Goran Dragic Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Heat Notes: Adebayo, Injuries, Dragic

December 24th, 2017 at 7:24pm CST by Austin Kent

The Heat have been impressed with how quickly rookie big man Bam Adebayo is able to learn and improve, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes.

“He’s a computer,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said, “So every single game he’s putting it, every experience, into that computer and he’s learning at such a rapid pace.”

The rookie out of Kentucky has been a solid replacement for injured star Hassan Whiteside, who has missed the last 13 games with a knee injury. During that span, Adebayo has posted 9.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per contest in just under 25 minutes of action.

Of course Adebayo’s ability to learn on the fly is just one of the many appealing characteristics of the 14th-overall draft pick, the 20-year-old’s athleticism is still a sight to behold.

There’s more from the Heat this evening:

The 16-15 Heat are confident that they can build a winner without a traditional star, Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports writes. “That’s our belief,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said. “I like living in a world where there are only possibilities, not absolutes. In any fields, there can be a thinking that, ‘This is the only way to get it done.’ There are a lot of ways to get to the top. However unrealistic it may seem to people on the outside, those are the kind of challenges that we like.“
The Heat have been besieged by injuries so far this season and will need to get a handle on them if they hope to truly reach their peak, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel opines. The team is above .500 but a laundry list of injured players continues to haunt them.
Although he returned from a three-game absence on Saturday, Goran Dragic‘s elbow injury continues to plague him, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes. “I talked to the doc and the pain is there. It is what it is,” Dragic said. “It’s not the first time I’m playing through the pain. I’m going to try to be there for my teammates and try to do what I can and that’s it, end of story — try to do treatments and be professional.“

Heat Notes: Waiters, J. Johnson, Ellington, Walton

December 23rd, 2017 at 6:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

Miami’s injury situation worsened Friday night when shooting guard Dion Waiters was forced to leave the game with a left ankle problem. Coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters today that x-rays and an MRI were both negative and it has been diagnosed as a sprain, tweets Manny Navarro of The Miami Herald.

This injury isn’t related to the left ankle issue that caused Waiters to miss the final 13 games last season, Spoelstra adds (Twitter link). Waiters opted not to have surgery over the summer because he was concerned it would impact his value in free agency, notes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.

There’s more tonight out of Miami:

The Heat have some encouraging news on the injury front, as Navarro tweets that James Johnson will return tonight after missing a week with right ankle bursitis. Center Hassan Whiteside has expanded his conditioning and court work after missing 12 games with a bone bruise in his knee (Twitter link). Point guard Goran Dragic will also play tonight after missing three games with a strained elbow ligament, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel (Twitter link).
Wayne Ellington had one of his best nights in a Heat uniform Friday, showing the importance of the offseason maneuverings that were necessary for the team to pick up his option, Jackson writes in the same story. Miami couldn’t have afforded Ellington’s $6.3MM option and Kelly Olynyk‘s four-year, $50MM deal without unloading Josh McRoberts‘ salary of a little more than $6MM. McRoberts was shipped to Dallas along with cash and a 2023 second-rounder in exchange for A.J. Hammons, who has yet to play this season. “I’ve learned never to question [GM] Andy Elisburg,” Spoelstra said. “He can make a lot of things happen out of nowhere. When we executed his contract, he was the first guy I texted. I enjoy watching Wayne.”
Rookie guard Derrick Walton made an impression on the coaching staff with his performance Friday, Jackson adds. Limited to 45 days in the NBA by his two-way contract, Walton had seven points, five assists and no turnovers in nearly 24 minutes of action. “He’s a heady player, gutsy player,” Spoelstra said. “He’s a gamer. He doesn’t get sick at sea in these kinds of moments. He gets you organized and makes the right plays. … You want your teammates and coaching staff to notice you when you get that opportunity and we did.”

Southeast Notes: Batum, Magic, Wade

November 12th, 2017 at 8:58pm CST by Austin Kent

With a full scrimmage under his belt, Hornets swingman Nicolas Batum is expected to make his 2017/18 debut on Wednesday, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer writes. Batum tore a ligament in his left elbow back on October 4.

One of the biggest impacts that Batum will have on the team is with his ball movement, as he posted 5.9 assists in addition to his 15.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game for the Hornets last season.

“I bet he got an assist to everybody he played with today. There were a couple of times when he hit me wide-open and I wasn’t expecting the ball,” Hornets forward Marvin Williams said after the practice.

