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Heat Notes: CBA Changes, James Johnson, Winslow

December 17th, 2016 at 8:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

Some new provisions in the CBA could work against the Heat in free agency next year, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Because maximum salaries are increasing, it will be more difficult for a team to add more than one max player each year. Miami could have about $40MM available in cap space next summer if Dion Waiters and Willie Reed both opt out and Chris Bosh is cleared from the cap, which could have been enough for two max deals in prior years. Also, mid-level exceptions are increasing, which will help teams without cap space get better players, and minimum salaries are increasing 45%, which will increase cap holds for empty roster spots from about $1MM to $2MM each. The NBA mandates that teams fill 12 roster spots with players or cap holds.

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Another important change is that teams can now give their own free agents six-year contracts instead of five, notes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. The difference between staying with a team for six years or going somewhere else for four could be $90MM to $100MM over the life of a contract, which reduces the advantages the Heat have enjoyed from their South Beach location and recent playoff success.
Miami’s James Johnson is among the players who might benefit from the increased mid-level exception, Winderman writes in a separate piece. The new MLE is expected to be in the $8MM range, which is about twice what Johnson makes right now. Because Johnson signed a one-year contract over the summer, Miami won’t have his Bird Rights, which means his entire salary will have to come from cap space. Johnson has become a valuable reserve for the Heat, averaging career highs of 10.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
Finally back from a troublesome wrist injury, Justise Winslow is making an immediate impact, Winderman states in another story. Winslow’s sore left wrist forced him to miss 16 games and raised the concern of offseason surgery. “He’s doing plays that you cannot see in stats, and that’s huge for the team,” said teammate Goran Dragic. “He can defend multiple positions. He can organize us. And he can find people. So that’s a unique talent.”

Heat Notes: Johnson, Whiteside, Winslow

December 4th, 2016 at 4:52pm CST by Will Joseph

James Johnson is thriving in a reserve role with the Heat, the veteran’s fifth team in eight years, after he chose Miami in free agency following an interesting sales pitch, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel relays. Erik Spoelstra, Winderman writes, told Johnson, 29, to improve his shape and diet and in return the Heat would be afford him an opportunity to make the most out of his talents. Johnson, known as a solid perimeter defender, is averaging 9.9 points per game, which would be a career-high over the course of a single season.

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Hassan Whiteside likes the idea that Pat Riley envisions the offense going through him in a year or two, but he needs to stop turning the ball over as much as has for that to work,” Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes.
Spoelstra will have a decision or two on his hands regarding the starting lineup and minutes when Justise Winslow makes his imminent return, Jackson writes in a seperate story. The coach could opt to have Winslow return to small forward with Josh McRoberts or he can shift Winslow to power forward, Jackson notes. Jackson also floats the idea that Winslow could come off the bench.

Heat Notes: Whiteside, McRoberts, Winslow, Johnson

December 4th, 2016 at 9:04am CST by Arthur Hill

The Trail Blazers were Hassan Whiteside‘s second choice in free agency, writes Erik Garcia Gunderson in The Miami Herald. Portland reportedly pursued Whiteside, but didn’t get to meet with him before he re-signed with Miami. The center’s first meeting was with Heat president Pat Riley at midnight July 1st, and the only other team he talked with before making a decision was the Mavericks. “Portland was my second option,” Whiteside said before Saturday’s game with the Blazers. “I would have came here.” The Blazers, who used their cap space to add Evan Turner and Festus Ezeli and to re-sign their own free agents, currently have the worst defensive rating in the league.

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Josh McRoberts may have claimed the Heat’s starting power forward role with his play of late, contends Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. McRoberts has scored in double figures in his last two games and is making a strong push to stay in the starting lineup. That will leave coach Erik Spoelstra with a difficult decision when Justise Winslow is healthy enough to return, Winderman notes, with Winslow possibly being used as a versatile sixth man who can fill in at several positions.
The Heat may trade some of their free agent additions for draft picks if they slip out of contention, Winderman writes in the same column. James Johnson, Dion Waiters and Wayne Ellington will all be eligible for deals starting December 15th. Because of injures and the fact that the playoffs are still a possibility after a slow start, Winderman doesn’t expect any of the three to be moved right away.
Johnson’s scoring has been a pleasant surprise for Miami, notes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. The eighth-year forward has the highest scoring average of his career at 9.9 points per game and is shooting a career-best .344 from 3-point range. Johnson, who was sought mainly for his defense, leads all NBA forwards by holding the players he defends to 33.2 percent from the field. Johnson signed a one-year, $4MM deal and will be a free agent again next summer.

