Duncan Robinson

Heat Notes: Herro, Adebayo, Rotation, Lowry, Jovic

December 19th, 2023 at 7:45am CST by Luke Adams

After missing 18 and seven consecutive games, respectively, Tyler Herro (right ankle sprain) and Bam Adebayo (left hip contusion) returned from their injuries on Monday when the Heat hosted Minnesota. Although Miami lost the game to the Western Conference’s top seed, Herro and Adebayo didn’t show many signs of rust, combining for 47 total points on 20-of-40 shooting against the NBA’s best defense.

As Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscriber link) writes, while having Herro and Adebayo back is obviously good news for the Heat, it will create some rotation decisions for head coach Erik Spoelstra. Duncan Robinson and Orlando Robinson had been regular starters with Herro and Adebayo out, but both players returned to the bench on Monday, with Orlando not playing at all.

The Heat used nine players on Monday, but Kyle Lowry (soreness), who typically has a fairly significant role, wasn’t active. With that in mind, Winderman wonders if one of those nine players – perhaps Josh Richardson – will become the victim of a rotation crunch when everyone is healthy or if Spoelstra will decide to regularly use 10 players.

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Lowry was carrying a heavy workload while the Heat were shorthanded due to injuries, notes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, so the veteran guard’s absence on Monday seemed more like an effort to get him a rest day than a result of any serious health issue. Spoelstra declined on Monday to say whether Lowry would be given more time off, per Winderman. “We treat everything on a game-by-game basis,” the Heat coach said.
Because the incentives in Herro’s contract are tied to postseason awards like All-NBA, MVP, and Defensive Player of the Year, the team now knows for sure that he won’t earn any of those bonuses this season, since he’ll fall short of the 65-game minimum required to qualify, Winderman writes for The Sun Sentinel (subscription required). That means Herro’s 2024/25 cap hit will remain at $29MM rather than increasing, which is useful information for the team to have as it weighs potential roster moves with an eye on next season’s salary.
JC Butler, the son of Heat assistant coach Caron Butler, has joined the team’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, as Winderman details in the same story. The younger Butler went undrafted out of UC Irvine in 2022.
Nikola Jovic continues to bounce back and forth between the NBA and the G League, according to Chiang, who writes that the second-year forward is expected to return to the Skyforce on Tuesday to take part in the G League’s Winter Showcase in Orlando. “We want to get him game minutes, as much as possible,” Spoelstra said. Jovic added that he’s being “patient” and still feels as if the organization believes in him despite the lack of opportunities at the NBA level.

Heat Notes: Adebayo, Lowry, Robinson, Hampton, Jovic

December 12th, 2023 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

There’s still no timetable for the return of big man Bam Adebayo, who missed a fourth straight game on Monday due to a left hip contusion, per Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra (Twitter link via Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald). Adebayo traveled with the team to Charlotte for Monday’s game, but Spoelstra said that didn’t necessarily mean he was close to playing.

“I wouldn’t read too much into it of him being on this trip other than he really wanted to be here and he can do his work,” Spoelstra said.

As good as Adebayo has been this season, the Heat have held their own without him in the lineup. The team has a net rating of minus-1.7 in the 537 minutes Adebayo has played in 2023/24, compared to a plus-4.7 mark in the 567 minutes he hasn’t been on the court.

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Using Kyle Lowry‘s expiring $29.7MM contract as part of an in-season trade to acquire a player – or players – under contract beyond this season is certainly a possibility, but the Heat will have to be careful about the salary they add to next year’s books, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, who says the team doesn’t seem inclined to surpass the second tax apron in 2024/25. Jackson takes a look at some of the other factors Miami must consider as it weighs trade scenarios and looks ahead to the future.
After a down year in 2022/23, Duncan Robinson has been a key part of the Heat’s rotation in 2023/24, averaging a career-high 14.8 points per game and increasing his shooting line to .478/.426/.833 through 21 games (13 starts). Robinson spoke to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald about his motivation to bounce back this fall and to silence questions about his work ethic.
Heat two-way player R.J. Hampton says his recovery from a knee sprain was a “long process” but that he feels as if he’s 100% healthy now, Chiang writes for The Miami Herald. Although Hampton didn’t end up playing at all on Monday vs. Charlotte, Spoelstra said he was ready to go if needed.
Second-year forward Nikola Jovic is on his second G League assignment of the season, as Chiang notes in the same Herald story. Jovic suited up for the Sioux Falls Skyforce this afternoon and the plan is for him to remain with Miami’s NBAGL affiliate through Friday’s game vs. Windy City before rejoining the Heat.

