Category: Miami Heat Blog

The Miami Heat signed guard Briante Weber today.

Weber has appeared in 74 games (55 starts) with the HEAT’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, and averaged 13.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 2.58 steals and 33.3 minutes while shooting 46.8 percent from the field, 36.2 percent from three-point range and 78.5 percent from the foul line. Weber has part of three seasons in the NBA with the HEAT, Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets, appearing in 45 career NBA games (four starts) and averaging 3.2 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 13.6 minutes of action. Originally signed by Miami on October 19, 2015 and re-signed on Apr. 10, 2016, Weber has appeared in one regular season game and two postseason contests with the HEAT.

Weber played all four seasons at Virginia Commonwealth finishing as VCU’s all-time career steals leader (374), shattering the previous 29-year old record by 117, capping his career third on the NCAA’s steals list, just 12 shy from becoming the all-time career leader before missing the final 10 games of his senior season due to injury. He became the first player in conference history to be named the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year in three consecutive seasons, including his senior, junior and sophomore seasons, and also set a program record with a recorded 45.5-inch vertical leap.

The Miami Heat signed forward Marcus Lee today.

It’s likely a non-guaranteed deal that merely brings Lee to Heat training camp.

According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, “the agreement with Lee follows an agreement with undrafted Kansas guard Malik Newman last week and two-way contracts for undrafted forwards Duncan Robinson and Yante Maten, giving the team four players from the most recent draft class.”

Lee began his collegiate career at the University of Kentucky before transferring to the University of California, Berkeley for his senior season where he appeared in 32 games (all starts) with the Golden Bears last season and averaged 11.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.63 blocks, 1.3 assists and 27.8 minutes while shooting 56.3 percent from the field. He finished eighth among the school’s all-time single-season blocks list with 52 and was the only player to start all 32 games. As a junior at Kentucky, Lee shot a single-season school record 68 percent from the field while helping the Wildcats to the SEC Championship. Additionally, he recently appeared in seven Summer League games (five starts) with the Cleveland Cavaliers in Las Vegas and averaged 6.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.57 blocks in 15.9 minutes of action while shooting 70 percent (21-of-30) from the field.

More from the Sun Sentinel: “addition of Lee gives the Heat 17 players under contract, three shy of the NBA offseason maximum.”

The Miami Heat signed guard Malik Newman today.

Until we hear otherwise, we will assume this is a non-guaranteed deal that merely brings Newman to Heat training camp.

Newman began his collegiate career at Mississippi State before transferring to the University of Kansas where he appeared in 39 games (33 starts) last season and averaged 14.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.08 steals and 31.6 minutes while shooting 46.3 percent from the field, 41.5 percent from three-point range and 83.5 percent from the foul line. He connected on 85 three-point field goals, the ninth-most for a single-season in KU history, and was named the Big 12 Championship Most Outstanding Player after he averaged 24.0 points and 4.3 rebounds in the tournament, helping Kansas earn the Big 12 title. Additionally, he averaged a team-high 21.6 points in the 2018 NCAA Tournament, helping Kansas to the Final Four.

Newman, who signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on July 1 before being waived on July 19, appeared in five Summer League games with the Lakers in Las Vegas and averaged 3.2 points while shooting 6-of-19 from the field, 2-of-6 from three-point range and a perfect 2-of-2 from the foul line.

The Miami Heat have signed forward Yante Maten to a two-way contract.

Maten appeared in seven Summer League games (one start) with the HEAT in both Sacramento and Las Vegas and averaged 10.7 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 44.6 percent from the field, 38.5 percent from three-point range and 76.9 percent from the foul line. He posted five double-figure scoring games, including 19 points off the bench on 8-of-14 shooting from the field and a perfect 3-of-3 from the foul line while grabbing seven rebounds and blocking two shots in a, 110-106, win against New Orleans in the first round of the Las Vegas tournament.

Maten, the 2018 SEC Player of the Year, played four seasons at the University of Georgia appearing in 128 career collegiate games (97 starts). Among the school’s all-time lists, he finished second in points (1,886), third in blocks (198), fourth in rebounds (889) and free throws made (518), sixth in field goals made (655), 13th in free throw percentage (.755) and 15th in field goal percentage (.483). He scored the most points during a single season by a senior (636), including the fifth-most overall, in school history while appearing in 33 games (all starts) and averaging 19.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.48 blocks and 34.3 minutes while shooting 46.4 percent from the field last season. He also led the conference in scoring average, becoming just the fifth player in school history to accomplish the feat. Additionally, Maten became the first Bulldog in 25 years to earn three All-SEC honors in his career and just the sixth player in program history to achieve the feat.

The Miami Heat made a shift in their front office today. Vice President, Player Personnel Chet Kammerer will reduce his role and become Senior Advisor of Basketball Operations/Basketball. Adam Simon is now promoted to Vice President, Player Personnel/Assistant General Manager.

In his new role, Kammerer will continue to be a scout and will be an advisor to President Pat Riley and Senior Vice President, Basketball Operations/General Manager Andy Elisburg as well as a coaching consultant for Head Coach Erik Spoelstra. Kammerer has been with the HEAT organization for 22 years, including 14 as Vice President, Player Personnel.

Adam Simon has been the Assistant General Manager of the HEAT as well as the General Manager of the Sioux Falls Skyforce for the last five years. In his new capacity, he will continue to assist Andy Elisburg in all areas of the basketball operations department, but will now be responsible for Miami’s pro, college, G League and international scouting.

The Miami Heat signed forward Duncan Robinson to a two-way contract today.

Robinson has appeared in five Summer League games (all starts) with the HEAT in both Sacramento and Las Vegas and is averaging 12.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 25.0 minutes while shooting 57.9 percent (22-of-38) from the field and 63 percent (17-of-27) from three-point range. He connected on 5-of-6 from three-point range on July 3 against the Los Angeles Lakers in the California Classic Summer League in Sacramento and followed that by shooting 4-of-7 from beyond the arc in his next game on July 5 against the Sacramento Kings, both wins. Additionally, in his two games in Las Vegas so far, Robinson is shooting 70 percent (7-of-10) from downtown.

Robinson appeared in 115 career games at Michigan shooting 45.5 percent from the field, 41.9 percent from three-point range and 86.4 percent from the foul line. In just three seasons, he finished fourth on the school’s all-time three-point field goals made list with 237 while helping the Wolverine’s to two Big Ten titles and to the NCAA Tournament each season. Last season as senior, the tri-captain captured the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year award and helped led the team to the NCAA Championship Game.