Miami Heat Blog – Page 35 – NBA Blog

Heat sign Josh Richardson to contract extension

The Miami Heat have signed guard Josh Richardson to a multi-year contract extension.

According to the Palm Beach Post, “Richardson inked his four-year, $42 million contract extension today, the team announced. The deal, reported last week and confirmed by the Post, starts in 2018-19 and includes a player option for the fourth year. The extension was a nice birthday gift for the 6-foot-6 guard, who turned 24 on Friday.”

Richardson, who was originally selected by the HEAT in the second round (40th overall) in the 2015 NBA Draft, appeared in 53 games (34 starts) last season with Miami and averaged 10.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.13 steals and 30.5 minutes. He outperformed every major statistical category from his rookie campaign and was one of eight HEAT players to average double-figures in points, marking the most for any team in the NBA last season. As a rookie in 2015-16, Richardson shot 46.1 percent (53-of-115) from three-point range, the highest percentage by a HEAT rookie in team history while also tying the third-highest percentage by any rookie in NBA history (with a minimum of 100 attempts). Additionally, he shot 58.9 percent (33-of-56) during the month of March in his rookie season, marking the second-highest percentage for a single month in NBA history (with a minimum of 50 attempts) while capturing Rookie of the Month honors.

Richardson, who played four seasons at Tennessee, appeared in 136 career games (110 starts) for the Volunteers and averaged 9.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.08 steals and 28.2 minutes while shooting 45.6 percent from the field, 31.8 percent from three-point range and 75.8 percent from the foul line. He finished his career ranking third in school history in games played, ninth in minutes (3,802), ninth in starts, 10th in steals (147), 16th in blocks (88) and 28th in points (1,252).

Miami Heat sign Larry Drew II

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed guard Larry Drew II.

Earlier this month, Drew II won a gold medal as a member of the United States team at the 2017 FIBA AmeriCup. He appeared in five games and averaged 4.6 points, 5.0 assists, 2.0 rebounds, 1.00 steals and 19.4 minutes while shooting 52.9 percent from the floor.

During the 2016-17 season, Drew II played in 10 games (one start) as a member of the Sioux Falls Skyforce and averaged 8.1 points, 5.9 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 23.5 minutes while shooting 47.7 percent from the floor, 40 percent from three-point range and 71.4 percent from the foul line. He also played internationally in Lithuania with BC Neptūnas during the 2016-17 season and in Puerto Rico with the Pirates de Quebradillas. Drew II saw action in 21 games with BC Neptūnas in Lithuanian Basketball League play and averaged 8.2 points, 5.6 assists, 3.0 rebounds, 1.05 steals and 25.2 minutes. In Basketball Champions League play with BC Neptūnas, he appeared in 14 games and averaged 9.2 points, 5.3 assists, 2.4 rebounds, 1.00 steals and 23.6 minutes. In six games with the Pirates de Quebradillas of the Puerto Rico-BSN (Baloncesto Superior Nacional) he averaged 7.7 points, 5.2 assists, 1.5 rebounds and 22.7 minutes.

In 96 career NBA G League games, all with Sioux Falls, Drew II has averaged 10.8 points, 7.8 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 1.48 steals and 33.6 minutes while shooting 47.6 percent from the floor, 41.6 percent from three-point range and 71.4 percent from the foul line. Drew II, who was a member of the Skyforce’s 2015-16 NBA G League championship team, holds the NBA G League single-game assist record with 23 in a win over the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Dec. 25, 2014.

Drew II has previously been in training camp with the HEAT in both 2013 and 2014. His lone NBA regular season experience came during the 2014-15 season when he appeared in 12 games (one start) with the Philadelphia 76ers and averaged 3.8 points, 3.7 assists, 1.2 rebounds and 18.3 minutes.

Skyforce G League tryouts postponed

Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting on the Miami Heat’s G League affiliate team, who were forced by Mother Nature to postpone their upcoming open tryouts:

Miami Heat’s open tryouts for their developmental-league affiliate, the NBA G League Sioux Falls Skyforce, have been postponed from Sunday until Sept. 24 due to the uncertainly of Hurricane Irma.

The tryouts scheduled for Sept. 16 in Sioux Falls will continue to be held as scheduled.

Both tryout sessions will come in front of Skyforce coaches and Heat officials, with potential invitations to follow to the Skyforce’s training camp in October.

Heat sign Jordan Mickey

The Miami Heat have signed forward Jordan Mickey.

Per multiple reports, the contract is worth in the ballpark of $1.5 million.

