Miles Bridges Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Fischer’s Latest: Bridges, Bulls, Kings, Magic, Smart, More

June 21st, 2024 at 4:32pm CST by Rory Maher

Free agent forward Miles Bridges‘ could receive $30MM+ annually on his next contract, league sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. However, it remains to be seen if that money will come from the Hornets or another team.

According to Fischer, Charlotte is “believed to be open” to sign-and-trade concepts involving Bridges if the right opportunity arises. Sources tell Fischer the Nets discussed a Bridges trade concept with Charlotte in February that would have sent Ben Simmons to Charlotte. The Kings also inquired about Bridges ahead of the deadline, per Fischer.

As Fischer writes, the Hornets are viewed as a “salary-dumping ground” this summer as their new front office and head coach spearhead a rebuild. The same is true of the Pistons, who are looking for a new coach after dismissing Monty Williams.

Bridges’ market value has been difficult to gauge due to his off-court history, which includes multiple domestic violence allegations. One of those cases was dropped, but the other caused him to miss the entire 2022/23 season after he pleaded no contest (accepting punishment without formally admitting guilt).

Here’s more from Fischer:

Confirming previous reporting, Fischer hears the Bulls remain active in trade talks around the league. The Thunder, Raptors and Hornets are among the teams with interest in restricted free agent Patrick Williams, Fischer writes.
The Kings appear to be the most likely suitor right now for Zach LaVine, according to Fischer, who adds that Sacramento has continued shopping Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter in trade talks. Huerter, in particular, has drawn a “healthy amount external interest.” Still, the Bulls haven’t gained serious traction on a potential LaVine deal in several months despite being active in negotiations, sources tell Fischer. The Kings are also contemplating moving the No. 13 pick in next week’s draft, Fischer adds.
In previous trade windows, the Bulls pushed for unprotected picks when discussing Alex Caruso, sources tell Fischer. One scenario saw the Bulls push for four first-rounders, though presumably that total would have included protected picks. Chicago officially traded Caruso to Oklahoma City on Friday for Josh Giddey.
Fischer confirms LaVine is a “backup option” for the Sixers and their significant cap room. Fischer also suggests (via Twitter) the 76ers shouldn’t be ruled out as a landing spot for Paul George, despite a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic stating that their interest in George has waned as of late.
Fischer says the Magic are looking for a veteran wing who can space the floor, naming Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as perhaps their top target. If they lose Williams, the Bulls could have interest in Caldwell-Pope, with the Sixers another potential landing spot depending on how things work out with other targets. There are scenarios in which Orlando would exercise its $11MM team option on Joe Ingles as well, sources tell Fischer. Fischer previously touched on Klay Thompson‘s fit with the Magic.
The Grizzlies, who control the No. 9 pick, are known to be looking for big men, with UConn’s Donovan Clingan one draft target in a move-up scenario. However, Fischer hears from sources who say Memphis is also open to moving back in the draft. The Grizzlies are unwilling to move Marcus Smart, but Luke Kennard has drawn “strong interest” in trade talks, according to Fischer — the team holds a $14.7MM option on Kennard for 2024/25.

Moore’s Latest: Kings, Kuzma, Bulls, Bridges, Sixers, Jones, Grizzlies, More

June 19th, 2024 at 4:08pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings are expected to return to the trade market this offseason with the same assets they offered Toronto for Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby earlier in 2023/24, writes Matt Moore of ActionNetwork.com: Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter, and draft compensation.

While Sacramento will do its best to re-sign Malik Monk, the team only holds his Early Bird rights and will be limited to offering him up to $78MM over four years. If Monk ends up getting away, the Kings will likely feel some additional pressure to make a trade to upgrade its rotation — and will have some additional financial flexibility to add salary.

The Kings will likely circle back to the Wizards to discuss Kyle Kuzma, according to Moore, who says Sacramento has also talked to the Bulls about Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso. LaVine, whose price tag is believed to be lower now than it ever has been, could become a more attractive target if Monk departs, Moore adds.

Here are a few more items of interest from Moore’s latest look at free agency and the trade market:

The Sixers are expected to have interest in forward Miles Bridges in free agency, according to Moore. Philadelphia would have more than enough cap room to make a competitive offer for Bridges, especially if it misses out on its top targets. Moore reports that the Hornets are “known to be” fans of Bulls restricted free agent Patrick Williams, so he could be a target for Charlotte if the team loses Bridges.
Veteran point guard Tyus Jones, who was a full-time starter this past season for the Wizards, is expected to seek a deal worth north of $15MM annually, two sources tell Moore. Jones is the No. 15 free agent on our top-50 list.
There’s an expectation that the Grizzlies will look to add multiple centers this summer, Moore writes, noting that Nets big man Day’Ron Sharpe is a name to watch for Memphis. A Grizzlies offer for Sharpe could consist of a second-round pick and one of their bench wings, Moore adds.
The Grizzlies are also among the teams that have expressed interest in Hawks center Clint Capela, along with the Wizards, Pelicans, and Bulls, Moore says.
The free agent market for Heat forward Haywood Highsmith is expected to start around the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.2MM), two team cap strategists tell Moore.

Southeast Notes: Fultz, Heat, Bridges, Lee

June 12th, 2024 at 8:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

Free agency is quickly approaching for Magic guard Markelle Fultz, who is hoping to re-sign with Orlando, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Fultz battled through recurring problems with his left knee that limited him to 43 games this season. He began the season as a starter, but only remained in that role for 18 games and saw his numbers drop across the board as he struggled to stay on the court.

“I had my ups and downs,” Fultz said. “I had my little bumps and bruises on my knee and arms. I’m just glad I was able to finish the season out healthy. Of course, I missed some games during the season but being able to finish the year off with my brothers, have that experience of the playoffs and make it to a Game 7 was huge for me. I’m just grateful.”

After a rocky start to his NBA career, the top pick in the 2017 draft appeared to have established himself with the Magic during the 2022/23 season. He started all 60 games he played, set career highs with 14.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game and had career-best shooting marks of 51.4% from the field and 31% from three-point range. But his future seems less certain now at age 26 and coming off an injury-riddled season.

“I understand it’s a business,” Fultz said at the team’s exit interviews. “I understand some guys are going to be gone [and] some coaches might be gone. You never know. You obviously hope for the best, but understand that you can only control what you can control, and in my eyes, I always try to do that.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Head coach Erik Spoelstra will focus on fixing the Heat‘s offense this summer, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Injuries made it difficult for Miami to establish any continuity as Spoelstra was forced to use 35 different starting lineups. Beyond that, Chiang points out that the Heat had difficulty with inside scoring — attempting just 28.5% of their shots around the rim, which was the third fewest in the league, and shooing 63.4% in the restricted area, which ranked seventh worst.
Miles Bridges‘ decision in free agency will set the tone for the rest of the Hornets‘ summer, observes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. The team would love to re-sign Bridges, but he figures to have plenty of options on the open market after posting a career season while playing on a $7.9MM qualifying offer. Boone notes that Bridges’ $15MM cap hold and the $7.5MM salary slotted for the No. 6 pick will take up most of Charlotte’s projected cap space, so the team is limited in the moves it can make until Bridges’ situation is resolved.
In a separate story, Boone examines the type of head coach the Hornets are getting in Boston assistant Charles Lee, who won’t be with the team full-time until after the end of the NBA Finals.

Southeast Notes: Bridges, Ball, Highsmith, Wizards

June 3rd, 2024 at 11:58am CST by Arthur Hill

The Hornets shouldn’t expect any type of “hometown discount” in their negotiations with free agent forward Miles Bridges, Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer writes in a mailbag column. Even though Bridges has stated several times that he would like to re-sign with Charlotte, Boone expects him to take the best available offer regardless of which team it comes from.

Boone points out that Bridges is represented by Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, who encourages his clients to get the maximum possible value in contract talks. Paul advised Bridges to sign his qualifying offer from the Hornets last summer, which has made him unrestricted as he hits the open market after averaging career highs with 21.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game this season.

Boone points to the Pistons, who will have the most cap space of any team this summer, as a potential suitor for Bridges, meaning the Hornets will have to make a significant offer to bring him back.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

The Hornets‘ new owners aren’t ready to explore trade opportunities involving LaMelo Ball, Boone adds in the same piece. Injuries have prevented Ball from playing a full NBA season, and the new regime wants to give him a chance to see if he can stay healthy. Boone also points out that Ball’s trade value is low because of his repeated ankle issues, so it’s unlikely that other teams would give up multiple first-rounders in return. Boone doesn’t expect Ball to be traded within the next year.
Free agent forward Haywood Highsmith prefers to remain in Miami, but he understands that the Heat’s finances might limit their offer, per Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Highsmith, who earned just $1.9MM this season, compared his situation to that of Gabe Vincent and Max Strus, who both signed elsewhere last summer after leading Miami to the NBA Finals. “I can’t make my decision based off of what I like and don’t like. I have to make the decision that’s best for me,” Highsmith said. “Gabe and Max loved it here; I love it here, too. They didn’t end up staying here, so I don’t know what’s to come for me. Nothing’s on the table, so we’ll see. Obviously, I would love to stay in Miami. That’s where my daughter’s at, that’s where my family is at, so I would love to be here, too.”
The Wizards may have interest in adding Finnish coach Tuomas Iisalo to Brian Keefe’s staff, according to Eurohoops.

Scotto’s Latest: Wizards, Kuzma, Hawks, Bridges, Brogdon, DeRozan, More

May 13th, 2024 at 2:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards already hold a pair of picks in the first round of this year’s draft at No. 2 and No. 26, but there’s an expectation that they’ll try to acquire another 2024 first-rounder, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

As Scotto explains, the Wizards’ current front office – led by president Michael Winger and general manager Will Dawkins – is focused on building through the draft and developing young talent. The group made its first lottery pick last year when it used the No. 7 selection to nab Bilal Coulibaly, who was one of the NBA’s youngest players this past season. It sounds like Washington is in no hurry to accelerate its rebuild and won’t be opposed to taking fliers on more young, raw prospects, with Scotto indicating that the club also has its eye on the 2025 draft class.

Within his discussion of the Wizards’ next steps, Scotto adds that forward Kyle Kuzma is expected to generate interest on the trade market again this summer after being included in some discussions leading up to the February deadline. Prior to the trade deadline, Washington reportedly brought a Mavericks offer to Kuzma and asked him if he wanted to be moved — he opted to remain in D.C.

Here’s more from Scotto:

Echoing previous reports, Scotto says there’s a “widespread belief” from rival executives that the Hawks will break up their starting backcourt of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray this offseason by trading one of the two guards. Those execs also believe that Atlanta will be more open than ever to moving Young, though Scotto’s sources say the Spurs didn’t have “substantive” discussions about the three-time All-Star earlier this year and are skeptical that will change this summer.
In addition to the Hornets, the teams expected to have interested in free agent forward Miles Bridges this summer include the Pistons and Jazz, league sources tell Scotto.
Rival executives are keeping an eye on Trail Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon as a potential offseason trade candidates, Scotto says. Brogdon will be on a $22.5MM expiring contract and there’s an expectation that Portland will be looking to shed some salary.
There’s a belief around the NBA that DeMar DeRozan will ultimately re-sign with the Bulls rather than changing teams as a free agent, according to Scotto, who notes that the veteran forward is comfortable in his role in Chicago and the Bulls are seemingly willing to pay him.
Scotto refers to G League Ignite forward Matas Buzelis as a “notable” candidate for the Pistons with the No. 5 overall pick, pointing out that Buzelis is represented by agent Michael Tellem, the son of Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem.

Eastern Notes: Lillard, Giannis, Wright, Raptors, Hornets

April 27th, 2024 at 3:03pm CST by Luke Adams

After Shams Charania reported earlier today that Damian Lillard‘s availability for Game 4 of the Bucks‘ series with Indiana is uncertain, head coach Doc Rivers confirmed that the star guard is dealing with an Achilles strain, telling reporters that Lillard underwent an MRI.

Rivers didn’t know the results of that MRI when he spoke to the media, but he indicated that he isn’t necessarily counting on having Lillard available on Sunday, per Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“Not looking great, but we don’t know yet,” Rivers said.

As for the Bucks’ other injured star, Rivers said that Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf strain) will be working out “hard” on Sunday morning and that the team would “make a decision” on him after that (Twitter link via Jamal Collier of ESPN).

Asked if Antetokounmpo could be available for Game 4 following his Sunday morning workout, Rivers replied, “I doubt it, but we’ll see.”

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

In addition to missing Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier, and Josh Richardson due to injuries, the Heat will be without guard Delon Wright for Game 3 vs. Boston on Saturday as a result of a personal family matter, the team announced (via Twitter). Wright provided a spark off the bench in the first two games of the series, averaging 11.0 PPG on 63.6% shooting in 22.8 MPG.
Keith Smith’s latest offseason previews for Spotrac cover the Raptors and the Hornets. Locking up Scottie Barnes to a rookie scale extension and Immanuel Quickley to a free agent contract will top Toronto’s to-do list this summer, while Charlotte will focus on building around LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, with a decision to make on unrestricted free agent Miles Bridges.
In a mailbag looking ahead to the Hornets‘ summer, Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer answers questions on whether the team would consider trading Ball, what Tre Mann‘s role in Charlotte will look like going forward, and what qualities the front office is seeking in its new head coach, among other topics.

Pistons Notes: FA, Trade Targets, Draft, President, More

April 22nd, 2024 at 1:56pm CST by Rory Maher

Appearing on the HoopsHype podcast with Michael Scotto, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic said the Pistons will likely explore the viability of pursuing Miles Bridges or Tobias Harris in free agency, though he conceded that could change depending who they hire to be the new president of basketball operations.

While he doesn’t expect Detroit to give anyone a long-term, maximum-salary deal, Edwards suggested a short-term deal with a higher annual salary could be an option if the team pursues Bridges or Harris. Edwards also thinks the Pistons will undergo a “significant roster overhaul” this offseason through a combination of trades and free agent signings, with Malik Monk another impending free agent to potentially keep an eye on.

Scotto said the Nets want to keep Nic Claxton on a long-term contract, and Brian Lewis of The New York Post recently told Scotto he believes there’s better than a 50/50 chance the center will remain with Brooklyn. However, Edwards thinks Claxton would fill a major need for Detroit as a rim protector, even though it might push Jalen Duren to a reserve role.

Edwards previously listed five ideas for the new head of basketball operations, and Scotto believes Bucks GM Jon Horst, a Michigan native, is the main name to keep an eye on.

As for the futures of GM Troy Weaver and head coach Monty Williams, Edwards said he wouldn’t be surprised if neither is back next season, particularly Weaver. Despite being on a lucrative long-term deal, Edwards placed the odds at 60/40 that Williams would not be Detroit’s head coach in 2024/25.

Here’s more on the Pistons:

Edwards of The Athletic predicts that, of the veteran free agents Detroit has this offseason, only Simone Fontecchio will be retained. Edwards is convinced of that happening, putting the odds at 100%. He also thinks Fontecchio will receive a four-year deal worth in the range of $56-68MM as a restricted free agent. The Italian forward has said he expects to be back next season.
In a mailbag for The Detroit Free Press (subscription required), Omari Sankofa II discusses the Pistons’ basketball operations hierarchy, among other topics. The objective of hiring a president of basketball operations, according to Sankofa’s sources, is to “unify a front office that has clearly hit a significant stump, to say the least, in its ongoing remake of the team.” That person would have full autonomy over who gets hired and fired, Sankofa adds.
If the Pistons decide to keep their first-round pick, who should they target? If it lands No. 1 overall, Edwards of The Athletic would select French big man Alexandre Sarr, who played for the Perth Wildcats of the NBL this season. However, if it were up to him, Edwards says he’d trade the pick. After finishing with the worst record in the NBA for the second straight season, Detroit has a 14% chance of landing the top selection and can do no worse than No. 5 overall.

Hornets Notes: Curry, Bridges, Williams, Ball, Lee

April 17th, 2024 at 3:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Charlotte native Seth Curry was only able to suit up eight times for the Hornets after being traded to his hometown team at February’s deadline. A Grade 3 right ankle sprain ended his season early, but he anticipates resuming regular workouts soon and being fully healthy for the start of next season, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.

While his $4MM salary for 2024/25 is non-guaranteed, Curry said this week that he’s hoping to stick with the Hornets.

“Yeah, I definitely want to be a part of it,” Curry said. “It’s got a great, talented locker room. I think the health has been talked about enough, but the health is the main thing. If we get everybody on the court we can definitely have some success and have the foundation, the talent to compete and make the playoffs here. But like I said, it means more for me to play here.”

At age 33, Curry became the oldest player on the Hornets’ roster. And with veterans like Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier traded away during the season, he quickly emerged as a leader in the locker room.

“It’s funny,” he said. “It happened quick, but I’ve become the oldest guy in the room, most experienced. So, guys were looking at me for wisdom and I was just trying to spread that around the locker room, try to be an example on the floor and off the floor, in the training room, on the bench try to help them as much as possible. Use my eyes, my experience to help those guys play better toward the end of the season, and hopefully that carries into the offseason and next year.”

Here’s more on the Hornets:

Veteran forward Miles Bridges, who told the Hornets in February that he wouldn’t sign off on a trade, reiterated this week that his goal in unrestricted free agency is to re-sign with the team. “Yeah, it’s still the same,” Bridges said, per Boone. “I would love to be here. That’s my plan to be here. So, like I said, I love the city of Charlotte. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” As Boone writes in a separate story, one big offseason question to answer in Charlotte is how the new front office feels about Bridges, who has thrived on the court but has been accused of multiple domestic assaults off the court.
Hornets center Mark Williams doesn’t want to be labeled injury-prone and is determined to return better than ever from the nagging back issues that limited him to 19 games this season, Boone relays. “I’m definitely starting to feel better and I’m able to do more. It’s not something where it’s really going to linger,” Williams said. “I’m aiming to play every game next year, so it’s definitely not something I like doing — sitting out. It’s definitely tough. It was a tough year for us. I’m excited for the future, though.”
After only playing 58 games over the past two seasons due to ankle problems, LaMelo Ball said he’s going to experiment with protective braces this summer to see if he can find something that feels good, according to Steve Reed of The Associated Press. Ball tried out braces in practices at the start of the 2023/24 season, but didn’t find any that he was entirely comfortable with, Reed adds.
It would be surprising if the Hornets don’t have an agreement in place with their next head coach within the next couple weeks, Boone writes in another story for The Observer. Celtics assistant Charles Lee, who was initially identified as a possible frontrunner when word broke that Steve Clifford was stepping down, remains a strong candidate for the job, according to Boone.

Injury Notes: Embiid, Sixers, Cavs, Hornets, Rozier

April 14th, 2024 at 12:15pm CST by Rory Maher

After previously being listed as questionable, reigning MVP Joel Embiid was subsequently ruled out by the Sixers ahead of Sunday’s season finale against Brooklyn, tweets Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports. Embiid’s official injury designation was left knee injury recovery, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).

When asked if he expected Embiid to play as long as he didn’t have any issues pregame, head coach Nick Nurse shifted around a bit while saying, “Yeah, same on the (other) questionable guys” (Twitter video link via PHLY Sixers).

De’Anthony Melton (back injury recovery) and KJ Martin (left great toe contusion), the other two players with questionable tags, were later ruled out as well.

In his fifth game back following a torn left meniscus in January, which required surgery, Embiid appeared to tweak the same knee in Friday’s win over Orlando, calling to be subbed out a couple minutes before the first half ended. He returned for the second half and finished the game, but was noticeably grimacing at times.

Sunday’s game has major playoff implications for the 76ers, who currently have the same record as Orlando and Indiana at 46-35 but are the No. 7 seed due to tiebreakers. Still, Embiid’s health outlook is much more critical for the postseason and the future — Philadelphia went just 15-27 without the 30-year-old this season.

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

The Cavaliers, who have secured at least the No. 4 seed in the East and could move as high as No. 2, will be without some of their top players on Sunday, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Donovan Mitchell (knee), Darius Garland (lower back contusion), Caris LeVert (knee soreness), Sam Merrill (neck strain) and Dean Wade (knee sprain) are all out. “It’s not rest,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said prior to tipoff. “Those guys have things they are dealing with that we are trying to protect over the long term. Not guys who are just taking today off. That was the thinking going into it — if we can get them yesterday and today and get out throughout this week, hopefully by Saturday or Sunday, whenever we play, that’s an advantage for us. We will go out and compete our tails off to make sure whatever may happen. So much is out of our control. It’s not a situation where we are going in and saying, ‘We need to do this or do that.’ We don’t control the outcome. So many other teams that have their own plans and own minds that they are trying to make up. We’re going out and trying to compete our tails off and see what happens.”
The Cavs are facing the Hornets on Sunday, and Charlotte will also be very undermanned, the team announced (via Twitter). Miles Bridges (right wrist), Brandon Miller (right wrist), Davis Bertans (left Achilles), Nick Richards (right plantar fascia) and Grant Williams (right ankle) were all downgraded from questionable to out, joining four other players who are dealing with long-term injuries.
Heat guard Terry Rozier underwent additional testing on his neck injury in recent days, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscriber link). Head coach Erik Spoelstra continues to refer to Rozier as day-to-day, but he’ll miss his fourth straight game on Sunday, leaving his postseason status up in the air. Rozier has been taking anti-inflammatories to deal with the issue, Winderman adds.

Southeast Notes: Bridges, T. Young, Heat, Bryant

March 27th, 2024 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

After missing all of last season due to felony domestic violence charges, Miles Bridges has been the Hornets‘ consistent player on the court this season, according to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer, who expects the veteran forward to “have a major influence” on the team beyond this season.

“I know I’m not in charge of all that stuff, but having him back with this team would be very crucial with LaMelo (Ball) and guys getting healthy and Mark (Williams) and those guys getting back,” teammate Grant Williams said. “I think it puts us in a great position. He does a phenomenal job of being a leader. He’s trying to change all this perception around the league and I think he’s done a phenomenal job of that.”

Bridges will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason after accepting his qualifying offer as a restricted free agent during the summer of 2023. He told the Hornets prior to last month’s trade deadline that he wouldn’t approve a trade, since he wanted to remain in Charlotte and retain his full Bird rights, so the club will be in position to re-sign him this offseason without needing cap room to do so.

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

The Hawks issued a brief update on injured guard Trae Young on Tuesday, as Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution relays (via Twitter). The team said that Young – who hasn’t played since February 23 – is making progress in his recovery from a torn ligament in his finger and will “introduce small finger motion exercises” this week.
The Heat‘s franchise record for the most starting lineups in a season continued to grow on Tuesday, as the team deployed its 35th different group of 2023/24, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. With Jimmy Butler sidelined, a pair of in-season additions – Terry Rozier and Patty Mills – joined Bam Adebayo, Nikola Jovic, and rookie Jaime Jaquez in the starting five.
When the Heat signed Thomas Bryant in free agency last offseason, the plan was for him to be the club’s backup center, but he saw inconsistent minutes during the first half of the season as Kevin Love claimed that role. As Winderman writes for The Sun Sentinel, Love’s recent absence has opened the door for Bryant to play more regularly and he has averaged 7.6 points and 4.8 rebounds in 13.9 minutes per game across Miami’s past eight contests. “It’s been a journey,” Bryant said of his first season with the Heat. “For me, I just try to be as available for as many minutes as are out there.”