘Why mess with it?’ was our thing. Why fly him or anything? It could affect (his progress). … We have much more hope today than we did three days ago, I can tell you that. And so, we’re going to take everything that we can do to see if there is a way we can get him back.”
Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet didn’t suit up on Wednesday for the victory that clinched Houston its first playoff spot since 2020, having sat out due to knee and ankle soreness. VanVleet had played in the Rockets’ previous 11 games and should be back in the lineup in short order, but that ankle issue, which forced him to miss 16 games in February and March, likely won’t clear up anytime soon. “It’s going to take some time,” head coach Ime Udoka said, per ESPN. “We will have to deal with it the rest of the season, coming off the injury.”
The Wizards didn’t formally rule out Bilal Coulibaly for the rest of the season when they announced on March 13 that he’d miss about four-to-six weeks due to a right hamstring strain. However, head coach Brian Keefe acknowledged on Thursday that the second-year forward will “probably not” be back before the team wraps up its regular season schedule, as Varun Shankar of The Washington Post tweets.
After missing a pair of games with a right knee sprain, Sixers forward/center Guerschon Yabusele will be activated for Thursday’s matchup with Milwaukee, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Heat Notes: Herro, Wiggins, Robinson, Two-Ways, Butler

March 29th, 2025 at 1:04pm CST by Luke Adams

After dropping 10 games in a row for the first time in 17 years, the Heat appear to have found their footing within the past week. They ended their losing streak on Sunday with a 17-point win over Charlotte, played spoiler in Jimmy Butler‘s return to Miami on Tuesday in a blowout victory over Golden State (story via Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN), and won a third straight game on Thursday vs. Atlanta.

Entering Sunday’s game, Tyler Herro had been struggling with his efficiency since the trade deadline, making just 43.5% of his attempts from the floor – including only 27.9% of his three-pointers – during that 19-game stretch. But he has been on fire in these three victories, averaging 28.3 points per night on 67.4% shooting.

Head coach Erik Spoelstra had nothing but praise for Herro after he poured in 36 points on 13-of-17 shooting on Thursday against the Hawks, lauding the sixth-year guard for the way he has become more of a well-rounded offensive threat.

“Tyler was so efficient.” Spoelstra said, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “And the best part about it is he did this entire game mostly off the ball. I didn’t run one specific play for him. He got 36 just on the move, within the context of the game. He’s learning how to manipulate when guys are really being aggressive with him. He can be a great screener, he can play off the ball, he can back cut, he can do a lot of those different things. That’s great growth to see.”

Here’s more on the Heat:

Heat forward Andrew Wiggins, who has already missed eight games due to ankle injury, a leg injury, and an illness since arriving in Miami last month, didn’t travel with the team for the start of its three-game road trip due to right hamstring tendinopathy, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Wiggins and forward Duncan Robinson, who is out with a back issue, have been ruled out for Saturday’s contest in Philadelphia but could join the team at some point on its road trip, which also includes games in Washington on Monday and Boston on Wednesday.
According to Spoelstra, Robinson’s back issue is unrelated to the one that sidelined him at the end of last season and isn’t as significant as that one was. “It’s different than last year,” Spoelstra said, per Jackson. “We think we will be able to manage it. We want to be responsible and give as much treatment and then appropriate ramp-up.”
After the Sioux Falls Skyforce – Miami’s G League affiliate – fell just short of qualifying for the NBAGL playoffs, Heat two-way players Josh Christopher and Isaiah Stevens, along with roster player Keshad Johnson, are rejoining the NBA team and will be prepared to play roles for the banged-up squad if needed, according to Jackson. “They’re ready,” Spoelstra said. “They just have to be plug and play if they do get an opportunity. The way things have gone with guys out, those minutes could be available. They’re ready physically, mentally, emotionally. Everybody is disappointed they didn’t make the playoffs but they made a heck of a run.”
Heat big man Bam Adebayo spoke to reporters this week about how he has handled his most trying stretch as the team’s captain. Chiang has the story and the quotes for the Herald.
Although the Heat got the best of the Warriors on Tuesday, columnist Omar Kelly of The Miami Herald argues that Butler still came out ahead in his divorce with Miami.

