Heat Notes: Herro, Starting Five, Defense, Love, Bryant, More
While Thursday’s loss to the Sixers was a disappointing one, the Heat had a good day on Friday, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, as Tyler Herro returned following a 20-game absence and scored 17 points in a convincing, much-needed victory over Houston.
“It’s just great to have him back,” Erik Spoelstra said of Herro. “His head coach didn’t forget what he brings to the table. That skill level, the creativity, the speed, the quickness, all that stuff is what we need.”
Herro came off the bench for the first time this season in his return to the court, as the Heat stuck with a starting lineup of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, and Nikola Jovic. No five-man unit has started more games (13) or played more minutes together (170) for Miami this season than that one.
However, the results for that group have been mixed, as Chiang observes, with a -4.9 overall net rating, so Spoelstra won’t necessarily feel the need to stick with it now that the team is healthier. Herro had started 103 consecutive regular season games prior to Friday — it could just be a matter of time before he returns to the starting lineup.
Here’s more on the Heat:
- The Heat had another strong night defensively on Friday, according to Chiang, who wrote earlier this week about the way the team has been performing on that end of the court during the second half. Since January 30, the Heat rank second in the NBA (and first in the East) in defensive rating and have now moved up to No. 4 for the season. “It’s been a goal all season to get to top five and stay top five,” Caleb Martin said. “So it’s good that it’s starting to come around at the right time. I think that we always understand when it really comes down to it, that’s our ticket to winning the game, whether that’s in the playoffs or getting in a position to where we don’t have to worry about the play-in.”
- Kevin Love, who has been back in the Heat’s rotation for the past three contests after missing 16 games due to a heel injury, went out of his way this week to praise his replacement, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “You got to tip your hat to TB (Thomas Bryant). He’s been playing awesome,” Love said. Bryant has been a DNP-CD in the three games Love has played, but earned praise from Spoelstra as well for the minutes he gave the club during Love’s absence: “It takes a professional like Thomas to have an understanding of that, this is what depth is all about. And obviously we’ve used all of our depth. But the depth becomes more complex when you have more guys available. He really gave us such tremendous minutes the last six weeks when Kevin was out.”
- Haywood Highsmith didn’t open the season as a regular rotation player for Miami, but has become a trusted contributor and played nearly 27 minutes on Friday even with Herro back and the roster relatively healthy. “He’s so inspiring right now,” Spoelstra said this week, per Winderman. “He just continues to grind, continues to work, continues to get better. And he just does all the little things for our team, to help you win. You need players like this to win in this league.” Highsmith will be an unrestricted free agent this summer if he doesn’t sign an extension by June 30.
- While the Sioux Falls Skyforce were eliminated from the G League playoffs on Friday, the Heat’s NBAGL affiliate earned a pair of end-of-season awards earlier in the day. Two-way player Alondes Williams, who was the runner-up for the G League’s MVP award, was named the NBAGL Most Improved Player (Twitter link), while Skyforce general manager Eric Amsler was the league’s Executive of the Year (Twitter link).
Heat’s Tyler Herro Returns To Action On Friday
6:10pm: Herro will return to action on Friday in a reserve role with an unspecified minutes restriction, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter links).
7:42am: There’s optimism that guard Tyler Herro could return to action on Friday when the Heat face the Rockets in Houston, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Herro has been sidelined since February 23, having missed Miami’s past 20 games due to a hyperextended left knee and medial tendinitis in his right foot. The knee is no longer an issue, but the foot injury has kept the 24-year-old on the shelf.
Herro is traveling with the club on its three-game road trip to Houston, Indiana (Sunday), and Atlanta (Tuesday), Charania notes, so even if he’s not cleared to return on Friday, it sounds like there’s a good chance he’ll be back in action before the Heat return home next week.
It has been an injury-plagued season for Herro, who also missed several weeks in November and December. However, he has played some of his best basketball when he has been healthy, averaging a career-best 20.8 points and 4.4 assists in in 33.6 minutes per game across 36 appearances (all starts).
