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The Heat will reportedly soon add to their frontcourt depth. Via the Miami Herald:
The Heat plans to sign veteran center Dewayne Dedmon, giving Miami insurance behind Bam Adebayo, according to two sources briefed on the situation.
The deal, which is expected to be for the remainder of the season, is contingent on Dedmon going through COVID protocols successfully and passing a physical.
The Houston Rockets today traded guard Victor Oladipo to the Miami Heat for guard Avery Bradley and forward Kelly Olynyk.
The Rockets also receive the right to swap first round picks with Miami in 2022, using their own pick or the one owed to Houston by Brooklyn.
Oladipo, a two-time NBA All-Star, has appeared in 29 games (all starts) this season between the Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers averaging 20.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.34 steals and 33.4 minutes while shooting 41.1 percent from the field, including 25.6 points on 43.3 percent from the field over his last eight games. He has recorded 18 20-point games this season, including six-straight from February 26 – March 16, tying the second-longest streak of his career, while adding three 30-point performances. He has connected on multiple three-point field goals 21 times this season and has currently hit at least one trey in 11-straight games. Additionally, Oladipo has been the only player in the NBA to average at least 20.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.90 steals over the last three combined seasons.
Olynyk (6-11, 240) was originally the 13th overall pick by Dallas in the 2013 NBA Draft before his rights were acquired by Boston. In 543 career games with 141 starts, Olynyk is averaging 9.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.
Dating back to 2017-18, Olynyk is the only player in the league to have averaged at least 10.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, and 1.5 3-pointers made in fewer than 28.0 mpg. He has the fourth-most 3-pointers made (645) of any player in NBA history listed 6’11” or taller.
Bradley (6-3, 190) was originally the 19th overall pick by Boston in the 2010 NBA Draft. In 581 career games with 494 starts, he is averaging 11.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.01 steals.
Last season, Bradley started 44 games for the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers prior to the NBA restart in Orlando. He earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors in 2015-16 and was a Second Team selection in 2012-13.
The Miami Heat have acquired forward Nemanja Bjelica in a trade with the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Moe Harkless and Chris Silva.
And in a subsequent roster move, the Kings have waived forward Jabari Parker.
Bjelica, a six-year NBA vetreran, has appeared in 26 games (one start) with the Kings this season averaging 7.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 16.9 minutes while shooting 46 percent from the field. He has scored in double-figures eight times this season, including one 25-point performance. Bjelica holds a career 38.8 shooting percentage from three-point range, and has shot over 40 percent from downtown in each of his three previous seasons.
“We are pleased to add Maurice and Chris to the team and welcome them to Sacramento,” said Kings General Manager Monte McNair. “Each player brings depth, defensive presence and athleticism to the wing and frontcourt. We also thank Nemanja for his contributions to the team during his career in Sacramento. His veteran presence has been invaluable, and we wish the very best for him and his family.”
During the 2020-21 season, Harkless has averaged 1.4 points (.385 FG%, .455 3pt%), 1.2 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 11.3 minutes per game in 11 games (3 starts). Through his career, the former St. John’s player has accrued averages of 7.0 points (.478 FG%, .326 3pt%, .610 FT%), 3.7 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 22.8 minutes per game in 548 games (327 starts) across nine NBA seasons with the Orlando Magic (2012-15), Portland Trail Blazers (2015-19), LA Clippers (2019-20), New York Knicks (2019-20) and Heat (2020-21).
This season, Silva has averaged 2.7 points (.692 FG%, .733 FT%), 2.3 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 7.5 minutes per game in 11 games (0 starts). In two seasons with Miami, Silva’s career averages are 3.0 points (.626 FG%, .686 FT%), 2.7 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 7.8 minutes per game in 55 games (0 starts).”
The Oklahoma City Thunder has waived forward/center Meyers Leonard, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.
Leonard was originally acquired from the Miami Heat on March 17, 2021. He was traded by the Heat after getting caught spewing an antisemitic slur during a live video game stream.
He can now sit at home, where he’ll have more time to play video games.
Miami Heat shooting guard Duncan Robinson hasn’t taken a step upward this season. Via the Sun Sentinel:
I had been downplaying this for a while now, citing how Duncan Robinson has expanded his game, including cuts to the basket, finishing at the rim, upgrading his overall defense. And I still believe there have been significant upgrades in those areas. But the reality is that what made Duncan so special last season largely has been missing this season: the ability to go on game-changing 3-point streaks. So what the Heat have to figure out ahead of free agency are two things: Have NBA defenses figured out Duncan Robinson? And even if they have, is his impact on those defenses still impactful from the perspective of freeing up others on offense? On one hand, you hate to allow players to simply walk in free agency. On the other, can the Heat afford to go eight figures annually on a player, who, at the moment, is 73rd in the NBA in 3-point percentage, albeit tied for 10th in 3-pointers per game?
Robinson is 6th on the team in scoring this season, averaging 12.7 points, shooting 41.9% FG and 38.5% 3FG.