The club will get an even better idea of how ready Batum is to return to in-game action when they ramp things up at the Hornets’ practice on Monday.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

While he’s sure to clarify that the Magic don’t boast the same caliber of elite level talent that the Warriors have, John Denton of the team’s official site writes that Orlando has played rather Golden State-ish so far this season. The Magic have benefited from the same pace-and-space tactics that the historically dominant reigning champion Warriors have for the past several seasons.
The recent Eric Bledsoe trade has Heat beat writer Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel reexamining how the Goran Dragic deal holds up two years later. Like Bledsoe, Dragic was a quality Suns point guard that didn’t fit the team’s timeline at the time of the trade. Phoenix has yet to cash in on their spoils from that deal, Winderman writes. The Suns will collect Miami’s first-round pick in June (with some protections) and an unprotected first in 2021.
If Dion Waiters plays in 70 games for the Heat this season, he’ll earn an additional $1.1MM, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel writes. That doesn’t mean the veteran will risk his health, however. “At the end of the day,” Waiters said, “If it’s something serious, I’m not going to put myself in harm’s way. I’m going to sit out. My body is more important.“

Heat Notes: Culture, Whiteside, Waiters

October 29th, 2017 at 6:59pm CST by Austin Kent

A lack of communication may be behind Miami’s sub-par start this season. As Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes, the Heat hashed things out in real, raw terms Sunday morning and seem to be in better spirits as a result of it.

“We had our discussions this morning,” forward James Johnson said. “We aired it out this morning. A lot of people took heat. I think it was the best thing for us to do, even more important than film. That’s what this culture is about, that’s what we’re about — staring guys in the eyes, telling guys the truth and that’s how you show you really love somebody.”

The Heat started famously bad last season before rallying from an 11-30 start to compete for an Eastern Conference playoff berth. That comeback was built largely on the culture that Johnson refers to.

There’s more out of Miami this weekend:

Dion Waiters will still get an opportunity to be a closer for the Heat, despite the fact that he struggled mightily against the Celtics this weekend. Head coach Erik Spoesltra told the Sun Sentinel that, despite a lingering ankle issue that occasionally appears to impede him, Waiters will continue to be fully in the mix heading forward.
The Heat have been without Hassan Whiteside since their season opener. Point guard Goran Dragic considers the 28-year-old center to be the heart of the team, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel reports. The big man has missed four games with a bone bruise on his knee.
The Heat haven’t started their campaign how they would have liked to and emotions are starting to ramp up. “I love all the emotions that players go through,” head coach Erik Spoelstra told the media, including the Sun Sentinel. “I don’t even care if it boils over. It means you care.”

Heat Notes: Adebayo, Jersey Sponsor, Dragic

September 21st, 2017 at 4:58pm CST by Austin Kent

Don’t expect the Heat to shy away from utilizing Bam Adebayo in Year 1, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. Adebayo has already established himself as a defensive force and has even surprised team execs with his offensive range.

“He can defend fours [power forwards] and fives [centers] at this point. For a man that has a great body, he has good feet and that’s so crucial defending the ball,” Miami’s vice president of player personnel Chet Kammerer said.

It’s within reason, Jackson writes, that Adebayo could step up as the primary backup to Heat center Hassan Whiteside.

Jackson also relays a story that Adebayo surprised the team during his pre-draft interview when he suggested that he had three-point range. The squad, per Kammerer, later gave him a chance to prove it and were impressed with the results.

There’s more from Miami:

The Heat have agreed to a jersey sponsorship deal with Ultimate Software, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel writes. Ultimate Software is the “official human resources/payroll provider” of the franchise.
The Heat will approach the luxury tax mark in 2018/19, even with Chris Bosh‘s contract coming off of the books, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. Jackson breaks down the options Miami had heading into the summer and why they chose the path that they did.
Slovenia’s success at EuroBasket 2017 has further validated the trade that brought Goran Dragic to the Heat, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel writes, at least in the eyes of team president Pat Riley. “I’m proud that we have him. And he’s right now the player that I think Erik Spoelstra relies on as much as some of the other guys or maybe even more so in how he wants to play,” Riley said.

East Notes: Wizards, Brown, Tatum

August 27th, 2017 at 8:01pm CST by Austin Kent

The Wizards have gone all-in on preserving their core and head coach Scott Brooks understands just how important that can be. Brooks has, Chase Hughes of CSN Mid-Atlantic writes, seen what happens when a promising young roster falls apart thanks to his time with the Thunder.

“We have our three players that we drafted all wanting to stay here and stay long-term,” the Wizards’ bench boss said. “That’s good. That’s good because if you don’t have your best players wanting to stay here, then nobody wants to stay here.”