Herro’s 39.9% mark on three-point attempts also matches a career high, and he’s attempting more of those outside shots than ever (8.1 per game), so he’ll be a welcome addition to a Heat team that could use his scoring and shooting as it battles for a top-six spot in the East.
With Herro on the verge of returning, it’s unclear whether or not Terry Rozier will be available on Friday vs. the Rockets, per Anthony Chiang and Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Rozier appeared to suffer a knee injury late in Thursday’s loss to Philadelphia, and while he told reporters after the game that he felt better, head coach Erik Spoelstra suggested the club will take another look at the knee on Friday.
“He banged knees,” Spoelstra said. “We’ll just have to see how he feels when we get on to Houston. He said he feels fine. You don’t want to take anybody for their word until we get to Houston, see each other (Friday) morning. He’s tough.”
Wizards Sign Jared Butler To Three-Year Deal
4:20pm: Butler has officially been promoted and Livers has been released, the Wizards announced in a press release.
2:33pm: The Wizards intend to waive Livers to make room on the roster for Butler, confirms Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link).
2:21pm: The Wizards and third-year guard Jared Butler have reached an agreement on a three-year contract, agent Mark Bartelstein tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). The deal will promote Butler to the 15-man roster and will keep him under team control for two seasons after this one.
While the exact details aren’t yet known, Butler’s new contract will likely feature little to no guaranteed salary beyond 2023/24. The Wizards will use a portion of their mid-level exception to give him a deal that covers more than just two seasons.
The No. 40 overall pick in the 2021 draft, Butler began his NBA career in Utah but was waived ahead of his second season in October 2022. He finished the ’22/23 season on a two-way contract with the Thunder, then signed a two-year deal with Washington last July.
In 35 games as a Wizard, Butler has averaged 5.6 points, 2.9 assists, and 1.3 rebounds in 13.0 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .490/.313/.885. He has been a regular part of the rotation in recent weeks, appearing in each of Washington’s last 13 games and averaging 21.3 minutes in those outings.
The Wizards currently have a full 15-man standard roster, so someone will need to be waived in order to make room for Butler. Isaiah Livers, who is on an expiring contract and is out for the season due to a hip injury, is the likeliest candidate.
Since the deadline to sign a player to a two-way contract passed last month, Washington won’t be able to fill Butler’s two-way slot once he’s promoted.
Knicks Notes: Anunoby, Hartenstein, Randle, Brunson
After Stefan Bondy of The New York Post wondered if the Knicks‘ obfuscation regarding Julius Randle‘s rehab process might be a bad omen for OG Anunoby‘s recovery timeline, the team has listed Anunoby as questionable to play on Friday in Chicago, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link).
As Begley writes, the upgrade to Anunoby’s status looks like a big step forward for the 26-year-old, especially since it comes a day after head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters that he was “cautiously optimistic” about the forward’s ability to get back on the court. The Knicks didn’t hold a shootaround this morning on the second day of a back-to-back set, so there were no clues about whether or not Anunoby will suit up tonight.
The Knicks are 15-2 in games that Anunoby has played since they acquired him from Toronto at the end of December, but he has missed 27 of the club’s past 30 contests. After sitting out for 18 games due to elbow surgery, the three-and-D specialist was able to suit up just three times before aggravating the elbow issue and returning to the sidelines. He has been unavailable for New York’s past nine games.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- Several executives who spoke to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype believe that Isaiah Hartenstein will command around $13MM per year as an unrestricted free agent this offseason, which is right around what the mid-level exception is projected to be worth. For his part, Hartenstein said that if the money is equal, he’d prefer to remain in New York. “I love it here, and hopefully, we’ll figure something out, but at the end of the day, business is business,” he told Scotto.
- Randle’s teammates expressed sympathy after word broke on Thursday that he’ll have to undergo season-ending surgery after attempting for over two months to work his way back from a shoulder injury, as Bridget Reilly of The New York Post relays. “It’s kind of sad from a personal standpoint. He was putting a lot of work in to try to come back,” Hartenstein said. “I think a lot of players in the league would probably just give up right away and say, ‘I’m getting the surgery.'”