Mickey split last season between the Boston Celtics and the Maine Red Claws of the NBA G League appearing in 12 games (all starts) with the Red Claws averaging 20.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.75 blocks, 1.6 assists and 32.6 minutes while shooting 51.5 percent from the field, 43.8 percent from three-point range and 75.6 percent from the foul line. He also appeared in 25 games (one start) with the Celtics last season and averaged 1.5 points and 1.4 rebounds in 5.6 minutes of action while shooting 44.1 percent from the field.

The former second round pick (33rd overall) of the 2015 NBA Draft has appeared in four postseason games with the Celtics, including two games in the Eastern Conference Finals last season where he totaled four points, five rebounds and a block in 18 minutes. The former Tiger averaged a nation’s best 3.64 blocks in his final season at LSU, blocking at least 100 shots in consecutive seasons to become just the second player in school history to reject at least 100 shots during a single-season, joining Shaquille O’Neal. Additionally, he posted a 25-point, 20-rebound game at Mississippi State on January 31, 2015, becoming just the seventh Tiger to post a 20-20 game since 1974 and the 11th to grab at least 20 boards since 1953.

Heat face contract decisions by Tuesday

Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting on the Heat, who have some decisions to make by tomorrow, as an extension possibility also opens up on Thursday:

The Heat must decide by the end of the day Tuesday whether to guarantee $453,000 each for 2017-18 to Rodney McGruder and Okaro White, with the two otherwise to become free agents.

August 1 guarantee deadlines are not unusual in the NBA, allowing teams time to sort through both summer league and free agency before making such decisions. The Charlotte Hornets recently cut former Heat guard Briante Weber when faced with such a deadline…

In addition, on Thursday, the two-year anniversary of when he signed his rookie contract as a second-round pick out of Tennessee in 2015, [Josh] Richardson becomes eligible for an extension. The combo guard otherwise would stand as a restricted free agent next summer.

Heat sign guard Matt Williams

The Heat have signed guard Matt Williams.

Williams appeared in eight Summer League games (six starts) with the HEAT in Orlando and Las Vegas and averaged 9.9 points and 2.6 rebounds while shooting 38 percent from the field, 39 percent from three-point range and a perfect 2-of-2 from the foul line. He started all six games in Las Vegas with Miami and shot 45 percent from three-point range, leading the team in three-point field goals made four times, including a 5-of-8 performance from beyond the arc vs. Washington on July 10 and a 6-of-9 output from downtown vs. Memphis on July 15.

The University of Central Florida graduate finished his collegiate career as the school’s all-time leader in three-point field goals made (274) and became the 18th player in program history to score at least 1,000 points. He appeared in 36 games (all starts) as a senior and averaged 15.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 36.5 minutes while shooting 39.1 percent from the field, 38.4 percent from three-point range and 81.1 percent from the foul line. He set the single-season school and conference records for three-point field goals made (126) and set the Knights’ single-game three-point field goals made record after connecting on 11 against USF on January 17. He capped the season scoring the fifth-most points for a single-season in school history and earned the team’s MVP award.

Heat sign Derrick Walton Jr. to two-way contract

The Heat have signed guard Derrick Walton Jr. to a two-way contract.

Walton appeared in four Summer League games (one start) with the Magic in Orlando and averaged 10.0 points, 3.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 20.5 minutes while shooting 46.9 percent (15-of-32) from the field, 50 percent (6-of-12) from three-point range and 66.7 percent (4-of-6) from the foul line. His 50 percent shooting from downtown tied for the third-highest during the Orlando Summer League with a minimum of 10 attempts.

Walton appeared in 127 games (126 starts) at the University of Michigan, becoming the only player in program history to score at least 1,000 points, grab 500 rebounds and dish out 400 assists. Among the school’s all-time leaders, he finished second in free throw percentage (.837), third in starts, fourth in assists (499), tied for fourth in three-point field goals made (233), seventh in steals (146), eighth in minutes (4,053), tied for 15th in games played and 22nd in points (1,471). He helped lead the Wolverines to the 2017 Big Ten Championship and was named the Big Ten Tournament MVP as he continued to guide Michigan to a Sweet 16 berth in the NCAA Tournament after defeating No. 2 Louisville in the previous game. Additionally, he dished out a single-game school record 16 assists at Nebraska on March 5, 2017 and recorded just the fifth triple-double in Michigan history after tallying 10 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists against Youngstown State on December 19, 2015.

Heat re-sign Udonis Haslem

The Miami Heat have re-signed forward Udonis Haslem.

“It is a great, great, day to have Udonis Haslem sign a contract for his 15th season with the Miami HEAT,” said HEAT President Pat Riley. “He isn’t just Mr. 305, he is a true patriarch of the team. Today we are proud to announce that he is back to lead the HEAT again.”