Heat Notes: Jaquez, Adebayo, O. Robinson, Herro

December 2nd, 2023 at 7:14pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jaime Jaquez knew where he wanted to go in the draft, and he got his wish when Miami selected him with the 18th pick, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Projected as a mid-first rounder after spending four years at UCLA, Jaquez was aware that he might still be on the board for Miami’s selection and he was hoping for the chance to work with two legends.

“I think when it comes to basketball, just being under (team president) Pat Riley and coach Spo (Erik Spoelstra), I don’t think you could ask for two better guys when it comes to basketball to play under and learn from,” Jaquez said. “So that was a big reason. I also didn’t want to stay in L.A. for all my life. I wanted to get out and be somewhere new, kind of challenge myself to get out of my comfort zone. So coming to Miami was a spot that I always really loved. I had been here before a couple times and I just loved the city, loved everything about it. So I just really wanted to come here.”

The Heat are thrilled with the production they’ve gotten from Jaquez, who has been pressed into extra duty since an early-season injury to Tyler Herro. He has responded by averaging 12.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals in his first 19 NBA games. Chiang also notes that his shooting touch has been excellent — 52.9% from the field, 39% from three-point range and 87.5% from the free throw line — and he’s an asset on defense as well.

“He’s playing winning basketball,” Spoelstra said. “He’s able to complement a lot of different lineups. He’s eating up everything right now and he’s a smart player. So he picks up things quickly. But the biggest thing is he’s a competitor, he’s a mature player and those type of characteristics can fit in with what we’re trying to do.”

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Bam Adebayo will miss tonight’s game with a left hip contusion and he won’t travel with the team for Wednesday’s contest in Toronto, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Chiang points out that Miami has a lull in its schedule with just three games over nine days, so Adebayo will have a chance to heal (Twitter link).
Orlando Robinson‘s contract became guaranteed for $850K on Friday, per Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). The second-year center will receive his full $1.8MM salary if he remains on the roster through the league-wide guarantee date of January 7.
The Heat’s rotation has changed since Herro was injured, and Spoelstra will have to make more adjustments when he returns, observes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Winderman notes that when Herro sprained his ankle on November 8, Caleb Martin wasn’t playing significant minutes, Josh Richardson was still adjusting to the team and Jaquez hadn’t scored more than 11 points in a game. There were also questions about whether Duncan Robinson and Haywood Highsmith could handle starting roles.

Heat’s Dru Smith Out For Season With ACL Injury

November 24th, 2023 at 2:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Heat guard Dru Smith will miss the rest of the 2023/24 season due to a right knee injury, the team announced today (Twitter link via Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald).

The Heat referred to the injury as a third degree ACL sprain, according to Chiang. That’s essentially just an ACL tear, per the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

It’s awful news for Smith, who underwent an MRI on his knee after injuring it in Wednesday’s game in Cleveland. As we previously relayed, the 25-year-old fell awkwardly along the sidelines in an area that has a drop-off for fans at courtside — head coach Erik Spoelstra blamed the court design after the game.

“It is a dangerous floor,” Spoelstra said. “It’s an accident waiting to happen. You close out and all of a sudden you’re going off a cliff. If the court was normal, there wouldn’t have been any kind of incident.”

Smith was on a two-way contract with the Heat in training camp but was promoted to the standard 15-man roster ahead of opening night, receiving a two-year, minimum-salary deal that included a $425K partial guarantee. He appeared in nine games in the first month of the season, averaging 4.3 points, 1.6 assists, and 1.6 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per night, with a .455/.412/1.000 shooting line.

While Smith won’t play again this season, the Heat likely won’t be in any rush to remove him from their roster, since there’s little incentive to do so for now. When a player on a non-guaranteed contract sustains an injury, his team must continue paying him until he’s healthy or for the rest of the season (if he’s out for the year). That means Miami will owe Smith his full $1.8MM salary and won’t save any money by cutting him before the league-wide January 7 salary guarantee deadline.

The Heat also already have an opening on their 15-man roster, so they don’t need to use Smith’s roster spot in the short term. That may change later in the season if the club makes a roster addition or two via free agency or trade.

Miami could apply for a disabled player exception in response to Smith’s injury, but the exception would be worth less than $1MM, so it likely wouldn’t be useful. A DPE would not afford the team an extra roster spot.

In other Heat injury news, the results of an MRI on Duncan Robinson‘s injured right thumb were far more encouraging, Chiang notes. Robinson has been diagnosed with a sprain and is considered day-to-day.

Southeast Notes: Fultz, Howard, Coulibaly, Heat

November 23rd, 2023 at 5:55pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Magic starting point guard Markelle Fultz has missed seven straight games with left knee tendinitis, and it appears for now he’s still being limited to individual workouts, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).