- With Randle out for the rest of the season and postseason, the pressure will be on Jalen Brunson to continue bearing the brunt of the offensive load and to figure out how to navigate increased defensive attention, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic, who takes a look at how Brunson has been dealing with double-teams and traps.
Central Notes: Lillard, Giannis, Craig, Cade, Flynn, Mitchell
Damian Lillard will be back in action for the Bucks on Friday vs. Toronto after missing the last three games due to personal reasons and an adductor strain, tweets Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT. Lillard will be looking to help Milwaukee get back on track after a pair of ugly losses this week to lottery-bound teams (the Wizards and Grizzlies).
As Eric Nehm of The Athletic writes, during Wednesday’s loss to the Grizzlies, Giannis Antetokounmpo was dealing with what the Bucks are calling left hamstring tendinopathy and didn’t look like his usual explosive self en route to 21 points on 10-of-23 shooting. He’s listed as doubtful to play in Friday’s game.
Here’s more from around the Central:
- One reason why the Bulls signed Javonte Green for the rest of the season is a belief that Torrey Craig‘s knee still isn’t 100%, even though the veteran wing hasn’t missed a game in nearly a month. “I’m not a doctor, but I do know he has stiffness,” head coach Billy Donovan said of Craig, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “To me, he’s just not himself. That doesn’t mean he isn’t cleared to play. He is, and he wants to play, as well. Going back to the plantar fasciitis [from earlier in the season] and then the knee injury over All-Star break, he’s not moving the way he was before those things. He’s just not.”
- Pistons guard Cade Cunningham hasn’t gotten any real buzz for this season’s Most Improved Player award, but does he have a case for consideration? James L. Edwards III of The Athletic explores that topic, laying out the argument for Cunningham as MIP.
- Although it came in a loss, Malachi Flynn‘s 50-point outburst on Wednesday was a feel-good moment for a Pistons team that hasn’t had many of them and for a player who has had a tough season, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). A former first-round pick, Flynn has played for three teams in his contract year and has struggled to carve out consistent minutes for any of those clubs. “We’re all super happy for him because we all know what he’s had to go through,” Evan Fournier said. “I don’t want to say we wouldn’t give a (expletive) if it was Cade, but it wouldn’t be the same. The fact that it’s Malachi adds more to the story, I think.”
- Following a loss to Phoenix on Wednesday, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell spoke about the issues he’s having getting past a nagging knee ailment and his desire to have it get “1% better every day” in order to be ready to go for the playoffs. Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com has the story and the quotes from Mitchell.
Mac McClung Wins G League MVP Award
Mac McClung hasn’t been on an NBA roster since October, but the 25-year-old won a second straight Slam Dunk contest in February and has now earned another notable honor: McClung is this season’s NBA G League Most Valuable Player, the league announced today (Twitter link).
McClung spent the 2023/24 season playing for the Osceola Magic, Orlando’s NBAGL affiliate. In 27 regular season games, he averaged a league-high 25.7 points to go along with 6.6 assists, and 4.7 rebounds in 35.4 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .509/.396/.843. Osceola finished as the No. 1 seed in the East at 22-12 and will face the Long Island Nets on Friday in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
McClung also appeared in 14 Showcase Cup games for the Magic’s G League team earlier this season, averaging 25.2 PPG, 6.4 APG, and 4.3 RPG on .464/.357/.851 shooting.
McClung has only appeared in four career NBA games since going undrafted out of Texas Tech in 2021. However, he has made a name himself as a Slam Dunk champion and has had stints with some of the league’s marquee franchises, including the Lakers, Sixers, and Bulls.
McClung’s G League MVP award is also the latest addition to an increasingly decorated NBAGL résumé — he was the G League’s Rookie of the Year in 2022 and won a title with the Delaware Blue Coats in 2023.
Sioux Falls Skyforce guard Alondes Williams, who is on a two-way contract with the Heat, was the runner-up in the NBAGL MVP vote, which was conducted by the league’s 31 head coaches and GMs.
