Jimmy Butler

Trade Rumors: Kuminga, Butler, Reaves, Kessler, Giannis

November 1st, 2024 at 5:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga is the headliner among the six players named by Sam Amick and John Hollinger of The Athletic as possible trade candidates to watch over the course of the 2024/25 season.

League sources tell Amick there was a “significant” gap between Kuminga and the Warriors when they discussed a possible rookie scale extension prior to the season, with Golden State’s offer topping out at around $30MM per year, while the fourth-year forward sought at least in the range of $35MM annually.

The two sides were unable to agree to an extension, putting Kuminga on track for restricted free agency in 2025. While he and the Warriors could finalize a new deal at that time, rival executives believe Golden State is “more willing than ever” to put the former No. 7 overall pick in a trade package, according to Amick, though he cautions the return would have to be significant.

Heat swingman Jimmy Butler is one name to keep an eye on, says Amick, citing league sources who say the Warriors registered some interest in the 35-year-old. Butler is extension-eligible and holds a player option for 2025/26, but reportedly plans to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Here are a few more trade-related rumors from around the NBA:

Lakers guard Austin Reaves is a favorite of both team owner Jeanie Buss and head of basketball operations Rob Pelinka and has been made virtually untouchable in past trade discussions, Amick writes. The former undrafted free agent is a developmental success story, is on a team-friendly contract, and has another fan in new head coach J.J. Redick, but if the Lakers hope to make a trade for a star, they may have to have another internal discussion about how strong their hold on Reaves will be, according to Amick.
Walker Kessler is among the other possible trade candidates listed by Amick and Hollinger, with Amick suggesting that Jazz head coach Will Hardy has pushed the third-year center hard in the hopes of advancing his development and getting a clearer sense of whether he’s a long-term keeper in Utah. The Lakers are among the teams that have registered interest in Kessler, and while the Jazz are open to listening, a team source tells Amick that they wouldn’t be interested in a deal centered around D’Angelo Russell and draft picks.
The Bucks‘ slow start this season has led to a surge in trade speculation about star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. There has been no indication that Antetokounmpo will seek a change of scenery and it’s extremely unlikely Milwaukee would consider moving him if that doesn’t happen, but Bill Reiter of CBS Sports says rival executives are increasingly hopeful about the two-time MVP’s potential availability. The Nets have had interest in Antetokounmpo for years, a league source tells NetsDaily, but it’s safe to assume that could be said of many teams around the league, so Brooklyn would have plenty of competition if Giannis ever lands on the trade block.

Western Notes: Rockets, KD, Butler, LeBron, Nuggets, Kings

October 27th, 2024 at 9:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Confirming recent reporting from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack story that the messaging out of Houston suggests the Rockets are unlikely to make a major in-season trade in 2024/25.

Still, Stein has spoken to multiple rival teams who are “hesitant to dismiss Houston’s trade ambitions so readily.” Those clubs believe the Rockets’ front office will continue to keep an eye out for possible deals for impact players, since they’re eager to return to the upper tier of the Western Conference.

Although the Suns aggressively shot down Kevin Durant trade speculation over the summer, Stein writes that there’s still a “strong belief” around the league that the Rockets remain interested in the star forward and would be ready to pounce if he becomes available within the next year or two.

According to Stein, rival teams also “increasingly” mention Houston as a potential suitor to watch if the Heat ever consider trading Jimmy Butler, who was identified multiple times during the offseason as a potential target of interest for the Rockets.

We have more from around the West:

The Lakers‘ hot start continued on Saturday as they pushed their record to 3-0 with an impressive comeback win over Sacramento. Four-time MVP LeBron James keyed the fourth quarter surge by becoming the first player since play-by-play tracking began in 1996 to record at least 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists on 100% shooting in a quarter (Twitter link via ESPN’s Matt Williams). “Just when you think he’s slowing down, man, he continues to show the world why he’s the greatest,” Anthony Davis said, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “To go on that stretch, he actually looked to the bench and was trying to come out the game. We told him, ‘You’re not coming out.’ He comes out and hits another three. He never ceases to amaze any of us because we just know what he’s capable of and what he’s able to do.”
The sample size is minuscule, but in 21 minutes together so far, lineups featuring both Nuggets point guards – Jamal Murray and Russell Westbrook – have an 82.2 offensive rating and a minus-28.9 overall net rating. Head coach Michael Malone remains confident those units can work, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. “Jamal’s a guard. He’s been a one. He’s been a two,” Malone said prior to Denver’s second game. “In college, he was a two. It’s just that, for his Nuggets tenure, Jamal has been a guy that can be a starting one, and he can play with a point guard in the second unit. I think Russ and Jamal have a lot of potential to be really good together.”
The Stockton Kings (Sacramento’s G League affiliate) have officially announced their training camp roster for the 2024/25 season. Veteran forward Terry Taylor, former first-round pick Skal Labissiere, NBA camp invitee Boogie Ellis, and Shaquille O’Neal‘s son Shareef O’Neal are among the notable names on the squad.