Thanks to Wizards’ owner Ted Leonsis‘ willingness to commit to their young players, Washington was able to match the offer sheet that the Nets signed Otto Porter to this summer and then follow that up with a supermax contract extension for John Wall.

Under their current deals, Wall, Beal and Porter will be under Wizards control for seven total years. Eight, if Porter ultimately exercises his player option for the 2020-21 season.

There’s more from the Eastern Conference:

After assigning challenges to Isaiah Thomas and DeMar DeRozan, Kobe Bryant was asked to give one to Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Black Mamba responded with three letters: MVP. An NBA.com report has details.
This will be Goran Dragic‘s last stint with the Slovenian national team, Niki Lupo of Sportando writes. The 31-year-old Heat guard tweeted that he’ll be done with the program following Eurobasket 2017.
If the Cavaliers and Celtics start formally renegotiating the Kyrie Irving trade, the Cavs are expected to inquire about the C’s young players. Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, that could include Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, although their involvement in any actual deal remains highly unlikely.

At Least Six Teams Have Made Kyrie Trade Offers

July 28th, 2017 at 10:37am CST by Luke Adams

10:37am: The Heat have made no offer to the Cavs for Irving, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link). Wojnarowski is as reliable as NBA reporters come, so this may simply be a question of semantics — perhaps the Heat conveyed to Cleveland what they’d be willing to give up for Kyrie without officially putting an offer on the table. Either way, Miami looks like a long shot.

8:37am: The Spurs, Clippers, Heat, Knicks, Suns, and Timberwolves are among the teams that have made trade offers to the Cavaliers for Kyrie Irving, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

According to Wojnarowski, about 20 teams have inquired with the Cavs about Irving, but far fewer have made legit proposals — some clubs are just monitoring the proceedings, while others don’t have the assets necessary to make a deal happen.

As Wojnarowski explains, there’s a discrepancy between the sort of package the Cavaliers are seeking and what Irving’s potential suitors are currently willing to offer. New GM Koby Altman is looking at the package Denver received in 2011 for Carmelo Anthony as a point of reference. The Nuggets acquired young players, win-now veterans, and draft picks in that swap. However, Cleveland’s potential trade partners prefer a “scaled-down” version of that structure, with fewer players and picks, like what the Bulls received for Jimmy Butler.

Here’s more from Woj:

According to Wojnarowski, the Cavaliers haven’t ruled out the possibility of bringing Irving to training camp, or even extending the process beyond December 15, when most free agent signees become trade-eligible. However, other clubs are skeptical that the Cavs will let the Irving saga continue well into the fall.
Teams around the league view the Suns and Celtics as the teams best equipped to make a deal for Irving. However, Phoenix hasn’t been willing to include Josh Jackson, and it’s not clear how aggressive Boston would be with its assets.
The Heat are open to parting with Goran Dragic and Justise Winslow in an offer for Irving, sources tell Wojnarowski. Still, Miami would likely have to make an “overwhelming” offer to get something done, given the history between the two franchises, Woj adds.
The Pacers had Irving as the No. 1 target on their trade board when they were shopping Paul George, and would have done a one-for-one deal, but the Cavaliers declined that option multiple times, sources tell Woj. The ESPN scribe also notes that a separate deal for George – involving Kevin Love instead of Irving – fell apart when the Cavs insisted on including lottery protection on a first-round pick they’d send to the Pacers. Indiana wanted the pick unprotected.
Team executives around the NBA are doing a ton of homework on Irving, and have been encouraged by what they’ve found — there’s a consensus that Irving has a history of late nights and partying, but it never affected his play and he has curbed those tendencies into his mid-20s, says Wojnarowski.

Southeast Notes: Wall, Porter, Gortat, Waiters, Ball

May 16th, 2017 at 7:03pm CST by Joshua Fischman

During the Wizards‘ Game 7 loss to the Celtics, Washington’s bench was outscored 48 to 5. That glaring disparity was certainly not lost on John Wall, writes Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com. In fact, Wall’s last words before leaving the court Monday night were, “Forty-eight to five,” which he then repeated before departing with, “Our bench had five points.”

