Miami Heat Blog – Page 11 – NBA Blog

East No. 1 seed Miami Heat awaiting their first-round opponent

Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, P.J. Tucker and the Miami Heat:

The Heat’s No. 1 seed paid worthwhile dividends, too. On Sunday, they’ll open play against a proper eighth seed in Cleveland or Atlanta, depending on their remaining play-in game. Advance and they’d get Philadelphia or Toronto rather than the expected Milwaukee.

The Heat added pit bulls like Lowry and Tucker for this time of year and was open to the development of little-knowns like Max Strus and Caleb Martin. They still don’t have a top-10 player on their team. But they have a few in the tier below that. Enough?

So much still centers on Butler.

“We’ve been a great team all year long,’’ he said. “But now’s the time we talk about. When we had this team meeting, a lot of championship talk happened, but I really, really, really think we have a good shot at this.”

All those players with rings in the team meeting, Butler isn’t one of them. It’s that time of year. He says what several players around the league are this week: “We’re going to find a way to get 16 wins.”

Miami Heat sign Mychal Mulder, waive Kyle Guy

The Miami Heat have signed Mychal Mulder to a two-way contract.

Also today, the Heat waived Kyle Guy.

Mulder has appeared in 10 games (nine starts) with Miami’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, this season averaging 17.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 35.1 minutes while shooting 50.4 percent from the field and 44.3 percent from three-point range. Earlier this season, he appeared in 15 games (two starts) with the Orlando Magic and averaged 3.7 points and 1.4 rebounds in 13.0 minutes of action.

Mulder, who previously signed with the HEAT on September 16, 2019, appeared in two preseason games with Miami before being waived on October 15. He has now appeared in 82 career NBA games (11 starts) between Orlando and Golden State averaging 5.7 points, 1.4 rebounds and 14.2 minutes. He has also appeared in 144 career G League games (121 starts) between the Windy City Bulls and Skyforce averaging 13.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 32.5 minutes.

Guy, who was signed by the HEAT to a two-way contract on January 17 after previously signing two 10-day contracts on December 30 and January 10, appeared in 19 games with Miami this season averaging 3.9 points in 9.8 minutes of action while shooting 40 percent from the field. He also appeared in six G League games with the Skyforce averaging 15.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 29.4 minutes.

Tyler Herro scoring big off the Miami Heat bench

Scoring guard Tyler Herro has done big things off the Miami Heat bench this season. Via the South Florida Sun Sentinel:

In a season of milestones for Tyler Herro, two more likely will come Friday night when the Miami Heat face the Oklahoma City Thunder at FTX Arena.

With his sixth point, he will become the third player in the Heat’s 34 years to score 1,000 bench points in a season. With his eighth point, he will tie Tyler Johnson (2016-17) for second place on the franchise’s all-time list for bench points in a season. And when he reaches 34 more points, he will match Dwyane Wade (2018-19) for the most bench points in a season by a Heat player. And all of that is with 12 games remaining…

With Tuesday night’s 17-point second period, Herro has scored in double figures in eight consecutive second quarters, dating to March 2 at Milwaukee. He has scored 120 points in those eight second quarters.

The Heat are 46-24 this season, which is the best record in the Eastern conference.

Their leading scorers in 2021-22 have been Jimmy Butler at 21.1 points per game, Herro at 21.0 ppg, Bam Adebayo at 19.0 ppg, and Kyle Lowry at 12.6 ppg.

Miami Heat sign forward Haywood Highsmith

The Miami Heat have signed forward Haywood Highsmith.

Highsmith, who was previously signed to a 10-day contract by the HEAT on December 30, February 15 and again on February 26, has appeared in 10 games with Miami this season totaling 24 points, 14 rebounds, two blocks and a steal while shooting 40 percent (6-of-15) from three-point range. He has also appeared in 11 regular season G League games (seven starts) with the Delaware Blue Coats this season and averaged 13.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.00 steals and 29.4 minutes while shooting 50 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from three-point range.

Per the South Florida Sun Sentinel, “the roster spot for Highsmith came free when the Heat traded forward KZ Okpala to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Feb. 10 NBA trading deadline in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick. Okpala currently is out of the league.”

After spending four seasons at Wheeling University from 2014-18, Highsmith signed a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, splitting the season between the Sixers and their G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats. Highsmith appeared in five games with the 76ers in 2018-19 totaling nine points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal while shooting 40 percent (4-of-10) from the field. Additionally, he has appeared in 106 career G League games (76 starts) over three seasons, all with the Blue Coats, averaging 11.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.18 steals and 29.6 minutes while shooting 43.5 percent from the field.

