Heat Notes: Love, Zeller, Tax, Adebayo
As expected, veteran center Cody Zeller received a minimum salary when he signed a rest-of-season contract with the Heat on Monday, tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Miami’s other Monday addition, however, received a deal worth more than the minimum.
When the Heat signed forward Kevin Love, they gave him what was left of their bi-annual exception, according to Chiang (Twitter link). The team hadn’t used any of its $4.1MM bi-annual exception so far in 2022/23, but the exception’s value has been declining daily since January 10, so it had dropped to about $3.1MM by the time Love signed.
That $3.1MM more than makes up for the money Love gave up in his buyout agreement with the Cavaliers, which was $1.5MM, per Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link).
Interestingly, the Heat also had about $3MM left on their mid-level exception, but chose to preserve that exception and use the bi-annual instead. That means they won’t be able to use the BAE in 2023/24, since it can only be used once every other season. However, Miami projects to be a taxpayer next year, and the BAE isn’t available to teams over the tax apron, which is likely why the team was comfortable using it now.
Here’s more on the Heat:
- Although they expect to be in the tax next season, the Heat made it a priority to avoid the tax this year to avoid starting the clock on the repeater penalties, according to Chiang, who notes that team salary is about $1.2MM below the tax line following the additions of Love and Zeller.
- An NBA scout who spoke to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel doesn’t expect Love or Zeller to be a difference-maker for the Heat, but likes the veteran depth they’ll provide the team. “Neither guy might be any good. Or both of them might be good,” the scout said. “I think they were smart moves on their part. On paper, they plug up areas of need.”
- In another story for The Miami Herald, Chiang explores Bam Adebayo‘s growth as a team leader, noting that Udonis Haslem has said the All-Star big man’s vocal leadership is “getting more and more organic, and he’s getting comfortable doing it.” Haslem has long been the veteran voice in the Heat’s locker room, but wants to ultimately pass that torch to a franchise cornerstone like Adebayo. “The more he does that, the less I have to do and that’s the goal,” Haslem said. “To get him into that leadership role and to be able to lead with his words, but also by example and even lift the level of play of everybody around you, which he has the ability to do. That’s just a powerful thing.”
Wizards, Will Barton Complete Buyout
3:39pm: Barton has officially been placed on waivers, per a press release from the Wizards. As we relayed in a separate story, the plan is for Goodwin to fill the newly opened roster spot.
12:49pm: Wizards guard Will Barton has completed a buyout agreement with the team, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Wojnarowski first reported just after the trade deadline passed that Washington and Barton were working out a buyout.
While there has been no official announcement from the Wizards yet, it sounds like Barton will be placed on waivers today and would be on track to reach free agency on Thursday. He had been earning $14.375MM in the final year of his contract.
After being packaged with Monte Morris in the offseason trade that sent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith to Denver, Barton has had a disappointing season for his hometown team in D.C., averaging just 7.7 points per game on 38.7% shooting in 40 appearances (19.6 MPG).
Barton’s three-point shooting remained solid (38.0%) this season and he had several good years with the Nuggets before last summer’s trade, so the 32-year-old should garner some interest from playoff contenders as a low-cost free agent addition.
If and when Barton becomes a free agent, Denver would be the only team besides Washington ineligible to sign him — NBA rules prohibit a team from re-signing a player it traded during the offseason if he’s waived by his new team during the subsequent season.
The Wizards, meanwhile, will have an open roster spot after waiving Barton and are widely believed to be planning a promotion for two-way player Jordan Goodwin. As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, Washington still has an unused portion of its mid-level exception left and is about $2.1MM below the luxury tax line, so Goodwin could be signed to a multiyear deal without team salary going into the tax.
Magic Waive R.J. Hampton
2:12pm: The Magic have officially waived Hampton, the team confirmed in a press release.
1:55pm: The Magic are waiving former first-round pick R.J. Hampton, according to Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).
The No. 24 pick in the 2020 draft, Hampton was part of Orlando’s return in the 2021 trade that sent Aaron Gordon to Denver. He had a rotation role in his first season-and-a-half with the Magic, but has seen his playing time decline precipitously in 2022/23 after the team declined the ’23/24 team option on his rookie scale contract.