Here’s more out of the Southeast:

Despite the immense disappointment Wizards players are feeling after their Game 7 defeat, players expressed confidence that the team can continue to compete at a high level if it can keep its best players together. Otto Porter, a restricted free agent this offseason, is considered by teammates Wall, Bradley Beal, and Markieff Morris to be a vital part of the team’s core, reports Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. Morris tells Buckner that Porter is worth a max contract and he hopes that he gets it.
As reported earlier today, Marcin Gortat feels underappreciated by the Wizards and may request a trade. More details and quotes on Gortat’s feelings can be found via Candace Buckner of The Washington Post.
Impeding Heat free agent Dion Waiters said that the Heat do not need Lonzo Ball because they are covered at the point guard position with Goran Dragic, Tyler Johnson, and “other [players],” reports Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Waiters also offered advice for Ball: “He’s got to go somewhere where he’s able to play his game. He’s got to go somewhere where he’s able to make mistakes. Because I think in this game today, he’s got to be able to make mistakes and have a coach who allows you to make mistakes, and you can learn from it.”
Luke Babbitt‘s future with the Heat is written about by Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Winderman concludes that, while Babbitt likely will not be an offseason priority for the Heat, the team will consider him because of his Bird Rights and skill set.

Heat Notes: J. Johnson, Waiters, Cap Space, Whiteside

April 23rd, 2017 at 10:15am CST by Arthur Hill

Using their cap space to keep their own free agents is a better option for the Heat than chasing Gordon Hayward or Blake Griffin, argues Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Miami will have about $37MM to spend this summer if it declines a $6.3MM option on Wayne Ellington. Issuing a max contract of more than $30MM would severely cut into that total and make it impossible for the team to re-sign James Johnson and Dion Waiters. The Heat may try to trade Josh McRoberts, who is expected to exercise a player option worth a little more than $6MM, but Winderman doesn’t expect them to find any takers. He recommends using that $37MM to keep Johnson, Waiters, Ellington and Willie Reed.

There’s more news out of Miami:

The Heat’s decisions this summer will shape their roster for the next few years, Winderman writes in a separate piece. If Johnson and Waiters both sign three- or four-year deals, they will join Hassan Whiteside, Goran Dragic and Tyler Johnson, who are all under contract through 2019/20. Those three already take up $62.7MM of Miami’s cap room for 2018/19, when the cap is projected at $102MM. Even assuming team-friendly contracts for James Johnson and Waiters at a combined $28MM, the Heat would be at $90.7MM, without considering $5.2MM cap holds for Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson. Miami’s front office will have to decide soon if that core is worth locking up the salary cap for the next three seasons.
Despite recent comments from team president Pat Riley expressing loyalty to his players, the Heat would be willing to trade anyone on the roster, Winderman states in another column. The writer adds that Riley handled his press conference much better than Knicks president Phil Jackson did, but notes that if Dwyane Wade was allowed to leave last summer, then anyone is expendable.
After giving Whiteside a four-year, $98MM deal a year ago, the Heat want him to become a better low-post scorer, Winderman relays in another story. Whiteside continues to be among the league’s best rebounders and shot blockers, but the organization wants him to expand his offensive game and become a “championship” center. “Once you feed him that, he may be able to go there,” Riley said, “but you have to put him in that position. I think he has the ability to put up bigger numbers.”

Heat Notes: Waiters, Wade, Dragic

March 12th, 2017 at 12:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Dion Waiters is looking at a substantial raise this summer and he wants it to come from Miami, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. The 25-year-old shooting guard is making an impressive case for himself in free agency, averaging a career-best 16.0 points per game and fueling a second-half surge that has the Heat back in the playoff race. Waiters, who is making $2.9MM this season, hopes his long-term future is in South Florida. “I want to get it done as quick as possible,” he said. “Let’s keep this thing rolling by any means. I don’t want to go into free agency with a couple days and make a decision. I don’t want that. I know where I want to be. Let’s just get it done. My mom loves it here. Would be mad at me [if I left]. My son loves it. My family loves it.”

There’s more news out of Miami:

Waiters plans to contact former Heat star Dwyane Wade for tips on improving his game, Jackson writes in the same piece. He seems like an obvious candidate as Waiters has taken over Wade’s spot as a primary scorer in coach Erik Spoelstra’s offense. “I am definitely going to reach out to him to see if I can propel my game to a new level,” Waiters said. “That’s what the best players do.” If Waiters remains in Miami, it might prevent the Heat from having a reunion with Wade, who can opt out of his $23.8MM deal with the Bulls this summer.
The Heat aren’t sure how a bruised right eye socket will affect point guard Goran Dragic, relays Manny Navarro of The Miami Herald. Dragic suffered the injury in the third quarter Saturday when he was hit with an elbow by Toronto’s Cory Joseph. Dragic said his vision was blurry, but he wasn’t dizzy and hopes to play tonight in Indiana. “The plan right now is to travel him,” Spoelstra said Saturday night. “We’ll see; we’ll be smart about it.”
Development of players throughout the season has led the Heat to reassess not only their playoff chances, but their long-term future, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel.