Category: Miami Heat Blog

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Heat preseason home opener will be different

Things are different for everyone in 2020, in and out of sports. Including, of course, the Heat, who like all NBA teams will have a home arena environment that faces serious adjustments due to the coronavirus pandemic. Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel on the Heat’s first of two preseason games, which will be at home in Miami Monday night against the New Orleans Pelicans:

After the NBA completed last season in a quarantine bubble at Disney World, the coronavirus pandemic will have the Heat playing their 7 p.m. preseason opener against the New Orleans Pelicans in a setting like no other in the two decades they have called AmericanAirlines Arena home.

No fans. The coaching staff wearing masks. No dancers, mascot or any timeout entertainers on the court, due to protocol limitations.

“I think everybody is just getting used to the fact that nothing is the way it was before,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “The quicker you’re able to accept that and make the necessary adjustments, the better.

“Our world is different. But we have an opportunity to continue to compete and continue our season. So I think everybody is just grateful for that, even though it will have a slightly different feel.”

It was an incredibly short NBA offseason, especially for Heat and Lakers

Here’s the Miami Herald discussing how short the offseason was for the Heat. Of course, this also applies to the Lakers, who beat the Heat in six games in the 2020 NBA Finals:

The Miami Heat had a two-month offseason to recover from a season that took about a year to complete.

The NBA offseason lasted just 71 days, which is the fewest between the end of a season and the start of the next season in NBA, MLB, NHL and NFL history, according to Elias Sports.

COVID-19 is the reason for the abbreviated offseason, with the pandemic extending last season all the way to October. The Heat lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Oct. 11, and the Heat begins the 2020-21 regular season on Dec. 23.

“If I’m honest, nobody cares if you’re ready or not,” guard Goran Dragic said when asked if the Heat will be ready after the short break.

Heat star Jimmy Butler sounds ready for the season

Heat small forward Jimmy Butler has a pretty right-to-the-point summary of what went down in the 2020 NBA playoffs. Via the South Florida Sun Sentinel:

“We play this game to win. We didn’t do that, and that’s all that matters. I think we all have things that we want to be better at, what you could have changed. But, in the end, we get another crack at it now, and that’s what I’ll be locked in on, and that’s what we’ll be locked in on is: How can we be better and not let what happened last year happen again?” …

Coach Erik Spoelstra said Monday it very much mattered the way Butler pushed himself to the limit in his first season with the team.

“The image of Jimmy just emptying the tank and being on the basket stanchion,” he said of the iconic Finals photos of utter exhaustion, “that’s an iconic visual that not only we’ll remember, but I think that will be a teaching point. I’ve already heard from a lot of my coaching peers in college and high school, they talk about that, that if you can push yourself to that point as a competitor, that’s when you can find out really what you’re made of.”

The Heat exceeded all expectations, reached the Finals, put up a good fight but fell in six games to the Lakers.

Miami Heat sign BJ Johnson

The Miami have signed guard/forward BJ Johnson.

Johnson last season, signed to a two-way contract, played for the Orlando Magic and their G League affiliate, the Lakeland Magic. For the Magic, he played in 10 games, averaging 3.0 points in 8.3 minutes per game. For Lakeland in the G League, he played in 28 games, all as a starter, averaging 22.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.07 steals in 35.9 minutes per outing.

In the 2018-19 NBA season, Johnson bounced around between the Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings, Orlando Magic and Lakeland Magic.

As a college basketball player, Johnson played two seasons at La Salle University after transferring from Syracuse University.

Miami Heat sign Max Strus

The Miami Heat have signed guard/forward Max Strus.

It is likely a non-guaranteed deal that merely brings Strus to Heat training camp.

Strus split last season between the Chicago Bulls and their G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls. He appeared in two games with Chicago totaling five points and one rebound in 6:14 minutes of action while shooting 2-of-3 from the field and connecting on his only free throw. He also appeared in 13 games (12 starts) for Windy City before suffering a season-ending injury and averaged 18.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 34.9 minutes while shooting 41.5 percent from the field and 96.3 percent from the foul line.

Strus played two seasons at DePaul University after transferring from Lewis University. As a senior at DePaul in 2018-19, he appeared in 35 games (all starts) and averaged 20.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 37.4 minutes while shooting 42.9 percent from the field, 36.3 percent from three-point range and 84.2 percent from the foul line. Among DePaul’s all-time leaders, he finished third in three-point field goals made (194), fourth in career scoring average (18.6) and fifth in career free throw percentage (.825). He scored 705 points as a senior, joining Mark Aguirre as the only players in school history to score at least 700 points in a single season. Additionally, Strus recorded eight career 30-point games, joining Aguirre (17), George Mikan (13) and Tom Kleinschmidt (8) as the only players in program history with at least five 30-point games.

Miami Heat re-sign Udonis Haslem for his 18th season

The Miami Heat have re-signed forward Udonis Haslem.

“It’s great to have UD back,” said HEAT President Pat Riley. “His role is so critical for our team. Besides being able to still play, UD keeps everyone together in the locker room and on the road, teaching and mentoring. I think it’s a role he really loves and we are glad he decided to come back for another season.”