Warriors Notes: Butler, Green, Curry, Wiggins

March 25th, 2025 at 5:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jimmy Butler initially wanted to go to Phoenix when he requested a trade from the Heat. Butler said he had nothing against the Warriors organization but was more familiar with the Suns’ core players — Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Tyus Jones, his former teammate.

Butler wasn’t worried about getting an extension — he knew he’d get that once the blockbuster deal was finalized. Butler received a two-year, $111MM extension.

“I wasn’t skeptical of coming here,” Butler told Anthony Slater of The Athletic in a wide-ranging interview. “I just didn’t talk to anybody. … I knew I was going to get this contract no matter what. The people keep talking about it being about the money. How can it be about the money when any team that traded for me, what were they going to do? I just want to win. Where can I go to win?”

Butler has been impressed by the Warriors’ player-friendly approach.

“It’s all about whatever you need,” Butler said. “You would think that every organization is like that: Whatever you need to make you happy, to make you healthy and to make you go out there and compete at an extremely high level. You need your days off. You need the chef. You need the driver. You need to work out. You need the rest. You need your family to travel. How can we keep you happy? How can we get you everything you possibly need to be successful and help us get a banner and a trophy?”

We have more on the Warriors:

Butler and Draymond Green have quickly forged a bond, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN reports. While they’re two of the more volatile players in the league, Butler says there’s no concerns about them pulling the team apart. “Two winners that would do anything to win,” Butler said. “He could care less about personal success. He’s just trying to win a championship. I just want to win. I don’t give a (bleep) about nothing else. We ain’t going to never butt no (bleeping) heads. … That’s what people keep overlooking. They think like we going to get in fist fights. No we not. Because all we want to do is win.”
Stephen Curry won’t play tonight in Miami, Slater tweets. Curry worked out on Monday and didn’t quite feel ready to return from his pelvic injury. He suffered a contusion while taking a hard fall against Toronto on Thursday. The Warriors will have two days off prior to Friday’s game in New Orleans.
While Butler going to back to Miami is the big storyline tonight, Andrew Wiggins will also be facing his former teammates after winning a title with Golden State. His former coach is eager to see him. “We’re all thrilled to see Wiggs,” Steve Kerr said, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “Wiggs is one of my favorite guys. I wish we still had [to play] Miami in the Bay. So that will have to wait until next year. But Wiggs will get an enormous standing ovation when he returns to the Bay in front of our fans, both for his contributions and just for his humanity, who he is, what kind of person he is. He’s beloved in our locker room and throughout the Bay.”

Heat Notes: Butler, Jaquez, Adebayo, Herro, Wiggins, Ware

March 24th, 2025 at 8:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Heat plan to have a tribute video for Jimmy Butler when he returns to the Miami for the first time since he was traded to the Warriors on Tuesday. Butler says he’ll watch it but that “it makes no difference.”

Butler’s ugly exit from Miami included a trade demand and three team-imposed suspensions and he’s still unhappy about the way the front office handled it, according to the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang.

“You can talk about it whenever we talk about it later on,” he said. “But I think the suspensions are more because they just didn’t want me to be around the team. It wasn’t anything I actually did because I didn’t do anything too drastic to deserve X amount of games being suspended. But it is what it is. Yeah, I got some bills. So what, it’s all taken care of.”

Butler added that he’s used to being portrayed as the villain.

“I’m always painted as the bad guy. Everywhere I’ve been, I’ve always been the problem,” he said. “So we’ll take it. I don’t got nothing to say. I’m not mad at being the bad guy. It’s all the way that everything is portrayed. Some people talk to the media, some people don’t. I’ve never been one to tell my side of the story to almost anybody. Let everybody think that this is what happened and we’ll ride with it.”