“We’ll continue to evaluate him on a daily basis to see how he responds to the treatment that he’s getting,” head coach Jahmal Mosley said. “…[We’ve] practiced once, which I think you saw him the other day on the court, [he was] doing some individual work with our guys. That’s the extent of what he’s doing.”

When healthy, the 6’4″ vet has produced, averaging 11.4 PPG, 4.0 APG, 3.4 RPG and 1.2 SPG across five games for Orlando.

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Magic rookie lottery pick Jett Howard starred in his first game with Orlando’s NBAGL affiliate, the Osceola Magic. He notched 34 points, including seven made triples, per Alex Kennedy of Basketball News (via Twitter). “The G League is a lot of fun,” Howard said. “My teammates made the game easy for me. Getting reps in with these guys during Orlando’s training camp made it a seamless transition. It’s been great to be part of winning teams with the Magic.”
Wizards rookie forward Bilal Coulibaly‘s growth is already impressing head coach Wes Unseld Jr., writes Ava Wallace of The Washington Post. “He’s done really well with the amount that we’ve thrown at him,” Unseld said. “The opportunity is probably something he’s dreamed of, so he seems like he’s in a great place. We always talk about the potential of a rookie wall, whether that’s physically or mentally, but he’s not showing any sign of that. He’s just attacking each day. He’s showing a lot of consistency in his work, and that’s paying dividends on the floor.” The 6’6″ wing was selected with the seventh pick in this June’s draft. He’s averaging 8.4 PPG on .506/.439/.619 shooting, along with 3.6 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.9 SPG and 0.8 BPG.
Heat All-Star center Bam Adebayo and swingman Duncan Robinson are both questionable to suit up against the Knicks on Friday, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link). Adebayo is dealing with a hip injury, while Robinson is suffering through a thumb ailment.

Southeast Notes: Coulibaly, Bridges, Robinson, Young

November 13th, 2023 at 6:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The rebuilding Wizards are off to a 2-7 start, but rookie Bilal Coulibaly continues to impress. The No. 7 pick of the draft, Coulibaly scored a team-high 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds in a loss to Brooklyn on Saturday. He also knocked down a season-high four 3-pointers.

“He was really good,” Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. “He looks really calm out there, very confident. He’s aggressive. He’s got a pretty good read on when and how. He looks comfortable behind the three-point line, which is I think a bright spot. I just think [he needs to] continue to build.”

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Miles Bridges‘ court hearing scheduled for Monday in Charlotte was continued to a later date — Feb. 20, 2024, ESPN’s Baxter Holmes tweets. Bridges was scheduled to answer a summons tied to a violation of a protective order from January. The Hornets forward’s 10-game league suspension to start the season will end this week and he’s expected to play a significant role once he’s eligible, beginning on Friday against Milwaukee.
With guards Tyler Herro (sprained ankle) and Kyle Lowry (rest) sitting out, the Heat got a major contribution from Duncan Robinson on Sunday. He finished with a season-high 26 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, along with five rebounds and four assists in a win over San Antonio. Robinson has expanded his offensive game, making half of his eight buckets inside the arc, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald notes. “Duncan was so good (Sunday) at all levels, his ability to put the ball on the floor, his play-making, off-the-movement stuff,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “And then not letting people forget what he’s here for, also, which is beyond the threes-point line, but it’s not based just off of that. And it just shows you how much his game has grown.”
The Hawks might play their in-season tournament opener in Detroit on Tuesday without their top player. Trae Young is listed as questionable for personal reasons, Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets. His wife just gave birth, Williams notes (via Twitter).

Southeast Notes: Herro, Rozier, Miller, Mexico City

November 9th, 2023 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Heat guard Tyler Herro expects to miss “probably a couple weeks” after spraining his right ankle in Wednesday’s game at Memphis, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Herro landed on Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s foot after shooting a floater in the first quarter. He fell to the court in pain, then hobbled to the locker room without putting any weight on the ankle.

“It was something I felt right when it happened,” Herro said. “I felt it and I kind of knew mentally. I heard some crunches and cracks in my ankle. I’m like, ‘Yeah, that will be it.’ I actually told the bench, ‘I’m done. I can’t keep going.’ It’s unfortunate, but I’m just going to continue to work hard. I’ve been through this injury stuff before and I’m just going to keep working.”

X-rays were negative, but Herro returned to Miami this morning for an MRI with the team’s medical staff, Chiang adds. He was averaging 25.3 PPG coming into Wednesday, and an extended absence would create a major challenge for a team that already has the fifth-worst offensive rating in the league.