Southeast Notes: Butler, Richardson, Coulibaly, Carter

October 27th, 2024 at 9:36am CST by Rory Maher

After struggling mightily in the Heat‘s home-opening loss to Orlando, star forward Jimmy Butler bounced back with a strong performance in Saturday’s victory over Charlotte, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.

Butler had one of his worst games in a Heat uniform vs. the Magic, only scoring three points to go along with four rebounds and five assists in 26 minutes. On Saturday, the 35-year-old’s production was closer to his typical norm, as he put up 26 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in 37 minutes.

“Honestly, just doing all of that and it resulting in a win,” Butler said when asked about his big night. “That’s the reason that we all play the game. I’m just happy to get one in the win column.”

The six-time All-Star could be a free agent next summer if he declines his $52.4MM player option for 2025/26. Chiang recently reported that Butler would likely decline a maximum-salary extension even if he were offered it, but there’s no indication at this point that he plans to leave Miami.

Here are a few more notes from around the Southeast:

Heat swingman Josh Richardson, who underwent shoulder surgery in March, is close to making his season debut, Chiang notes in the same story. Richardson was sidelined for training camp and preseason as he recovered from the surgery, and has been dealing with heel inflammation after he was medically cleared to resume practicing. Richardson was upgraded to questionable for Saturday’s contest and warmed up before being ruled out, Chiang adds. “He’s making progress,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said of Richardson on Saturday morning. “So I’m encouraged by it. I know he is, as well. Don’t have a specific date, but he’s practicing and he’s doing everything right now.” Richardson, 31, will be an unrestricted free agent in 2025.
The Wizards dropped to 0-2 after Saturday’s loss to Cleveland, but French wing Bilal Coulibaly continues to show encouraging signs of progress in his second season, per Varun Shankar of The Washington Post (subscriber link). After dishing out a career-high six assists in Thursday’s opener vs. Boston, the 2023 lottery pick scored a career-high 23 points vs. the Cavs, going 9-of-16 from the field, including 4-of-9 from long distance.
Seventh-year center Wendell Carter Jr. displayed in the team’s season-opening victory in Miami why the Magic gave him a three-year extension, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. The Magic were plus-32 in Carter’s 27 minutes during the 19-point win, with the 25-year-old big man recording eight points, 14 rebounds, two assists and two steals. Carter is averaging a career-best 11.7 RPG through three games for the 2-1 Magic.

Heat Notes: Herro, Butler, Offense, Richardson

October 22nd, 2024 at 4:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Heat guard Tyler Herro bristled last season when head coach Erik Spoelstra had him play off the ball more often while attempting more catch-and-shoot three-pointers, but he has bought in on the adjustments to his role ahead of the 2024/25 season, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.

“I mean, I’m actually a really good catch-and-shoot player,” Herro told Winderman. “I didn’t know that last season, when I was being in my feelings about being a catch-and-shoot player. I’m a very good catch-and-shoot player, as well as I am off the dribble. So I think I can do both.”

Herro will be part of a starting five that includes other ball-dominant players, including Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier, so while he’ll have opportunities to handle the ball, he’s also expecting to play off of it more often than he has in the past. He indicated he’s happy to take on whatever role the team asks of him.

“This is already year six for me, so I definitely have matured in my mind,” he said earlier in camp. “Last year, I was coming in like, ‘I’m trying to score 25 per game.’ This year, honestly, I’m just here to play, have fun, be myself. Whatever I end up averaging, I end up averaging.