We have more on the Heat:

How do the Heat players feel about the showdown with Butler and the Warriors? Chiang relays some of their reactions. “It’s going to be exciting,” second-year forward Jaime Jaquez said. “I’m sure this place is going to be jumping. We’re excited, I’m sure he’s going to be. It’s going to be an epic battle, for sure.” Bam Adebayo said, “I feel like it’s going to be high intensity, it’s going to be a great game for both teams and we’ll see who walks out with the W.” Tyler Herro, who’s become the top offensive threat after the Butler trade, says he’s just focused on the team finishing strong. “It will be fun,” he said. “I think it’s another game for us, honestly. We just came off a 10-game losing streak. We got bigger things to worry about. At this point, we just need to win games. Obviously, Jimmy is coming back here. But it’s a regular game.”
Andrew Wiggins — one of the players acquired in the Butler deal — carried the Heat out of the darkness of their lengthy losing streak. He poured in a season-high 42 points in a 122-105 win over Charlotte on Sunday to snap a 10-game skid. “We all played connected,” Wiggins told Chiang. “I feel like my team helped me get in great spots to be successful and make some shots on the court.”
With Friday night’s 16 points and 14 rebounds in a loss to the Rockets, Kel’el Ware became only the fifth rookie over the Heat’s 37 seasons to record at least 10 double-doubles, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel notes. Udonis Haslem was the most recent rookie to achieve that prior to Ware. “He’s being fed through a firehose,” coach Erik Spoelstra said of Ware.

Jimmy Butler Views Return To Miami As ‘Another Game’

March 23rd, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Jimmy Butler doesn’t want his return to Miami on Tuesday to be a dramatic event for him or his team, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.

Butler, who repeatedly clashed with Heat officials before being traded to the Warriors at last month’s deadline, said he views it as just “another game.” It’s an experience he’s been through several times already after leaving the Bulls, Timberwolves and Sixers.

“Yeah, I was traded from there, yada, yada, yada,” Butler said after Saturday’s loss in Atlanta. “Yeah, it didn’t end the way that people wanted to, yada yada yada. But that’s so far behind me now. I don’t even think about it. I don’t pay attention to nothing except for the trajectory of this squad.”

It was a little more than six weeks ago that the Heat were trying to find their way out of a toxic situation with Butler. He was suspended three times this season — the last one being indefinite — as they searched for someone to take him off their hands. Phoenix was his preferred destination, but Miami couldn’t work out a deal without taking back Bradley Beal in return. The Warriors became a late option after their efforts to land Kevin Durant from the Suns fell through.

The teams have been on much different paths since the trade was completed. Golden State has surged to sixth place in the West, holding a 16-4 record since acquiring Butler. Miami, which is on a 10-game losing streak, has gone 4-17 while falling to 10th in the East.

Butler can probably expect a mixed response from what’s sure to be a boisterous crowd at the Kaseya Center. Although fans might blame him for destroying this season, he’s still beloved for helping the Heat reach the NBA Finals twice in his five and a half seasons with the team.

“Not really, don’t make no difference,” Butler responded when asked if he has any concerns about how fans will react. “I’m a member of the Golden State Warriors. I love that fan base. They showed me a lot of love while I was there. But I’m there to win now. I’m on the opposing team.”

He added that the Heat were “all right” while he played there and made some “cool runs,” but they weren’t able to accomplish their goal of winning an NBA title.

Tuesday’s game will also be a reunion for ex-Warriors Andrew Wiggins and Kyle Anderson, who were sent to Miami in the five-team deal. Wiggins spent five years with Golden State and played an important role in winning the 2022 title. Anderson was in his first season with the Warriors after being traded there in July.

“We got Jimmy over here, I know this is a big game for him,” Draymond Green said. “They got Wiggs over there. I know it’s a huge game for him. We want to win for Jimmy, they’re going to want to win for Wiggs. We got to come out ready to play.”

Heat Notes: Adebayo, Herro, Losing Streak, Wiggins, Riley

March 22nd, 2025 at 9:47pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat could be missing their two best players as they try to end a 10-game losing streak Sunday night against Charlotte, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.

Bam Adebayo is listed as questionable with a left knee sprain he suffered while setting a screen in Friday’s game against Houston. He had a sleeve on his left leg and walked with a limp on Saturday at the team’s annual Family Festival, according to Chiang. Tyler Herro was also banged up against the Rockets, suffering a contusion on his left hip, and he’s listed as questionable as well.