Heat Notes: Waiters, Whiteside, Johnson, Richardson

November 5th, 2016 at 3:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

It won’t get the attention that Kevin Durant‘s first game against Oklahoma City did, but Dion Waiters is preparing for his own battle with the Thunder, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. The Heat will travel Monday to OKC, where Waiters probably would have stayed if Durant had decided to. Instead, the Thunder opted to use Waiters’ cap space to sign Russell Westbrook to an extension, and the fifth-year guard headed to Miami. Waiters spent a season and a half in Oklahoma City and has fond memories of his time there. “The team there really turned me into a pro,” Waiters said. “I really matured there a lot. Just embracing the whole atmosphere and the city, just how much the team and everybody means to the community was huge. I mean, that’s probably the best time I had, in my experiences, and then my first time in the playoffs.”

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This year’s extensions put into perspective the big-money deals the Heat signed during the summer, Winderman writes in a separate piece. Miami gave center Hassan Whiteside $98MM over four seasons, which is less than the four-year, $102MM extension Rudy Gobert just got from Utah or the four-year, $100MM extension that Steven Adams received from Oklahoma City. And the four-year, $50MM offer sheet the Heat matched for Tyler Johnson is less than the deals just given to Victor Oladipo, Gorgui Dieng, Cody Zeller or Dennis Schroder. “You’re going to look back at deals like this right now later on down the line and they aren’t going to look like a whole lot,” Johnson said. “Some of these superstars are going to be up there … and it’s going to be crazy.”
Guard Josh Richardson made his season debut Friday night, less than two months after suffering a knee injury in September, notes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Richardson missed all four of his shots and committed two turnovers, but was on the floor for his defense in the fourth quarter. “I felt fine,” he said. “I’ve got to trust my knee fully. I’ve got to find a rhythm. I told [coach Erik Spoelstra] going into halftime that I felt good. My teammates were encouraging me the whole game. I feel ready.”
James Johnson, one of Miami’s many offseason additions, enjoyed returning to Toronto for Friday’s game, writes Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun. Johnson had two stints with the Raptors and was a crowd favorite. “We made something happen last year and it was good to see the guys that we made it happen with,” Johnson said.

Heat Notes: Bosh, Whiteside, Johnson

August 27th, 2016 at 8:20pm CST by ChrisCrouse

There remains no timetable for a decision on whether or not Chris Bosh will play for the Heat this season, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes. Winderman believes that coach Erik Spoelstra will develop dual game plans as the team enters training camp and notes that it’s not something unusual, as many coaches have to prepare for stars sitting out as the seasons goes along.

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It’s unclear whether Hassan Whiteside and Bosh can coexist in the frontcourt, but the duo is talented enough to make it work should they see enough time on the floor together, Winderman opines in a separate piece. The Heat re-signed Whiteside to a four-year, max deal this offseason.
New addition James Johnson can be a valuable contributor if he can prove he can make 3-pointers at a reliable rate, Winderman argues in that same piece. Johnson signed a one-year, $4MM deal with the Heat this offseason.