“… I’m not here to push any agendas of All-Star or anything like that,” he added. “I’m just honestly here to have fun, win a championship with the guys we have, and just go from there.”

Here’s more on the Heat:

Even if the Heat were to offer Butler a maximum-salary contract extension at this point, the expectation is that he’d pass on it, sources tell Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, since the star swingman is focused on playing out his current deal and reevaluating his contract situation next summer. However, there’s still no indication he wants to be anywhere except Miami. Agent Bernie Lee, who spoke to Chiang about his client’s outlook ahead of the coming season, said that the organization supported Butler admirably during a difficult time when his father passed away last season.
In two more stories for The Miami Herald, Chiang looks at what we learned during the Heat’s five-game preseason slate and examines the offensive changes that Spoelstra is implementing this fall. As Chiang notes, Miami has made it a priority to move away from mid-range attempts and to focus more on layups and three-pointers in an effort to make its offense more efficient.
Riley said last week that Bam Adebayo, Butler, Herro, and Rozier “have to be better” for the Heat to take a step forward in 2024/25. What would that look like in practice? Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald takes a closer look at specific potential areas of improvement for each player.
Josh Richardson has been medically cleared in his recovery from March shoulder surgery, but is now battling left heel inflammation and isn’t expected to be ready for the regular season opener, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.

Heat Notes: Riley, Butler, Adebayo, Herro, Rozier

October 18th, 2024 at 8:40am CST by Rory Maher

Speaking on Thursday to a small group of reporters, including Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, Heat president Pat Riley said 2024/25 is a critical campaign for the core trio of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, who are entering their sixth season together.

“Six years, yeah, this is a telling year for the team. It should be,” Riley said. “They’ve been together for six years. The core has been together for six years, they’ve all gotten better.

“Everything changes, I think, for the better with continuity and the fact that we believe in this roster. Does it mean that if we don’t win this year or if we don’t go deep this year, there are going to be massive changes? No, it doesn’t mean that. But they should know that this should be a crucial year for them. They want to win. They’ve been [to the NBA Finals] twice, but they want to win.”

Two seasons ago, the Heat went 44-38, advanced to the playoffs as the No. 8 seed via the play-in tournament, and had a Cinderella run to the NBA Finals, ultimately losing to Denver in five games. Last season, the team went 46-36 and once again made the playoffs through the play-in, but dropped its first-round series to Philadelphia without Butler, who was injured.

Oddsmakers — and our readers — are relatively low on the Heat this season. While Riley acknowledged there are other strong contenders in the East, including the defending champion Celtics, he’s still bullish on his team’s upside.

“… I believe in this team, I truly believe in these guys. Bam, Jimmy and Tyler, to some extent maybe Terry [Rozier] have to be better,” Riley said. “It’s always about can you produce more, can you be more, can you be together more. I’ve seen the improvement. … So I think we have a core of really, really great players who need to find another level of greatness. This is their time. So take the challenge.”

Here’s more on the Heat:

Riley reiterated the team’s best players need to try to play as many games as possible in ’24/25 and said he isn’t worried about Butler potentially opting out of his contract after the season, according to Chiang. Riley also acknowledged that ’23/24 was a difficult season for Butler on a personal level — his father passed away in February, causing him to miss some games — and that likely impacted his production, but he’s hoping the 35-year-old has a bounce-back performance in ’24/25.
Riley, 79, is entering his 30th season with Miami, but he has “no idea” when he might decide to retire, Chiang writes.
In another article for The Miami Herald, Chiang provides some takeaways from Wednesday’s preseason victory over Atlanta, which was the second of a back-to-back. As Chiang observes, Butler has suited up for all four of Miami’s preseason games thus far, a stark contrast to last October, when he didn’t play in any exhibition games. The five-time All-NBA forward was dominant on Wednesday, recording 24 points (on 8-of-11 shooting), five rebounds, three assists and three steals in just 21 minutes. Butler and several other rotation members won’t travel to Memphis for Friday’s preseason finale, Chiang adds.
Rozier and Herro didn’t play much together last season due to injuries, but head coach Erik Spoelstra is encouraged by what he’s seen from the starting backcourt duo during practices and preseason, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “They like each other,” Spoelstra said. “All the hard things, they already have those boxes checked. It’s just a matter of getting enough time together. More than anything, I just want the speed. The speed that they’re bringing our team right now is bringing a great deal of life. And I like it.”