Haslem, a three-time NBA Champion, has played his entire 17-year NBA career with the HEAT and currently holds the longest streak by any active player with only one team in the league. He has appeared in 858 career regular season games (500 starts) and averaged 7.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 25.1 minutes while shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 75.5 percent from the foul line. The Miami native is the franchise all-time leader in offensive, defensive and total rebounds and also ranks among the HEAT’s all-time leaders in games played (2nd), starts (2nd), minutes (2nd), double-doubles (4th), field goals made (5th), points (7th), field goal percentage (7th), free throws made (8th), double-figure scoring efforts (8th), blocks (9th), steals (10th), assists (16th) and free throw percentage (21st). Additionally, he is the only undrafted player in NBA history to lead a franchise in total rebounds and has served as captain of the HEAT in each of the past 13 seasons, the longest tenure in team history.

Haslem has also seen action in 147 postseason games (84 starts) as a member of the HEAT and averaged 5.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 21.7 minutes while shooting 48 percent from the floor and 71.3 percent from the foul line. In addition to being the HEAT’s all-time leader in offensive rebounds in postseason play he also ranks among Miami’s all-time postseason leaders in games played (2nd), total rebounds (2nd), games started (3rd), minutes (3rd), defensive rebounds (3rd), double-doubles (4th), field goals made (5th), free throws made (5th), steals (5th), dunks (5th), points (6th), double-figure scoring efforts (tied-6th), blocked shots (7th) and assists (10th).

Miami Heat sign rookie guard Breein Tyree

The Miami Heat have signed rookie guard Breein Tyree.

It’s likely just a non-guaranteed training camp contract.

Tyree played a full four years of college hoops at the University of Mississippi (aka Ole Miss). In 130 career games (109 starts), he averaged 13.8 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 28.0 minutes, on 42.1 percent shooting from the field, 35.6 percent from three-point range and 78.7 percent from the foul line.

As a senior in 2019-20, Tyree averaged a team-leading 19.7 points, plus 3.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.29 steals and 34.2 minutes while shooting 42.6 percent from the field, 36 percent from three-point range and 82.2 percent from the foul line. He made the All-SEC First Team by the coaches and was named to the All-SEC Second Team by the Associated Press.

Heat sign forward Paul Eboua, who spent recent seasons playing in Italy

The Miami Heat have signed forward Paul Eboua, who has spent the last four basketball seasons playing overseas.

Last season, Eboua played in Italy. In 18 games (12 starts) for VL Pesaro of the Lega Basket Serie A, he put up modest stats: 7.4 points, 5.3 rebounds in 21.6 minutes per game, on 45.9% shoooting. His season-high in scoring was 20 points, on January 5 against Trieste. His season-high in rebounding was 12 boards on January 19 against Sassari.

Miami Heat sign rookie Precious Achiuwa

The Miami Heat have signed rookie Precious Achiuwa.

Achiuwa (whose name is pronounced “ah-CHEW-uh”), was drafted 20th overall in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft by the Heat. He did big things in college basketball, having been named 2019-20 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year

In his one season of college hoops at Memphis, Achiuwa played in 31 games (all starts) and averaged 15.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.87 blocks, 1.10 steals, 1.0 assists and 30.5 minutes, shooting 49.3 percent from the field.

He was an All-AAC First Team, an All-AAC Freshman Team and an NABC All-District 24 First Team selection.

Achiuwa was the only player in the AAC to rank in the top five in rebounding (1st), blocks (3rd), scoring (5th) and field goal percentage (5th).

He was the only freshman in the nation to average a double-double as he led all freshman nationally with 18.

His 18 double-doubles also tied for the seventh-most ever during a single season in school history as he finished seventh in the nation in double-doubles and 13th in rebounds per game.

Achiuwa grabbed 334 rebounds, the second-most by a Memphis freshman in program history and just 11 short from tying the all-time record. He led the Tigers in points (489), total rebounds, defensive rebounds (241), offensive rebounds (93), blocks (58), field goals made (182), free throws made (112) and double-doubles.

For the Heat, Achiuwa will wear number 15.

Heat sign forward Maurice Harkless

The Miami Heat have signed forward Maurice Harkless.

Per multiple reports, Harkless’ contract is for one year, $3.6 million.

“We have always liked what Moe Harkless brings to a team,” said HEAT President Pat Riley. “We like his experience in knowing the role he will play for us real well. Moe can guard multiple positions, play above the rim, great shot blocker for his position and most importantly for our offense, space the floor with his three-point shooting. He is a player with great character and toughness.”

Harkless, an eight-year NBA veteran, split last season between the Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks appearing in 62 games (48 starts) averaging 5.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 23.0 minutes while shooting 50.2 percent from the field. He recorded 16 multi-steal games and nine multi-block games while scoring a season-high 17 points at Philadelphia on February 27 and grabbing a season-high 14 rebounds at Indiana on December 9.

Per the Miami Herald, “Harkless has never played in a game for the Heat before, but he was technically a member of the organization for a very short time last year. The Portland Trail Blazers dealt Harkless and Leonard to the Heat as part of the four-team Jimmy Butler trade in the 2019 offseason, but the Heat moved Harkless to the Clippers just hours later to help facilitate the deal.”

Harkless appeared in 50 games (38 starts) with the Clippers before being traded to the Knicks midseason, and averaged 5.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 22.8 minutes while shooting 51.6 percent from the field and 37 percent from three-point range. He scored in double-figures eight times as a member of the Clippers, helping them to a perfect 8-0 record over that span.