Duncan Robinson started the second half with Herro unavailable, and Dru Smith played nearly 15 minutes off the bench. Chiang notes that Kyle Lowry took on a larger role, posting season highs with 17 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists.

“It’s a process at this point,” Bam Adebayo said. “We’ll get him back when we get him back. The biggest thing for him is getting healthy and being able to stay at that high level he’s been at it.”

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Hornets guard Terry Rozier doesn’t have a timetable to return from the left adductor strain he suffered Saturday night, per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Addressing the media for the first time since the injury, Rozier said it happened on a routine play. “It was just going downhill,” said Rozier, who has already been ruled out for Friday’s game. “I think just trying to do an in-and-out. I’ve watched the play a lot of times and I think I just dragged my foot, and it kind of tweaked in the groin area. So, it kind of strained it and that’s what happened. But I’ve never had an injury like that before, so that’s why I kind of reacted like that. But I’ll be fine.”
With Rozier sidelined, the Hornets have inserted Brandon Miller into their starting lineup, Boone adds. The No. 2 overall pick has gotten off to a strong start and is among the rookie leaders in points, rebounds, assists and minutes per game. “He’s doing good,” Rozier said. “He’s just getting his feet wet. He’s one of those guys that just gets better day-by-day, like really huge too. So, I’m happy to see his growth … I think we all are. I’m happy he’s in that position to start.”
Mexico City will host tonight’s game between the Magic and the Hawks, shining a spotlight on a location that could be considered for the NBA’s next round of expansion, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.

Heat Notes: Swider, Preseason, Adebayo, Bryant

October 12th, 2023 at 8:05pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Heat forward Cole Swider is making a case for the team’s open roster spot, earning buzz in training camp and then scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter of Miami’s preseason game against the Hornets on Tuesday. He’s aiming to be the next in a long line of undrafted success stories for the organization, following players like Duncan Robinson, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus.

Swider attributes some of his success in the NBA so far to Robinson, in particular, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. When Swider signed his two-way deal with the Lakers following the 2022 draft, Chiang writes, one of the first people he texted was Robinson.

“I hit him up and I said, ‘Hey, man. I just want to say thank you,’” Swider said. “Because [Lakers general manager] Rob Pelinka had mentioned he passed up on Duncan in the pre-draft process and he didn’t want to let that happen again. So that was part of the reason that I got the two-way. So I just texted Duncan and I said, ‘Thank you.’”

As Chiang writes, Robinson and Swider have followed similar career paths. Both players are shooters with size (Swider is 6’8″ and Robinson and 6’9″), both have their own podcasts, and both grew up in the New England area.

“Duncan has been a great role model to me,” Swider said. “He’s obviously made it in this league. He’s made a lot of money in this league. He’s played in two NBA Finals and has gone on deep, deep playoff runs. So he’s been a great mentor to me and I’m going to keep picking his brain.”

Robinson is looking to pass the baton and help turn Swider into a Heat rotation staple, according to Chiang, who notes that Robinson credited former teammates Wayne Ellington, James Johnson and Ryan Anderson as some veterans who helped him get acclimated to the team.

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Almost all of Miami’s rotation regulars will miss Friday’s preseason tilt against the Spurs, Chiang writes in another piece. Only Thomas Bryant, Duncan Robinson, Orlando Robinson and Haywood Highsmith from the standard roster will travel, with the rest of the rotation fleshed out by the team’s Exhibit 10 and two-way players. This will give the Heat an opportunity to gather more information for their upcoming roster decisions, with players like Justin Champagnie and Alondes Williams among those looking to crack the team, Chiang notes. “They’ve been working their tails off, and I want to reward those guys for the work they’ve been putting in,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “They’ve earned these minutes. We also want to evaluate them.“
Spoelstra was disappointed that Bam Adebayo didn’t receive more recognition on this year’s preseason survey of general managers. Adebayo did not receive a single vote for best defensive player in the NBA, but did receive the third-most votes for most versatile defender in the league, Chiang says in another Herald article. However, Adebayo brushed off the lack of votes in his favor. “They’re just mad because I be locking up their best player. That’s all that is,” Adebayo said.
The Heat have cycled through backup center options for Adebayo in recent seasons, including Cody Zeller and Dewayne Dedmon. Bryant is the next attempt at finding a viable backup for Adebayo, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel opines. The big man posted 15 points and eight rebounds on Tuesday in the preseason, providing optimism that he could be a suitable piece for Miami, Winderman writes. “We’re all encouraged by it,” Spoelstra said. “He has a physical presence in the paint. But he has exceptional touch, as well. … He’s got a variety of different kinds of jump hooks or finishes at the rim. He’s been historically a very good finisher in the paint, so it’s not something new.“

Heat Notes: Adebayo, D. Robinson, Lowry, Offseason, Bullock

October 1st, 2023 at 3:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

Now that Udonis Haslem has retired, Bam Adebayo will take over as the new leader of Heat culture. In an interview with Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, Adebayo discusses his transition into that role, which was endorsed by both Haslem and Dwyane Wade.