Southeast Notes: Wall, Whiteside, Heat

August 20th, 2016 at 8:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

Four months after having surgery on both knees, the Wizards‘ John Wall is being cautious with predictions about his availability for opening night, relays Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. The procedure on Wall’s right knee just removed some loose particles, Bucker notes, but the operation on the left knee was much more serious. Wall hasn’t been cleared for one-on-one games, but he can run, jump and handle two-a-day workouts. “I’m doing all that right now, working out and doing all that type of things but I’m not in no rush,” Wall said. “I’m very excited to be back on the court because I will tell you sitting on the table all day and doing those boring exercises is no fun. Six hours out of the day, it’s the frustrating part in this.” Wall will join his teammates in Los Angeles for a four-day mini-camp starting Sunday. The Wizards open their regular season October 27th.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

The Heat have big expectations for $98MM center Hassan Whiteside, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Now that the big man is under contract for the next four seasons, coach Erik Spoelstra posted a video on the team’s website discussing Whiteside’s responsibilities. “He will be working on all of it,” Spoelstra said. “Low-post scoring, that’s the number one thing he wants to work on, and I’m all for it. He will also work on his skill level at the top of the floor, handling the ball, getting us into second situations as a playmaker, rebounding off the glass.” Spoelstra is planning more minutes and more games for Whiteside, who sat out nine contests last season and only started 43 times.
The need to sign players before the deadline arrived on Tyler Johnson’s offer sheet with the Nets may have caused the Heat to add too many players, Winderman writes in a separate story. Faced with the possible loss of $4MM in cap space, Miami signed free agents Wayne Ellington, Derrick Williams, James Johnson and Willie Reed, then traded for Luke Babbitt before matching Johnson’s offer. Later, they signed Dion Waiters and Beno Udrih, along with Briante Weber and three other players who may be ticketed for the D-League.

Heat Notes: Udrih, Williams, Ellington, Bosh

August 14th, 2016 at 11:33am CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat could use a veteran like Beno Udrih to serve as a backup to Goran Dragic, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Miami doesn’t have anyone else on its roster who has played point guard on a regular basis at the NBA level, and Winderman points out that Dragic, who missed 10 games last season, is susceptible to injury with his attacking style of play. The Heat reportedly have a “standing invitation” for Udrih to join them in training camp on a veterans’ minimum contract if he can’t get a better deal elsewhere. Udrih played 36 games with Miami last season before agreeing to a buyout in February to help the team avoid the luxury tax.

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There could be a shortage of minutes on the front line for recent additions Derrick Williams, James Johnson and Luke Babbitt, Winderman notes in the same piece. They will essentially be competing at the same position, and shooting guards Josh Richardson, Dion Waiters, Wayne Ellington and Tyler Johnson could all see time at small forward because of an overcrowded backcourt.
Ellington is a prime candidate to be traded once this year’s offseason signees are eligible to be dealt starting December 15th, Winderman writes in a separate story. The Heat signed the 28-year-old shooting guard away from the Nets in July, but later added Waiters in free agency. Winderman believes Ellington will have to be exceptional from 3-point range to earn a regular spot in the Heat’s rotation. He shot 36% from long distance last season and is at 38% for his career.
The Heat are “cautiously optimistic” that Chris Bosh will be able to play this season, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. However, he cautions that nothing is certain with the veteran big man, who has had his last two seasons cut short by blood clots.

Southeast Notes: Jack, Magic, Cuban, Whiteside

July 30th, 2016 at 4:22pm CST by Arthur Hill

Veteran point guard Jarrett Jack is looking forward to a “new start” in Atlanta after a torn ACL cost him most of last season, writes Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com. Jack, who played in just 32 games for the Nets before suffering the injury in January, signed with the Hawks two weeks ago. Jack lives in Atlanta and played at Georgia Tech, so he said the city was an obvious destination. “I was flattered that they called and wanted to take a chance on me, knowing that I’m coming off knee surgery,” he said, “but I’m willing to prove to everybody that I’m more than capable of withstanding the physical challenges of the season and just contributing to the team.” Jack continues to rehab the knee and said he plans to be fully ready by the start of the season. He is about a month away from being cleared for full five-on-five basketball.