Although it’s been a down season for the Heat, their stars have been remarkably durable. Adebayo has appeared in 68 of the team’s first 70 games, while Herro has played in 67. The losing streak has dropped Miami 12 games below .500 at 29-41, but the team still has a comfortable five-game lead over Toronto in the race for the final play-in spot.

There’s more from Miami:

The Heat would have to win all 12 of their remaining games to avoid their first losing season since 2018/19, Chiang states in a separate story. Chiang lists 10 low-lights from the losing streak, including the fact that Miami has been outscored by an average of 27.9 points per 100 possessions during the fourth quarter of the last 10 games. Since the streak began, they have fallen from the 14th-worst record in the league to the eighth-worst. “It’s a resilient team, tough-minded team to be able to keep on coming back and competing at a high level,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We all understand that we need to do more, particularly in these moments of truth. But it’s not from a lack of competition or spirit, and that’s not going to change with this group.”
The lone bright spot from Friday night was the return of Andrew Wiggins, who missed the previous two games with a lower leg contusion. Chiang notes that even though the contusion has healed, Wiggins is still dealing with the lingering effects of a sprained right ankle he suffered in late February. He played nearly 30 minutes on Friday and scored 30 points.
As Pat Riley turned 80 on Thursday, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel questioned whether the Heat’s longtime president can still attract top-level talent to Miami. Winderman contends that Riley’s only major acquisition of the last decade, apart from the draft, came when he traded for Jimmy Butler in 2019.

Injury Notes: Thompson, Wiggins, Zion, Hornets, Flagg

March 21st, 2025 at 6:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Rockets wing Amen Thompson will return on Friday vs. Miami and will immediately reenter the team’s starting lineup, head coach Ime Udoka said today (Twitter link via Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle). Thompson won’t be on a minutes restriction after missing the past six games due to a sprained ankle.

Besides being good news for the Rockets, who are vying for playoff position and currently control the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, Thompson’s return bodes well for his end-of-season award eligibility. He’ll reach the 65-game minimum if he plays at least 20 minutes in seven more games — Houston has 12 left on its schedule.

Thompson looks like a solid candidate to receive consideration for Most Improved Player and All-Defensive honors this spring.

Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

Heat forward Andrew Wiggins is returning on Friday vs. Houston after missing two games with a leg contusion. He had originally been listed as questionable with an ankle impingement. Head coach Erik Spoelstra said the team will be “mindful” of Wiggins’ minutes in his first game back, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter links).
Pelicans forward Zion Williamson will be inactive on Friday vs. Minnesota due to a low back contusion, according to the team (Twitter link). Although Williamson has been fairly healthy for the past two-plus months, he has appeared in just 30 total games so far this season.
The Hornets have ruled out several players on the second end of a back-to-back set in Oklahoma City on Friday, including LaMelo Ball (right ankle injury management) and Mark Williams (left foot injury management), both of whom played key roles in Thursday’s win over New York. Marcus Garrett, who has played rotation minutes over the past four games, is listed as “not with team” on the final night of his 10-day contract.
It’s not an NBA injury, but Duke star Cooper Flagg said ahead of the team’s NCAA tournament opener that he’s “pain-free” after injuring his ankle last Thursday against Georgia Tech (story via David Hale of ESPN). The projected No. 1 overall pick for the 2025 draft didn’t have to play a ton on Friday, as the Blue Devils rolled to a 93-49 win over No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary’s. Flagg had 14 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in 22 minutes.

Southeast Notes: Heat, Wiggins, Da Silva, Wizards

March 20th, 2025 at 7:14pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Heat are on pace to finish with one of their worst seasons in franchise history (their .420 win percentage would be seventh-worst). Their struggles this season stem in part from their inability to close games in the fourth quarter, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes.

Miami owns the third-worst record in clutch games at 13-23 this season. As a result, the Heat have dropped nine games in a row and are 11 games under .500 with only 13 contests left to play.