Heat Notes: Starting Lineup, Herro, Van Gundy, Smith

October 15th, 2024 at 9:10pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Heat‘s projected opening-night starting lineup of Terry Rozier, Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, Nikola Jovic and Bam Adebayo looked good against New Orleans during limited playing time on Sunday. Coach Erik Spoelstra was encouraged by what he saw, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.

“The group has gone at it with the right approach, the right mind-set just to roll up the sleeves and get to work and work on our system, work on getting comfortable with each other, working to each other’s strengths and finding different ways to do that,” Spoelstra said.

Injuries prevented Spoelstra from utilizing that five-man group last season.

“I think we have a great kind of balance between physicality and shooting, game outside of the paint and game inside the paint,” Jovic said. “I feel like that’s what people see. I feel like that lineup will be very versatile. But we for sure need some time like everybody else. Nothing can just happen from the jump. So we’ll see. But we’re really looking forward to playing together.”

We have more on the Heat:

Herro notes that while the projected lineup doesn’t have a true point guard, it features several players capable of handling the ball, so he won’t be forced to bring it up the court regularly. That appeals to him, he told Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “It’s huge,” Herro said. “This is probably my first season besides my rookie year where I kind of don’t have as many ball-handling duties as I’ve had in the past. Obviously, I love having the ball in my hands. But being able to kind of flow into that is going to be easier on me and be more efficient on my game, just being able to play off of Terry, play off of Jimmy and Bam, and not necessarily having to be the main guard handling the ball.”
Former Heat coach and current TNT analyst Stan Van Gundy is baffled by Miami’s offseason approach, believing the club has slipped among its Eastern Conference peers, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald relays. Van Gundy made his comments during a TNT conference call. “I really don’t understand what’s going on there,” Van Gundy said. “They’re really a win-now team, which I respect, and they haven’t given, put a roster around there that has a chance. I think they got lulled into a false sense of security by the run to the Finals two years ago. And it was a great run, but they didn’t have a great team, and they didn’t have a great year. That’s not a very good roster. To me, that’s a play-in roster again.”
Two-way player Dru Smith underwent ACL reconstruction surgery last November but showed he’s made an impressive recovery during Sunday’s preseason game. Smith had four points, three rebounds, two steals, one block and a team-high five assists in 16 minutes off the bench, Chiang notes. “I feel pretty good,” Smith said. “I mean, as good as I could have hoped for at this point. Yeah, I was hoping to be ready for training camp. We kind of jumped into it fairly quickly. I had played live like two or three times before camp started and then jumped right in. So it’s been going good. The knee has been responding really well.”

Southeast Notes: Butler, George, Williams, Carter

October 12th, 2024 at 5:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

Heat star Jimmy Butler expects to be available for more regular season games this year, although he declined to set a specific goal, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Butler has been limited to 58, 52, 57, 64 and 60 games in his five seasons in Miami, and team president Pat Riley referred to him as “fragile” in a postseason press conference. Butler understands that the only way to change that narrative is to be on the court more often.

“I want to play as many games as possible,” he said. “I’ll leave it at that. I don’t need to put a number on the amount of games that I play. I know the more games that I play, the more opportunities that my squad has of winning. I do know that.”

Chiang notes that Butler has already increased his preseason output, logging 16 minutes in Tuesday’s opener after not playing at all last year. Butler told reporters that he also expects to be in the lineup for Sunday afternoon’s game against New Orleans. Butler has already declared his intention to turn down a $52.4MM player option and test free agency next summer, but he said that’s not his motivation for wanting to play more games.

“If we’re being brutally honest, no matter what, nothing I do now is going to get me paid any more money,” Butler said. “Even though I don’t care about the money. All-NBA, dah, dah, dah, dah, none of that is going to matter. I’m at a point right now that I got more than enough money. I’m just here to win.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Rookie guard Kyshawn George made his first preseason start Friday and responded with nine points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals, per Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. At 6’8″, George has the size to play several positions, but Shankar notes that he looked comfortable running the Wizards‘ offense. “I just try to read the defense and trust my teammates to be at the right spot at the right moment,” George said. “And it’s just on me to make the right read and make the play.”
Mark Williams, who is dealing with a strained tendon in his left foot, no longer needs a walking boot and will be reevaluated before the start of the season, the Hornets announced (via Twitter). Williams was limited to 19 games last season due to a back issue.
Magic center Wendell Carter Jr., who is day-to-day with a sprained left ankle he suffered in Monday’s game, didn’t practice today, but he’s “doing OK,” coach Jahmal Mosley told Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link). “We’re going to continue to check and see how he responds to each one of the treatments he does while not being on the court fully through practice,” Mosley said.

Heat Notes: Butler, Adebayo, Jovic, Rozier, Riley, Pullin

October 8th, 2024 at 10:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

There were some good signs during the Heat‘s preseason loss to Charlotte on Tuesday, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel writes.

Jimmy Butler played his first preseason game in two years and contributed 11 points in 15-plus minutes. Bam Adebayo made two of his five 3-point attempts as he looks to expand his offensive game. And Nikola Jovic had nine points in 16 minutes while starting alongside Adebayo up front.

“It was good to get that game conditioning in,” coach Erik Spoelstra said of the preseason opener. “It always feels a little bit different no matter how many years you’ve played. Our guys have been working extremely hard. But it was good to face somebody else.”

We have more on the Heat:

Terry Rozier projects as the starting point guard on opening night. He battled a neck injury late last season and into the offseason. “This whole offseason, when I first got hurt, I definitely appreciated the game way more than I ever did,” Rozier said, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “That’s why I said everything happens for a reason. I really feel like this happened for a reason to make me lock back in, to focus. Now I’m just not looking back.”
All current and future courts at Miami’s home arena will be dedicated to team president Pat Riley, Chiang notes. The Heat’s home court will now be known as “Pat Riley Court at Kaseya Center,” with the new name and Riley’s signature inscribed onto the court. Riley will become just the second coach in NBA history to receive such an honor, Chiang writes, joining Red Auerbach of the Celtics.
Zyon Pullin is participating in camp on an Exhibit 10 contract. The former Florida guard knows he’ll be ticketed to the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. “It’s really just been definitely spend time in Sioux Falls and really just trying that development program, the history and track record it’s had,” Pullin said, per Winderman. “It’s a reason why I wanted to be here in the first place. So I think it’s just continue to lock in once we go down there and keep developing and see where it goes from there.”
In case you missed it, the Heat’s Thursday preseason game vs. Atlanta has been pushed back to next Wednesday (October 16) due to Hurricane Milton.

Heat Notes: Butler, Spoelstra, Herro, Richardson

September 30th, 2024 at 5:31pm CST by Tristan Tucker

After the Heat fell in the first round of the 2024 playoffs to the Celtics, team president Pat Riley drew attention when he challenged star Jimmy Butler to miss fewer games and keep his mouth “shut” instead of trash-talking Boston. Riley was noncommittal about the idea a Butler extension and all eyes turned to the Heat’s six-time All-Star for a response.

That response came during Monday’s media day and Butler’s comments were nothing but professional and team-oriented, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes.

“I always want to hoop, always want to compete with my guys,” Butler said. “I hear him. I see what he’s talking about. I’m going to play as many games as I can.”

As Jackson writes, Butler entered the offseason seeking a contract extension that would have given him a raise on his existing contract and added another year. But with the Heat not wanting to rush to complete that deal, Butler now intends to play out the rest of the season without an extension and turn down his player option next year. Butler confirmed today that he didn’t consider asking for a trade after Miami opted not to extend him.

“No, I’m good,” he said. “An extension is just a couple dollars. I’m cool, I’m telling you. I’ve made enough. I just want to play basketball and want to be available, like Pat was talking about. I plan on being that and plan on us winning a bunch of games and making everybody happy.”