“You can’t run from it. The thing about it is it’s not going to be easy,” Adebayo said. “It’s not going to be something that obviously you take for granted. But do I feel like I’m ready? Yes. At this point, I’ve done a lot of stuff in my career in my six years that a lot of dudes haven’t done in their whole career. So being able to one, obviously, have D-Wade in my ear the first year and a half of my career and then having UD all the way through up to this point, it’s prepared me for that role. It’s prepared me for the standard, it’s prepared me for understanding what this looks like and how it’s supposed to be.”

Entering his seventh season in Miami, Adebayo understands the fabric of the organization better than anyone. He’s committed to the same ideas of toughness and physical conditioning that Wade and Haslem emphasized, and he talked about the need to build strong relationships with his teammates so he’ll be able to confront them in difficult times.

Adebayo also looked back on the loss to Denver in the NBA Finals this spring and expressed a hope that it will inspire the team to get back to the Finals.

“I feel like losing should always be a motivation because it’s not only you losing, but it’s a lesson at the end of the day,” he said. “What could we have done better? What could I have done better? What could I have done differently? What can I do this year that I didn’t do last year? There’s stepping stones to that.”

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Even though Damian Lillard wound up in Milwaukee, trade rumors surrounding the Heat will likely continue, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Winderman notes that the front office tried to move Duncan Robinson‘s contract during the summer and states that the organization considers Kyle Lowry‘s expiring $29.7MM deal to be a trade asset, which is why he wasn’t waived and stretched before the Aug. 31 deadline.
The Heat’s luxury tax situation means that anyone with guaranteed money is very likely to make the roster, Winderman adds. Miami has 13 players with fully or partially guaranteed contracts, along with two-way players Jamal Cain, Dru Smith and R.J. Hampton, who may contend for the final roster spot.
Winderman writes in a separate piece that the Heat’s failure to add either Lillard or Jrue Holiday in a deal, combined with the fact that their top two rivals in the East just got better by adding the All-Star guards, represents a worst-case scenario for the club.
The Heat have “respect” for Reggie Bullock, who reached a buyout with the Spurs on Saturday, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. The veteran swingman could provide outside shooting and defense, but Miami will be limited to a veteran’s minimum offer once he clears waivers.

Heat Notes: Lillard, Roster, Herro, Hampton

September 28th, 2023 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat suffered a major loss when news of the Damian Lillard trade broke on Wednesday, failing to acquire a future Hall of Famer who specifically wanted to be dealt to them, writes Greg Cote of The Miami Herald. Nearly three months after Lillard told the Trail Blazers that he only wanted to go to Miami, he wound up in Milwaukee, where he and Giannis Antetokounmpo may be the greatest obstacle to the Heat’s chances to repeat as Eastern Conference champions.

Miami missed out on Lillard because team president Pat Riley wasn’t willing to increase his offer to Portland and couldn’t find a third team to help facilitate a deal, Cote adds. Riley was counting on Lillard’s preference for Miami and a lackluster trade market to eventually work in his favor.

Cote contends that acquiring Lillard is the type of win-now move the Heat need to make because their championship window is limited with 34-year-old Jimmy Butler as their best player. Adding Lillard would have provided a shot of energy the team needs as it approaches a long season, Cote adds. Instead Miami will open camp wondering how he got away.

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With Lillard off the table, the Heat’s options to improve their roster are now limited, observes Ben Rohrbach of Yahoo Sports. Age is an issue as Kyle Lowry and Kevin Love are older than Butler, Rohrbach notes, and so are financial concerns as Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson are owed about $130MM for the 2025/26 season, which represents 90% of the projected salary cap. Rohrbach adds that the summer-long pursuit of Lillard showed Herro’s limited trade value around the league.
Butler’s Instagram post on Wednesday accusing the Bucks of tampering in the Lillard deal received an endorsement from Herro, who tweeted, “What he said.”
RJ Hampton, who is joining the Heat on a two-way contract, is grateful to be in Miami after spending time with three teams in his first three NBA seasons. “A PRIVILEGE to be apart of this organization, let’s go,” Hampton wrote on Twitter. The Heat opened a spot for Hampton with a series of moves on Wednesday.

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