Miami Heat will soon have Victor Oladipo in action

The Miami Heat, who at 42-22 have the best record in the Eastern Conference, are about to get stronger. Via the Miami Herald:

League sources confirmed an ESPN report that [Victor] Oladipo is expected to make his season debut during the Heat’s season-long seven-game homestand that begins Saturday. The Athletic reported Thursday that the plan is for Oladipo to make his return in Monday’s matchup against the Houston Rockets.

The Heat overcame all of these absences in Brooklyn on Thursday behind a dominant performance from center Bam Adebayo, who finished with 30 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Tyler Herro also stepped up with 27 points and eight assists.

Full Article

Miami Heat sign forward Haywood Highsmith to another 10-day contract

The Miami Heat have signed forward Haywood Highsmith to another 10-day contract.

Highsmith, who was previously signed to a 10-day contract by the HEAT on December 30 and again on February 15, has appeared in six games with Miami this season totaling 22 points, nine rebounds and a block while shooting 38.1 percent (8-of-21) from the field and 40 percent (6-of-15) from three-point range. He has also appeared in 17 G League games (11 starts) with the Delaware Blue Coats this season and averaged 13.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.24 steals and 29.8 minutes while shooting 49.4 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from three-point range.

Heat forward Jimmy Butler fined by NBA

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler has been fined $25,000 for what the league says is “violating league rules governing media interview access and for his noncompliance with the resulting NBA investigation.”

This results from Butler’s failure to comply with his media availability obligations during NBA All-Star 2022, including following the game on Sunday night.

Miami Heat sign guard Javonte Smart to two-way contract

The Miami Heat have signed guard Javonte Smart to a two-way contract.

Smart, who was originally signed by Miami on September 10 and waived on October 15, has appeared in 11 games (all starts) this season with the HEAT’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, averaging a team-leading 21.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.73 steals and 37.1 minutes while shooting 41.9 percent from the field and 78.1 percent from the foul line. Earlier this season, Smart signed a two-way contract with the Milwaukee Bucks, appearing in 13 games (one start) averaging 2.4 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 12.3 minutes of action.

Smart previously appeared in six Summer League games with the HEAT and averaged 5.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and a total +10 plus/minus. He shot 80 percent (4-of-5) from the foul line, dished out multiple assists five times and scored in double-figures twice. Smart played three seasons at Louisiana State, becoming just the seventh player in school history to record at least 1,200 points, 300 assists and 111 steals. Among the Tiger’s all-time lists, he finished 11th in assists, 12th in three-point field goals made, 23rd in steals and 31st in points. In his final year as a junior, Smart started in all 28 games and averaged 16.0 points, 4.0 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 1.25 steals and 35.0 minutes while shooting 46 percent from the field, 40.2 percent from three-point range and 85.7 percent from the foul line. He was named to the All-SEC Second Team and the All-Louisiana First Team after leading the conference in three-point field goal percentage and minutes per game. His 70 made three-point field goals were the 13th-most for a single-season in school history.

Smart will wear number 15.

Miami Heat convert Caleb Martin’s contract from two-way to standard

The Miami Heat have converted the two-way contract of Caleb Martin into a standard NBA contract.

Martin, who was originally signed by the HEAT to a two-way contract on September 14, has appeared in 44 games (10 starts) with Miami this season and averaged 9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 22.9 minutes while shooting 50.6 percent from the field, 37.9 percent from three-point range and 73.9 percent from the foul line. He has scored in double-figures 21 times, including two 20-point performances, and posted an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double in a win at Atlanta on January 12. He set career highs in points (28), field goals made (9) and three-point field goals made (6) while tying his career high in blocks (2) in a victory on December 8 vs. Milwaukee.

Martin has appeared in 115 career NBA games (14 starts) and averaged 6.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 18.6 minutes while shooting 44.7 percent from the field. He has also appeared in 28 career G League games (all starts) and averaged 21.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.61 steals and 36.9 minutes while shooting 47 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from three-point range. Additionally, Martin helped lead Nevada to a 29-4 record and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2019 as a senior after appearing in 34 games (33 starts) averaging 19.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.44 steals and 34.1 minutes while leading the team in points, scoring average, steals, field goals made, three-point field goals made and free throws made.

Miami Heat sign forward Haywood Highsmith to 10-day contract

The Miami Heat have signed forward Haywood Highsmith to a 10-day contract.

Highsmith, who was previously signed to a 10-day contract by the HEAT on December 30, appeared in four games with Miami totaling 12 points, five rebounds and a block in 41:34 minutes of action while shooting 50 percent (4-of-8) from the field and 57.1 percent (4-of-7) from three-point range. He has also appeared in 17 G League games (11 starts) with the Delaware Blue Coats this season and averaged 13.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.24 steals and 29.8 minutes while shooting 49.4 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from three-point range.

Highsmith will wear number 24.