Category: Miami Heat Blog

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Heat trade KZ Okpala to Thunder, who waive Mamadi Diakite

The Oklahoma City Thunder have traded for forward KZ Okpala and will receive amendments on the conditions of a previously traded draft pick from the Miami Heat in exchange for the least favorable of its 2026 second-round draft picks.

In a related move, the Thunder has released forward Mamadi Diakite.

Okpala (6-8, 215) has appeared in 21 games this season and is averaging 3.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11.6 minutes per game. He has played in 63 games (nine starts) over three seasons with the Heat and holds career averages of 2.8 points and 1.8 rebounds in 11.6 minutes per game.

The Thunder and Heat will amend the 2023 first-round pick the Heat had previously owed the Thunder, whereas two years of protections will be eliminated, and that pick will now be owed to the Thunder starting in 2025 (1-14 protected) and then will convey as unprotected in 2026.

Erik Spoelstra will coach Team Durant in 2022 NBA All-Star Game

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra and his staff will coach Team Durant in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game, which will be played on Sunday, Feb. 20 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. The matchup between Team Durant and Team LeBron will air live at 8 p.m. ET on TNT and ESPN Radio in the United States and reach fans in 215 countries and territories in 59 languages.

By virtue of the Chicago Bulls’ 119-108 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers today, the Heat (34-20, .630) clinched the best record in the Eastern Conference through games played on Sunday, Feb. 6 (today). As a result, Spoelstra has earned a spot as a head coach in the NBA All-Star Game for the second time. He coached the Eastern Conference in the 2013 NBA All-Star Game.

Spoelstra is in his 14th season as Miami’s head coach and his 27th season as a member of the Heat organization. He was named the NBA Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for games played in December, marking the ninth time he has won Coach of the Month honors.

The winningest coach in Heat history, Spoelstra has led Miami to two NBA championships, five Eastern Conference championships and 10 playoff appearances. Under Spoelstra, Miami won back-to-back NBA championships in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons.

Each head coach in the NBA All-Star Game will lead the team that includes the captain from the same conference. Spoelstra will coach the All-Star team captained by Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant.

Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams previously earned the spot to coach the All-Star team captained by Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James.

Return date for Heat forward Markieff Morris remains unclear

It remains unclear when the Miami Heat will be at full strength. Via the Miami Herald:

Heat forward Markieff Morris, who has been sidelined since Nuggets center Nikola Jokic shoved him to the floor three months ago, wants to play in games but the team still has not cleared him to do so, multiple sources told The Miami Herald this week.

The Heat’s position has left in question when or if the veteran power forward will return to play this season.

Morris’ injury — sustained in that Nov. 8 game in Denver — was termed “whiplash” by the Heat. The Heat is now listing him as out because of a “return to competitive reconditioning.” But the team has declined to discuss his status, what he has been cleared to do physically or whether he will play again this season.

Kyle Lowry set to return for Miami Heat

The Heat will soon have veteran point guard Kyle Lowry back in action. Via the Sun Sentinel:

The breath of fresh air was a familiar face Thursday for the Miami Heat at the morning shootaround in advance of their game against the San Antonio Spurs.

Away from the team for nine games due to personal reasons, point guard Kyle Lowry was back working alongside his teammates for the first time since Jan. 15.

“The shootaround had a great energy to it, just having him back with the group,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “I know we were all excited to see him back in here. And I think he just has a great feel being back with the guys, as well.”

Heat re-sign Chris Silva to fourth 10-day contract

The Miami Heat have re-signed forward Chris Silva to a 10-day contract, using the COVID-Related Hardship Allowance.

Silva, who has previously signed three 10-day contracts with the HEAT using the hardship allowance, has appeared in seven games with Miami this season averaging 3.4 points and 3.7 rebounds in 9.0 minutes of action while shooting 61.5 percent from the field and 80 percent from the foul line.

Per the South Florida Sun Sentinel, “each of Silva’s 10-day contracts has been worth $95,930, bringing his earnings on the four such Heat contracts now to $383,720. He also previously had played under one such emergency contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves, after starting the season with their G League affiliate. To put the $479,650 in earnings on Silva’s five 10-day deals into perspective, the Heat’s Caleb Martin ahead of the season signed a two-way contract worth $462,629.”