Haslem, a three-time NBA Champion, has played his entire 14-year NBA career with the HEAT and currently holds the fourth-longest streak by any active player with only one team in the league. He has appeared in 830 career regular season games (498 starts) averaging 7.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 25.7 minutes while shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 75.6 percent from the foul line. Last season he came off the bench in all 16 regular season games in which he saw action and averaged 1.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 8.1 minutes. 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 (3rd), field goals made (5th), field goals attempted (6th), points (7th), field goal percentage (7th), free throws made (8th), free throws attempted (8th), double-figure scoring efforts (8th), blocks (9th), steals (10th), assists (16th) and free throw percentage (18th). Additionally, he is the only undrafted player in NBA history to lead a franchise in total rebounds.

Haslem has also seen action in 147 postseason games (84 starts) as a member of the HEAT and has 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), field goals attempted (5th), free throws made (5th), steals (5th), dunks (5th), points (6th), free throws attempted (6th), double-figure scoring efforts (tied-6th), blocked shots (7th) and assists (10th).

Haslem has served as captain of the HEAT each of the past 10 seasons, the longest tenure in franchise history, and enters the 2017-18 season just 25 games short from tying the all-time franchise record for games played.

Heat re-sign James Johnson

The Miami HEAT have re-signed forward James Johnson.

“James Johnson epitomizes everything that the Miami HEAT is about,” said HEAT President Pat Riley. “He came in, made a promise to us and then fulfilled that promise by becoming a world class athlete thus leading to the best season he has had in the NBA. Today, he is being rewarded for the fulfillment of that promise. We will continue to push him to get him to an even higher level. His signing today, for me personally and the coaching staff, is one of our happiest signings. We are happy for James and his family as we look for him to have an even greater year next season.”

Johnson appeared in 76 games (five starts) with the HEAT last season and averaged 12.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.13 blocks, 1.00 steals and 27.4 minutes while shooting 47.9 percent from the field. The eight-year NBA veteran set single-season career highs last season in every major category including points (975), rebounds (376), assists (276), steals (76), blocks (86), field goals made (368), three-point field goals made (87) and free throws made (152). He led the team in plus/minus (+138) and his improvement from 2015-16 to last season in Miami was the largest in the NBA when factoring points, rebounds and assists per game averages, nobody in the league improved in each of those three categories more. Johnson was Miami’s leading scorer off the bench 27 times and topped the HEAT reserves in assists a team-high 43 times, in blocks on 38 occasions, in rebounds a team-high 31 times and in steals 28 times. He posted nine 20-point games as a reserve, tying for the fourth-most during a single-season in HEAT history, as Miami totaled 22 such games off the bench, the most in team history. He tallied 884 points, 341 rebounds and 248 assists as a reserve, and along with Tyler Johnson, they became the only set of teammates in the entire NBA to each record at least 600 points, 250 rebounds and 200 assists off the bench. On the defensive end, Johnson was in isolation situations 53 times last season, giving up just 22 percent (9-of-41) shooting to the player he was guarding, marking the second-lowest percentage in the entire NBA by player with at least that many isolation situations. Additionally, he gave up just 0.49 points per isolation possession (26 total), also the second-lowest in the league with at least 53 isolation situations.

Johnson has appeared in 474 regular season career games (145 starts) and averaged 7.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 19.7 minutes while shooting 47.7 percent from the floor.

Heat re-sign Dion Waiters

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have re-signed guard Dion Waiters.

“Dion Waiters proved to us last season that we have found one of the best two guards in the NBA and we are happy today to be able to sign Dion to a long-term contract,” said HEAT President Pat Riley. “We love his game and competiveness. He is an attacker and an excellent three-point shooter as well as a defender. He is a player that has no fear in taking the last shot regardless of the outcome. We believe that continuity has shown to be one of the important things that we do by keeping a team together. Having Dion back in the fold is a big factor in keeping that team chemistry together.”

Last season, Waiters appeared in 46 games (43 starts), helping Miami to a 27-19 (.587) record in those games. He averaged 15.8 points, 4.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 30.1 minutes while shooting 42.4 percent from the field and a career-high 39.5 percent from three-point range. He tied his career-high of 33 points vs. Golden State on January 23 while also tying his career-high of 13 made field goals in a game in which he hit the game-winning three-point basket to help defeat the Warriors, 105-102. He scored at least 17 points in eight consecutive games from January 21 through February 4, marking the second-longest such streak of his career. Waiters, who was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week on January 30, led the HEAT in scoring 12 times, in assists 14 times, in steals on 13 occasions, in minutes 12 times and in plus/minus on eight occasions while recording 16 20-point games, including two 30-point performances, on the year.

Waiters has appeared in 335 regular season games (153 starts) during his five-year career averaging 13.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.00 steals and 28.6 minutes while shooting 41.3 percent from the floor and 34.6 percent from three-point range.