“That’s the thing that we’ve been racking our time, our brains, everything, trying to find solutions for that,” coach Erik Spoelstra said about the late-game issues. “We have not come up with solutions, and we’ve pretty much tried everything. This has been one of the biggest challenges of a regular season that I’ve been a part of.”

Miami has blown a double-digit lead in 19 of their losses and have squandered a fourth-quarter lead in 17 losses, a league high. One key difference between the Heat’s performance in the clutch this season versus the last few is the absence of Jimmy Butler, Chiang writes.

“I think that’s part of it,” forward Duncan Robinson said. “But that’s not necessarily new to the deadline. We’ve kind of been dealing with that for a while. So I don’t know if it’s as much adjusting to that. I think it’s been different things in different games. Good teams find a way to win, so we got to just start figuring out ways. It’s going to look different on different nights. But it’s more so just about building that resolve on both ends of the floor. These are painful steps, but there have been steps in the right direction.”

The Heat are still likely to make the play-in tournament, as they maintain a five-game lead on the Raptors for 10th in the East.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Heat forward Andrew Wiggins has missed two straight games and five of the last 12, but he’s no longer dealing with the lower leg contusion that was ailing him, according to the Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman (Twitter link). However, Wiggins is now questionable for the team’s Friday game against Houston with an ankle impingement.
Magic rookie Tristan Da Silva has played more than anticipated in his rookie season with Orlando dealing with numerous injuries. Head coach Jamahl Mosley believes he has filled in well, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel writes. “He’s still continuing to take that all in,” Mosley said. “It’s a lot for a young rookie in this situation, but he’s taken it all in stride, and he continues to learn as the games go on … Just understanding the speed, the intensity, the physicality of the game, but also understanding the game plan within that game.“
The Wizards‘ Wednesday loss to the Jazz put them in a tie for the worst record in the league and for the best overall odds at the best draft pick positioning in the 2025 draft, Varun Shankar of The Washington Post writes. While the bottom three teams have the same probability of getting the top overall pick, the team with the worst overall record can fall no lower than fifth, while the second- and third-worst can fall to sixth and seventh, respectively. According to Shankar, the team is using the rest of the season to determine fits on the roster and gauge youth development.

Heat Notes: Losing Streak, Wiggins, Starting Lineup, Rozier, Draft Pick

March 19th, 2025 at 11:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat are in the midst of their longest losing streak in 17 years after falling to the Pistons on Wednesday on Cade Cunningham‘s last-second shot (Twitter video link), writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Cunningham banked in a three-pointer shortly before the buzzer, enabling Detroit to escape with a 116-113 victory in a game that Miami led most of the way.

“There’s no way to explain some of this, the bank shot at the end,” coach Erik Spoelstra said after his team suffered its ninth straight loss. “There’s no way to explain that. You just have to find more resolve. We’re all getting tested in so many different ways that we do not want to get tested.”

Although the Heat still aren’t in serious danger of falling out of the play-in tournament, they have dropped to 10th place at 29-40. Their schedule doesn’t get any easier as the Rockets, who are second in the West, visit on Friday. After hosting the Hornets on Sunday, they will welcome Jimmy Butler back to the Kaseya Center in Tuesday’s matchup with the Warriors.

There’s more from Miami:

Andrew Wiggins, who was the centerpiece of the Heat’s return in the Butler trade, sat out Wednesday’s game with a lower left leg contusion and has only played in 11 of 19 games since the deal, Chiang adds. He’s put up decent numbers when he has been available — averaging 18.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting 42.2% from the field and 30.9% from three-point range — but Miami is just 2-9 in those games. “He’s had some really good moments already,” Spoelstra said. “You can see the firepower he brings and the versatility that he brings to us defensively. And we have who we have tonight. He’s not available, but we definitely could use him.”
With Wiggins out, Spoelstra used his 22nd different starting lineup, per Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. It marked the first time this season that Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Duncan Robinson and Jaime Jaquez have been on the court together. Terry Rozier wasn’t used at all, getting his fourth DNP-CD in the last 14 games.
In a separate story, Chiang talks to Bobby Marks of ESPN about the Heat’s draft pick dilemma. Miami’s first-rounder will go to Oklahoma City if the Heat reach the playoffs and it lands outside the top 14. However, if Miami keeps the pick this year, it will owe the Thunder an unprotected first-round selection in 2026. Marks’ advice is for the Heat to try to earn a playoff spot and count on improving next season.