Last season, he averaged 13.5 points, shooting 47% FG and 44.6% 3FG.
The Heat have an issue that needs fixing. Via the Sun Sentinel:
The Heat (22-20) made nine of their 34 3-point attempts (26.5 percent) in their 137-110 loss to the Pacers, wrapping up a week in which they shot 28.3 percent from beyond the arc on 36.3 attempts per night across four games.
The recent 3-point showings only further displayed one of the more perplexing developments for the Heat this season: how they went from one of the NBA’s best 3-point shooting teams just a year ago to one of the league’s worst this season.
The Heat are 22-20 this season, which is the 4th best record in the Eastern conference.
Duncan Robinson is taking 8.5 three-pointers per game and hitting 38.5% 3FG. Kelly Olynyk shoots 5.7 threes per game, hitting 32.8% 3FG. Tyler Herro shoots 5.6, hitting 32.9% 3FG. And Kendrick Nunn shoots 5.5, hitting 35.1% 3FG.
The team is shooting 34.5% from three this season, which ranks them just 27th in the NBA, ahead of the Wizards, Cavs and Rockets.
The Oklahoma City Thunder yesterday acquired a 2027 second-round draft pick, forward/center Meyers Leonard and generated a trade exception in a trade with the Miami Heat for forward Trevor Ariza.
Leonard, who was recently caught on a live video game stream spewing an antisemitic slur, will not be reporting to Oklahoma City and will not be an active member of the organization.
Oklahoma City will have one year from today to exercise the trade exception.
As part of the announcement, the Heat issued the following statement: “Meyers was a key part of our team that made a run to the NBA Finals and we will always be grateful for his contributions and leadership last season. His recent comments were very hurtful and disappointing, but, we are encouraged that he has spent this last week meeting with community leaders, Rabbis and Holocaust survivors to greater understand the impact of his words and we hope that his education will continue. We wish Meyers and Elle the best of luck in the future.”
Ariza, a 16-year NBA veteran, has appeared in 1,064 career NBA games (731 starts) averaging 10.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.49 steals and 29.7 minutes while shooting 42.3 percent from the field. He split last season between Sacramento and Portland, appearing in 21 games (all starts) most recently with the Trail Blazers averaging 11.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.62 steals and 33.4 minutes while shooting 49.1 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and 87.2 percent from the foul line, helping Portland to a postseason berth. He scored in double-figures 19 times last season, including four 20-point performances. He recorded 22 multi-steal games, including a season-high six against the Los Angeles Lakers on January 31. Ariza, who was born in Miami, has made nine postseason appearances where he helped the Lakers win the 2009 NBA Championship after appearing in 23 games (all starts) in their playoff run.
Star Heat center Bam Adebayo is set to return after playing just one game so far in March. Via the Sun Sentinel:
For Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, the past two weeks have provided the unlikely combination of boredom and joy.
He said Tuesday that is why he is glad to be back in the mix after missing four games with knee tendinitis.
Asked after the morning shootaround at AmericanAirlines Arena what it was like to be reduced to spectator, having not previously missed a game due to injury the past two seasons, he said, “bored as hell.”
But he said the Heat going 4-0 during that span took away some of the edge.
“I mean, obviously seeing my teammates win and have that joy, you want to be part of that,” he said. “So, I was sitting there and I’m bored as hell.”
The 21-18 Heat, after a slow start to the season, are on a roll as of late.
Adebayo this season is averaging 19.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.0 blocks per game. He last played on March 2, in a loss to the Hawks.
Miami Heat player Meyers Leonard has been fined $50,000 and suspended from all Heat facilities and team activities for one week for an anti-Semitic comment he made Monday, March 8, the NBA announced today.
Leonard will also be required to participate in a cultural diversity program.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released the following statement:
“Meyers Leonard’s comment was inexcusable and hurtful and such an offensive term has no place in the NBA or in our society. Yesterday, he spoke to representatives of the Anti-Defamation League to better understand the impact of his words and we accept that he is genuinely remorseful. We have further communicated to Meyers that derogatory comments like this will not be tolerated and that he will be expected to uphold the core values of our league – equality, tolerance, inclusion and respect – at all times moving forward.”
The Miami Heat continue to do a great job on draft day. Via the Miami Herald:
This sounds familiar: A Miami Heat rookie outperforming his draft position.
It happened with Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro in past years, and it’s happening — to a lesser extent — with Precious Achiuwa, the 20th overall pick who has contributed more than several players picked ahead of him.
Achiuwa leads all rookies in field-goal percentage (57.9) and is second among all rookies (behind Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart) and 30th in the league in rebounds per 36 minutes at 10.3, ahead of Bam Adebayo’s 10.1.
Achiuwa ranks 18th in scoring among rookies at 6.1 per game.
The Heat are just 18-18 this season, which is the Eastern conference’s sixth best record. They’re being led in scoring by Jimmy Butler at 20.5 points per game (just 22 games played), Bam Adebayo at 19.2 ppg, and Tyler Herro at 15.8 ppg.