We have more from the Heat:

Asked specifically about Riley’s “keep your mouth shut” comment, Butler downplayed it and suggested he didn’t take offense, Jackson writes. “Not too many things bother me nowadays,” Butler said. “I’m happy. I’m healthy. I’ve got a beautiful family. And I get to hoop. Not too much in the media is ever going to get to me.“
Head coach Erik Spoelstra, who has now spent five seasons with Butler, suggested that the two of them will need to be at their best and work together in order for the team to reach its potential, according to a report from ESPN. “When you get to that many years together, there’s a lot of unspoken understanding,” Spoelstra said. “He’s at a point now where he needs me to really coach this team at a high level. He needs me to coach him at a high level and push him to higher levels. And I need him to be at his highest level as a player and a leader.” Butler expressed similar sentiments, as relayed in Jackson’s story.
Tyler Herro spent the offseason bulking up after an injury-riddled year that limited him to 42 games last year, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald details. Herro gained 12 pounds this offseason and is aiming to be more available, which comes after Riley called him “fragile” in his 2023/24 season-ending presser. “Being able to stay healthy, I think that will help being more durable, having a little bigger frame throughout an 82-game season,” Herro said. “Then just taking care of my body recovery wise and truly being professional. I put the work in on the court and in the weight room. Now it’s all about staying healthy and putting that recovery work in, as well.“
Herro — who has started 107 games over the past two seasons but was named Sixth Man of the Year in ’21/22 — said he’s comfortable in whatever role the coaching staff has envisioned for him. “We’re going to let the best coach in the league decide, we’re going to let one of the best GMs and presidents ever to do this decide if I’m starting or coming off the bench,” Herro said, per Chiang. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win a championship.”
Josh Richardson is the only player who won’t be a full participant on the first day of training camp, Chiang adds in the same story. Spoelstra said Richardson will eventually participate in camp but he’s still recovering from his season-ending shoulder injury from February.

Heat Notes: Rozier, Questions, Jovic, Christopher

September 25th, 2024 at 5:14pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Terry Rozier spent the past five months recovering from a neck injury that prevented him from suiting up for the Heat‘s first-round playoff series against the Celtics. As Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes, Rozier has been cleared for five-on-five play ahead of his first training camp with Miami.

“I’m still the same old Terry when I play,” Rozier said. “Whatever happened in the past, I won’t let it affect how I play. … I’m going to play how I play. But nothing affects how I go now. I’m still myself, so I feel good.”

The neck injury was first listed as stiffness, but according to Chiang, further tests revealed more “concerning results” that forced Rozier to the sidelines for an extended period.

“I mean, for me just playing fully and then to go to not and having to miss the playoffs, you get to questioning like, ‘Damn, could this possibly be the end for me?’” Rozier said. “But obviously, I’ve been blessed with a really great body and I’ve been able to recover. So I’m going back to the drawing board and do this [thing] again.”

Rozier has two seasons left on his current contract and is owed $24.9MM this season. Rozier admitted it was difficult to be off the court for so long, especially after ramping up his production toward the end of last regular season. In his final 10 appearances, he averaged 18.8 points with a .500 3PT% on 7.4 attempts per game.

We have more from the Heat:

Like Rozier, third-year forward Nikola Jovic spent much of his summer recovering from an injury. In a separate Miami Herald story, Chiang explores Jovic’s health ahead of the season. The third-year forward, who admitted his ankle injury slowed his offseason plans, was impressive in his 38 starts last season, averaging 8.4 points per game on .445/.400/.711 shooting, but he hopes to get even better in 2024/25. “I would say the thing I was working on the most was probably just when I have a mismatch in the low post,” Jovic said. “When I have small guys on me, I just have to punish them, and that’s going to be something that’s going to help our team a lot.“
In a two-part series, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald answers 15 questions about the Heat’s upcoming season. Of note, Jackson writes that the Heat aren’t worried about losing Jimmy Butler next season for nothing even if he opts out of his contract to become a free agent. Brooklyn and Houston are two teams who make sense for Butler on paper, but Jackson writes that both would have to jump through hoops to acquire him. While that’s certainly possible, Miami could explore sign-and-trade options in a worst-case scenario. In the meantime, the two sides are motivated to make this season a memorable one.
Former Rockets first-round pick Josh Christopher received a two-way contract from the Heat after an impressive summer league and Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel writes that the 6’5″ guard is appreciative of the opportunity. “I think they’ve given me the cheats codes [to] being successful,” Christopher said. Miami has a history of making the most of overlooked two-way/training camp players, helping turn the likes of Duncan Robinson, Max Strus and Caleb Martin into quality role players. Christopher’s former first-round pedigree makes him a different kind of player than the Heat have taken chances on in the past — he’ll join recently signed Nassir Little as recent first-round picks still looking to deliver on their pre-draft potential.

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