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Developing chemistry is the next challenge in Orlando after this summer’s huge turnover, writes Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. The changes started with the hiring of coach Frank Vogel and continued through a revamped roster that has just six players back from the end of last season. The most notable additions for the Magic were Serge Ibaka, who was acquired in a draft night trade, and Bismack Biyombo and Jeff Green, who signed as free agents. “To me, chemistry and togetherness is something you earn, something you achieve and something you work towards by creating this culture where people like to come to work and people are playing for each other,” Vogel said. “You talk about selflessness and a team-first mentality. Whether we’ve been together for five years or are brand new to each other, every year you’ve got to work to achieve chemistry.”
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who lost DeAndre Jordan to a change of heart in free agency last summer, said he never tried to persuade Heat center Hassan Whiteside to reconsider before this year’s moratorium was lifted, relays Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Whiteside was Dallas’ top target in free agency, but he decided rather quickly to stay in Miami. “Never crossed our mind,” Cuban said in an interview with Dallas radio station 105.3-FM. “… We were happy with the direction we were going in and we had made our pitch to Hassan, but we didn’t really think he was going to leave and we didn’t go back to him and even bring it up.”
Offseason signings have left the Heat with 11 players who are ineligible to be traded before December 15th, Winderman notes in the same piece. In addition to Whiteside, they are Wayne Ellington, Udonis Haslem, Stefan Jankovic, James Johnson, Tyler Johnson, Rodney McGruder, Willie Reed, Dion Waiters, Okaro White and Derrick Williams.

Heat Notes: Green, James, Wade, Riley

July 23rd, 2016 at 7:17pm CST by Arthur Hill

The addition of James Johnson, Derrick Williams and Wayne Ellington left no room in Miami for Gerald Green, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Green, who agreed to terms with the Celtics this morning, spent one season in Miami and saw his playing time decline steadily as the year wore on. He appeared in 69 games, starting 14, and averaged 8.9 points per night. Green had expressed a desire to return to Miami, Winderman writes, and the Heat could have offered the same $1.4MM deal he received from Boston. Miami made it clear that the 30-year-old swingman wasn’t in its plans by signing Johnson, Williams and Ellington to be part of an already crowded rotation that includes Justise Winslow, Josh Richardson and Tyler Johnson. Amar’e Stoudemire and Dorell Wright are now the only remaining unsigned free agents from the 2015/16 roster.

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As players become more powerful, the idea of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul on the same team becomes more likely, Winderman writes in another piece. During the season, James speculated on the possibility of the four friends someday joining forces.
Team president Pat Riley recently offered some insight on teaming up James, Wade and Chris Bosh in 2010, Winderman relates in the same article. All three were slated to get max deals of $16.5MM per season, but they wanted to add Mike Miller and re-sign Udonis Haslem. Eventually, Wade volunteered to take less money, and James and Bosh agreed to sign-and trades. “The interesting part is on July 9th, they all agreed to come in on five-year deals, room only, so I didn’t have to give up any assets,” Riley said. “Then, at the 11th hour, they all wanted the sixth year. You know what that cost me and Andy [Elisburg, the Heat’s general manager]? That cost us four picks. I just said to them, ‘If you want the sixth year because I know you’re going to opt out after the fourth anyhow, but if you want the sixth year, I don’t want any of you to walk into my office and say, ‘Hey, can we get any young guys around here? Can we get some draft picks around here?’ Because they were gone.”
Riley’s decision to add more physical players this offseason was likely a matter of taking what was available on the market, rather than a strategy, Winderman writes in a separate piece. Winderman’s comment came in response to a reader’s question on whether acquiring Johnson, Williams, Luke Babbitt and Willie Reed would make the Heat more like the roster Riley had with the Knicks.

Heat To Sign James Johnson

July 10th, 2016 at 11:56am CST by Arthur Hill

NBA: Toronto Raptors at Sacramento Kings

Kelley L Cox / USA TODAY Sports Images

Free agent combo forward James Johnson has agreed to a one-year deal with Miami, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The 29-year-old combo forward will receive $4MM.

Johnson spent the past two seasons with the Raptors, where he built a reputation as a defensive specialist. He played in 57 games and started 32, averaging 5.0 points and 2.2 rebounds in 16.2 minutes.

Jackson has also played for the Bulls, Kings and Grizzlies in his eight-year NBA career. He made $2.5MM this season with Toronto.