Heat Notes: Adebayo, Herro, Wiggins, Slump, Mitchell

March 16th, 2025 at 7:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Bam Adebayo was drafted by the Heat in 2017, two years before Jimmy Butler joined the team in free agency, but this is the first time since 2019 he hasn’t had the veteran forward as a teammate. Tyler Herro, a 2019 draftee, is experiencing life without Butler for the first time in his NBA career. It has been a challenging transition for both players, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.

“It’s growing pains for us,” Adebayo said. “This is the first situation that’s it has really been just me and Tyler. I mean, obviously, the addition of (Andrew Wiggins), but we’re still trying to get Wiggs comfortable to where he can be fully himself. Right now, we’re keeping it simple for him and just kind of getting out of his way. But for me and Tyler, it’s more so understanding that we know how hard it is to win in this league. You can never take that for granted.”

Even though Butler was in and out of the lineup for weeks leading up to the trade deadline, the Heat have cratered since they officially sent him to Golden State. Miami was 25-24 when the February 6 deadline passed; since then, the club has dropped 14 of 18 contests, falling to nine games below .500 for the first time since the 2016/17 season.

While it’s hardly an ideal situation for the Heat, head coach Erik Spoelstra points out that it has been a good test for Adebayo and Herro as the team’s new leaders.

“With everything that has been going on, that part I’ve enjoyed watching — to see them grow into these roles,” Spoelstra said. “If you want to lead, these are the times. You have to be able to do it when the seas are a little bit rough, a little bit choppy. Anybody can lead when things are going great. Anybody can be a front-runner in those kinds of situations.

“But these guys, they’re about the right things. They want it so bad. They want everybody to play well and get this breakthrough. It starts with that and then everybody else filling in, as well. We say it all the time, it’s leadership at all levels. But those two guys have been around the longest. I think everybody is just kind of turning to them naturally.”

Here’s more on the slumping Heat:

Saturday’s defeat at the hands of the Grizzlies extended the Heat’s losing streak to seven games, which Spoelstra referred to as “humbling,” per Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. The first four of those losses were by five points or less, but the past three have been by double-digits — Memphis won by 34 points on Saturday. “We are desperate to our souls to collectively figure out how to win one game,” Spoelstra said. “We focus on the process. In these moments, you have to stick to a process. We are trying to build necessary habits.”
One post-deadline bright spot for the Heat has been the play of Davion Mitchell, who had 12 points, nine rebounds, and four assists in Friday’s loss to Boston. Acquired from Toronto last month, Mitchell has earned regular minutes in Miami’s backcourt and has acquitted himself well. “He made all of us watch him, right? He has that kind of gift, those kinds of abilities.” Spoelstra said after Friday’s game, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “He’s really dynamic, the way he can move laterally. And we just want to unlock all of that. Taking on all the big matchups, just making great efforts, we’re going to need that a bunch going down the stretch. But I was really pleased with his play.”
In another story for The Miami Herald, Jackson examines what’s at stake in the final weeks of the season for six players whom the Heat will have to make decisions on soon, such as Duncan Robinson, whose 2025/26 salary is partially guaranteed, and Herro, who will become extension-eligible later this year.
Within that same article, Jackson wonders if the Heat might consider the possibility of waiving Mitchell before the end of the season in the hopes that another team will claim him off waivers, which would allow Miami to duck below the luxury tax line. I can’t see that happening, even if the Heat don’t necessarily view the fourth-year guard as part of their future. There are very few teams that could realistically claim Mitchell’s $6.45MM expiring contract without creating their own tax-related problems, and he wouldn’t be playoff-eligible for a new club, limiting his appeal. If Mitchell were to go unclaimed in that hypothetical scenario, the Heat’s tax situation wouldn’t change and they would be giving up a key piece of their backcourt (and a possible offseason asset) for no reason.

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