The Heat have issued qualifying offers to Orlando Robinson and Jamal Cain, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Robinson and Cain are on two-way contracts, so they’ll be two-way restricted free agents. However, they’ll still be eligible to sign a standard deal with a rival team (which Miami could match) or with the Heat.
Robinson went undrafted in 2022 after three seasons at Fresno State. He averaged 3.7 PPG and 4.1 RPG in 31 games (13.7 MPG) as a rookie for the Heat in 2022/23.
There was talk of converting the 7’0″ center’s two-way deal into a standard contract at one point during the season, but Miami wound up signing veterans Kevin Love and Cody Zeller to fortify its frontcourt rotation, leaving Robinson on his two-way deal.
Cain, 24, was also a rookie last year after going undrafted. He spend his first four college seasons at Marquette before finishing up at Oakland. Cain appeared in 18 games for the Heat, averaging 5.4 PPG and 2.9 RPG in 13.3 MPG.
Both Robinson and Cain will play for the Heat’s Summer League team, per Winderman.
As Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald notes (via Twitter), there’s a Thursday deadline for the Heat to extend Omer Yurtseven a qualifying offer in order to make him a restricted free agent. The young center, who was on a standard contract, appeared in just nine games last season after a major ankle injury required surgery.
Victor Oladipo also has until Thursday to pick up his $9.45MM player option, Chiang adds, though that’s almost certainly a mere formality since the veteran guard will likely miss most — if not all — of next season after suffering a torn patellar tendon in his left knee in April.
Orlando was good for an undrafted rookie. Love can use the help, and Cain had a great year.
I expect both of these guys back, Cain on a regular deal, and Orlando probably another 2-way to start the season.
Cain should definitely get opportunities at the 4/3. I personally liked DJ Stewart more than him the last 2 years, and would bring in both of them, but especially with Strus leaving, I think he looks in good position to grab a spot, as of now
Yurtseven being hurt most of this year was really unfortunate b/c there was a couple of matchups I would have rather seen him than Zeller, like against the Knicks who werent guarding him at all. Hopefully they keep him. If not, Orlando Robinson is a slightly less than version of him, and showed he can essentially take his spot if its cheaper/necessary, and it looks to be heading that way