Earlier this season he appeared in one game with the Minnesota Timberwolves and 12 G League games with the Iowa Wolves where he averaged 15.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.00 steals and 26.1 minutes while shooting 57.3 percent from the field, leading the team in blocks and free throws made while finishing second in rebounds and field goals made.

Miami Heat re-sign Chris Silva to 10-day contract

The Miami Heat have re-signed forward Chris Silva to a 10-day contract using the COVID-Related Hardship Allowance.

Silva, who was recently signed to a 10-day contract by the HEAT on December 31 and to a second 10-day contract on January 10, has appeared in seven games with Miami this season averaging 3.4 points and 3.7 rebounds in 9.0 minutes of action while shooting 61.5 percent from the field and 80 percent from the foul line. Earlier this season he appeared in one game with the Minnesota Timberwolves and 12 G League games with the Iowa Wolves where he averaged 15.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.00 steals and 26.1 minutes while shooting 57.3 percent from the field, leading the team in blocks and free throws made while finishing second in rebounds and field goals made.

Miami Heat promote two executives

The HEAT Group announced today the promotions of two executives from Vice President to the level of Senior Vice President: Garrick Amos and Edson Crevecoeur. Amos’s new title will be Senior Vice President, Ticket & Premium Sales & Service, and Crevecoeur’s new title will be Senior Vice President, Strategy & Data Analytics // Chief Operating Officer, 601 Analytics. These promotions further enhance the diversity of voices and talent at the executive level of the business operations division.

“I am very proud to welcome both Garrick and Edson to the executive team of our franchise,” said Eric Woolworth, President of The HEAT Group’s Business Operations. “Both these individuals are respected and proven industry leaders in their fields of expertise and we are lucky to have them.”

Amos joined the HEAT in 2009 as Vice President of Season Ticket Services after a stint with the New Orleans Hornets as their director of fan experience. His professional history encompasses a broad business acumen, which was acquired during his years working in the hotel and hospitality industry. At the HEAT, he previously served as Vice President of Season Ticket Services overseeing 4,000 season ticket accounts. He was later promoted to Assistant General Manager of then-AmericanAirlines Arena, which included managing the operations of the Arena’s food and beverage vendors, Hyde nightclub, 601 (restaurant) as well as the organization’s culture and engagement efforts. He also supervised the Premium Services Department, which includes Premium account holders as well as the Suite Level and AmericanAirlines Lounges.

Amos has been recognized repeatedly throughout his career including earning the NBA’s Pete Winemiller Guest Experience Innovation Award in 2019, the Miami Transit Authority Award for community excellence (2004) and the City-Community Award bestowed by the Irvin, Texas Chamber of Commerce (2018). During his HEAT tenure, the team has consistently recorded a 90%+ season ticket member renewal rate, which is among the best in the League.

Crevecoeur joined the HEAT in 2014 bringing more than 15 years of expertise in strategy and data analytics. He has helped empower and transform the HEAT and FTX Arena into businesses that make highly informed, data-driven decisions. During his HEAT tenure, Crevecoeur has led the franchise’s transition to cloud-based technologies, integrating information across lines of business into a single source of truth, accessible by the right audience, via the right channels at the right time. He is the architect of 601 Analytics, a proprietary, stand-alone data platform, which now offers its solutions to the sports and live entertainment industry. Because of his work, the HEAT has been recognized as a leader in the technology space by industry giant Microsoft. Prior to joining the HEAT, he served in senior technical and leadership roles on enterprise-scale data initiatives for Fortune 500 companies such as SunGard Higher Education, Glaxo-Smith Kline and Viacom.

Miami Heat sign Kyle Guy to two-way contract

The Miami Heat have signed Kyle Guy to a two-way contract.