The third-place finisher was forward Kenneth Lofton Jr., who played for the Grizzlies and Sixers earlier this season and is now a member of the Jazz. He suited up for the Memphis Hustle in the Showcase Cup and the Blue Coats and Salt Lake City Stars during the G League’s regular season.
Sixers Fined $100K For Violating Injury Reporting Rules
As expected, the Sixers have been penalized by the NBA for violating the league’s injury reporting rules. According to a press release (via Twitter), the franchise was hit with a $100K fine for its latest violation.
As we outlined earlier this week, reports on Monday suggested that star center Joel Embiid had a chance to return vs. the Thunder on Tuesday following a two-month injury absence. However, he was officially listed as out for the game, then didn’t attend the team’s shootaround on Tuesday.
It wasn’t until after 5:30 pm Eastern on Tuesday that Embiid was upgraded to questionable. He was ultimately determined to be available in a game-time decision.
The NBA’s announcement today said the 76ers were fined for failing to accurately disclose Embiid’s status for that Tuesday game and that the penalty takes into account the team’s prior history of fines for similar violations.
The most recent of those fines occurred on February 1 for a previous episode involving Embiid. In that instance, the reigning MVP wasn’t listed on the injury report at all for a January 27 game in Denver until he was ruled out just hours before tip-off. The NBA fined the Sixers $75K in that case, again citing the club’s history of injury reporting violations.
Kyshawn George, Justin Edwards Among Players Entering Draft
Miami Hurricanes wing Kyshawn George intends to enter his name in the 2024 NBA draft pool, he said in a French interview with BeIN Sports (YouTube link; hat tip to Inside The U).
A 6’8″ swingman, George started 16 of the 31 games he played for Miami in his freshman season. While his averages of 7.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 23.0 minutes per contest were relatively modest, the youngster can handle the ball and has displayed a promising outside shot, having knocked down 40.8% of 4.2 three-pointers per game. He currently ranks 25th on ESPN’s big board of 2024 prospects, making him a potential first-rounder.
It’s unclear at this point whether George plans to forgo his remaining NCAA eligibility or if he’ll test the waters for now, leaving the door open for a potential return to school.
Kentucky wing Justin Edwards – another freshman who has a chance to be a first-round pick – also indicated he plans to declare for the 2024 draft, making his announcement on Instagram. Edwards’ statement didn’t mention anything about maintaining his college eligibility, so it sounds like he intends to go pro.
ESPN’s No. 30 overall prospect, Edwards averaged 8.8 PPG and 3.4 RPG on .486/.365/.776 shooting in 32 games (21.4 MPG) for the Wildcats in 2023/24. He’s one of several Kentucky players who have a chance to be drafted in 2024 — that group includes probable lottery picks Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard.
The following prospects are also said to be declaring for the 2024 NBA draft as early entrants while hanging onto their NCAA eligibility (players marked with an asterisk are also entering the transfer portal):
- Aziz Bandaogo, C, Cincinnati (senior) (Twitter link)
- Note: Bandaogo says he’s testing the draft, but plans to finish his college career at Cincinnati.
- Lamont Butler, G, San Diego State (senior) (Twitter link via Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress)
- Wesley Cardet Jr., G/F, Chicago State (junior) (Twitter link via Chepkevich)
- Johnell Davis, G, Florida Atlantic (senior) (Instagram link) *
- Norchad Omier, F, Miami (FL) (senior) (Twitter link via Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports)
- Great Osobor, F, Utah State (junior) (Twitter link via Joe Tipton of On3 Sports) *
- Max Shulga, G, VCU (senior) (Twitter link via Rothstein)
- Trey Townsend, F, Oakland (senior) (Twitter link via Jonathan Givony of ESPN) *
- Jaylen Wells, F, Washington State (junior) (Instagram link)
- Terrance Williams II, F, Michigan (senior) (Instagram link)
- JZ Zaher, G, Bowling Green State (sophomore) (Instagram link)
Coaching Rumors: Nets, Wizards, Hornets, Pistons, Blazers
People around the NBA expect the Nets‘ head coaching search this spring to be “wide-ranging,” with less of a specific archetype for the preferred candidate in Brooklyn than there might be in Charlotte or Washington, writes Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
The Hornets and Wizards will be focused on landing “the right development-minded coaches to enhance a youth movement,” Fischer continues, whereas the Nets are expected to consider a broader mix of experienced coaches and potential first-timers.