Guy, who was originally signed to a 10-day contract by the HEAT on December 30 and re-signed to a second 10-day on January 10, has appeared in six games with Miami averaging 8.2 points, 2.3 assists, 1.3 rebounds and 17.1 minutes while shooting 51.4 percent from the field, 45 percent from three-point range and 80 percent from the foul line. Prior to joining Miami, Guy appeared in 11 G League games (10 starts) earlier this season with the Cleveland Charge and averaged 21.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.00 steals and 35.0 minutes.

Heat re-sign Kyle Guy and Chris Silva to 10-day contracts

The Miami Heat have re-signed guard Kyle Guy and forward Chris Silva to 10-day contracts using the COVID-Related Hardship Allowance.

Guy, who was originally signed to a 10-day contract by the HEAT on December 30, appeared in five games with Miami averaging 9.8 points, 2.6 assists, 1.6 rebounds and 20.3 minutes while shooting 51.4 percent from the field, 45 percent from three-point range and 80 percent from the foul line. In his first game with the HEAT on 12/30 at HOU, he helped Miami to a, 120-110, win after scoring a career-tying 17 points, all off the bench, while also adding four rebounds, four assists and a career-high three steals on 6-of-8 from the field and 4-of-6 from three-point range, tying both his career highs for field goals made and three-point field goals made. Prior to joining Miami, Guy appeared in 11 G League games (10 starts) this season with the Cleveland Charge and averaged 21.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.00 steals and 35.0 minutes.

Silva, who was recently signed to a 10-day contract by the HEAT on December 31, appeared in five games with Miami averaging 4.8 points and 5.2 rebounds in 12.3 minutes of action while shooting 61.5 percent from the field and 88.9 percent from the foul line. Earlier this season he appeared in one game with the Minnesota Timberwolves and 12 G League games with the Iowa Wolves where he averaged 15.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.00 steals and 26.1 minutes while shooting 57.3 percent from the field, leading the team in blocks and free throws made while finishing second in rebounds and field goals made.

Heat sign Mario Chalmers, Chris Silva and Nik Stauskas to 10-day contracts

The Miami Heat have signed guard Mario Chalmers, forward Chris Silva and guard Nik Stauskas to 10-day contracts using the COVID-Related Hardship Allowance.

Chalmers, a two-time NBA champion with the HEAT, returns to Miami after recently playing in the G League with the Grand Rapids Gold this season, starting both games he appeared in totaling 17 points, six assists, four rebounds and three steals. Prior to his stint with Grand Rapids, he spent three seasons overseas, appearing in 32 games. The nine-year NBA veteran played eight seasons in Miami, helping the team make four-straight NBA Finals appearances and six postseason berths over that span. He has appeared in 525 career games (383 starts) with the HEAT averaging 8.8 points, 3.8 assists, 2.4 rebounds, 1.51 steals and 27.8 minutes while shooting 42.2 percent from the field and is among Miami’s all-time leaders in steals (second), games played (fourth), assists (fourth), three-point field goals made (fourth), minutes (sixth) and starts (seventh). Chalmers will re-claim the number 15 he wore from 2010-2016.

Silva, who was originally signed by the HEAT on July 11, 2019, returns to Miami after recently signing a 10-day contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves, appearing in one game. He previously started in all 12 games he appeared in with the Iowa Wolves of the G League this season averaging 15.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.00 steals and 26.1 minutes while shooting 57.3 percent from the field where he led the team in blocks and free throws made while finishing second in rebounds and field goals made. Silva spent two seasons in Miami from 2019-2021, appearing in 55 games with the HEAT and has now appeared in 60 career NBA games and 14 career G League games (12 starts). Silva will once again wear number 30.

Stauskas recently appeared in 12 G League games (all starts) with the Grand Rapids Gold this season averaging 21.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.08 steals and 38.3 minutes while shooting 42.4 percent from the field, 35.2 percent from three-point range and 91.5 percent from the foul line where he led the team in points, assists, three-point field goals made and free throws made. The five-year NBA veteran has spent time with Sacramento, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Portland and Cleveland, appearing in 335 career NBA games (63 starts). Additionally, he has started in all 27 career G League games he has appeared in as well as appearing in 40 international contests (19 starts) with Baskonia in Spain. Stauskas will wear number 9.