Fischer mentions Mike Budenholzer and James Borrego as a couple veterans who may appeal to Brooklyn, given their San Antonio ties to Nets head of basketball operations Sean Marks. As for possible first-time head coaches, sources tell Yahoo Sports that Knicks assistant Johnnie Bryant has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the top job in Brooklyn.
Here are more coaching-related notes and rumors from Fischer:
- Wizards interim head coach Brian Keefe is expected to receive serious consideration for the permanent job in Washington despite a 8-26 (.235) record since he replaced Wes Unseld Jr., league sources tell Fischer.
- In addition to the four candidates the Hornets have received permission to interview so far, Heat assistant Chris Quinn and Jazz assistant Lamar Skeeter are two more names expected to factor into Charlotte’s search, Fischer reports. Quinn interviewed for the job in 2022 and made a strong impression on Hornets decision-makers at that time, Fischer writes, though a new front office will be leading the search this time around.
- Charles Lee, one of the candidates Charlotte has been granted permission to interview, was in Atlanta while new Hornets co-owner Rick Schnall and executive VP of basketball operations Jeff Peterson were with the Hawks, Fischer observes, noting that Lee appears to be a strong candidate in Charlotte’s head coaching search.
- There has been “ongoing speculation” among rival front offices about Monty Williams‘ future with the Pistons, but Fischer hears from a source with knowledge of the situation that there’s no indication Williams would be open to a buyout from his six-year, $78MM+ contract following his first season in Detroit.
- There has also been speculation in coaching circles about the possibility that the Trail Blazers will make a coaching change this spring, Fischer says, though Chauncey Billups told Yahoo Sports that he’s eager to try to lead Portland back to the postseason in 2024/25. “I’m light years ahead of where I was when I took the job, obviously being a first-time (head) coach,” Billups said. “And I’m really ready for that challenge and that pressure to go out and compete with these best teams and stuff. I’m really ready for that. So, I just hope that we can be in that position, that’s all.”
Bronny James To Test NBA Draft Waters
USC guard Bronny James – the son of four-time MVP LeBron James – will declare for the 2024 NBA draft in addition to entering the NCAA transfer portal, he announced today (via Instagram).
LeBron’s oldest son, Bronny spent his first college season at USC in 2023/24. His debut was delayed due to a health scare last July, when he suffered cardiac arrest and had to be rushed to a hospital. While he was eventually cleared to play, he made modest contributions for the Trojans, averaging just 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 19.3 minutes per game across 25 appearances (six starts).
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), the plan is for Bronny to visit and work out for NBA teams, then decide based on the feedback he receives whether to remain in the draft and go pro or return to school for at least one more year.
After his cardiac arrest and a procedure to treat a congenital heart defect, the 19-year-old will need to be evaluated and cleared by the NBA’s Fitness to Play panel before he can work out for teams or participate in May’s draft combine, notes ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. However, he’s free to meet with and interview for teams without that clearance.
Once considered by Jonathan Givony of ESPN to be a potential 2024 lottery pick with elite defensive upside, Bronny doesn’t show up in ESPN’s current top-100 list for this year’s draft. The USC freshman seems far less likely to be a one-and-done player than he once did, though agent Rich Paul told ESPN last month that he and Bronny will weigh specific team interest more heavily than draft position. That would mean seeking out the best developmental fit rather than trying to get drafted as high as possible.
Of course, LeBron has long professed a desire to play in the NBA with Bronny, but the Lakers star has dialed back on that talk within the last year or two, stressing that his son will have to make his own decisions and “be his own man,” as Paul told ESPN.
If Bronny does decide to withdraw from the draft and transfer to a new school, Duquesne is one possible landing spot to watch, sources tell Wojnarowski. Dru Joyce, the program’s new head coach, played high school basketball with LeBron and is a longtime family friend, Woj adds.