Hampton, who turned 22 earlier this month, appeared in just 26 contests for the Magic this season, averaging 5.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists on .439/.340/.838 shooting in 13.9 minutes per game. He wasn’t a regular contributor in a crowded backcourt that features Markelle Fultz, Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, and Gary Harris.
Considered a trade candidate for much of this season, Hampton remained in Orlando through the February 9 deadline. A report surfaced shortly after the deadline suggesting that his days with the Magic were numbered.
Hampton has a $2,412,840 cap hit for 2022/23, so a team with cap room or a trade exception big enough to absorb that amount could place a waiver claim. The more likely scenario is that he’ll go unclaimed and seek out a new home as an unrestricted free agent.
The Magic are also promoting two-way player Admiral Schofield to a standard contract, so once officially they complete both transactions, they’ll have two spots available on their 17-man roster — one standard and one two-way.
Magic Promote Admiral Schofield To Standard Roster
2:11pm: The move is official, the Magic announced in a press release.
1:22pm: The Magic are signing forward Admiral Schofield to a new two-year standard contract, agents Mark Bartelstein and George Roussakis tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Schofield had been on a two-way deal since re-signing with Orlando last July. The new agreement will promote him to the 15-man roster with no corresponding move necessary, since the Magic are currently carrying only 14 players on standard contracts.
A second-round pick in 2019 out of Tennessee, Schofield began his professional career with the Wizards but has spent most of the last two seasons with the Magic, providing depth in Orlando’s frontcourt. In 2022/23, he has averaged 4.6 PPG and 1.9 RPG in 27 appearances (13.0 MPG), while posting career-best shooting marks (.478/.333/.895).
The exact terms of Schofield’s new deal aren’t known, but it’s unlikely to include much – if any – guaranteed money beyond this season. A minimum-salary contract seems probable, but the Magic do have an unused portion of their mid-level exception available if they want to give the 25-year-old more than the minimum.
Nets’ Jacque Vaughn Agrees To Multiyear Extension
10:43am: Vaughn’s new contract is expected to keep him under team control through the 2026/27 season, Wojnarowski writes in his full story on the deal.
9:12am: The Nets and head coach Jacque Vaughn have agreed to a multiyear contract extension, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). The team has issued a press release officially confirming the news.
“Jacque has made an immediate and immeasurable impact on our entire organization since assuming the role of head coach earlier this season,” general manager Sean Marks said in a statement. “On the court, he’s clearly demonstrated his leadership through his ability to connect and communicate at a very high level while displaying tremendous instincts for the game.
“As a person, they don’t come any better than Jacque. His character is impeccable, and there is not a better representative for our team and our borough. We are thrilled to have Jacque lead the Nets for years to come.”
Vaughn took over as Brooklyn’s head coach following Steve Nash‘s dismissal in November and had his interim label removed about a week later.
The Nets were off a 2-5 start under Nash but have thrived since Vaughn’s promotion, going 32-19 under their former assistant. Brooklyn’s ability to make a deep playoff run took a hit following this month’s trades of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, but the team still holds the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture for the time being.
Vaughn was an assistant for the Nets from 2016-22, briefly serving as the team’s interim coach and guiding Brooklyn to a 7-3 record after Kenny Atkinson was let go in 2020. He served as Orlando’s head coach from 2012-14, though the rebuilding club had a record of just 58-158 (.269) during his stint.
The exact terms of Vaughn’s new contract aren’t yet known, but Wojnarowski says (via Twitter) the Nets’ coach has been extended for “multiple years past the 2023/24 season.”
Bulls’ Lonzo Ball Ruled Out For Rest Of Season
9:54am: The Bulls have made it official, announcing in a press release that Ball won’t return this season.
“Despite making significant increases in strength and function over the past several months, Bulls guard Lonzo Ball continues to experience performance limiting discomfort during participation in high level basketball-related activities,” head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said in a statement. “Considering the required time period to achieve the necessary level of fitness to return-to-play and the current stage of the NBA season, Ball will not return this season. The focus for Ball will continue to be on the resolution of his discomfort and a full return for the 2023/24 season.”
9:40am: The Bulls are expected to shut down point guard Lonzo Ball for the rest of the 2022/23 season, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago first reported that the Bulls were “widely expected” to announce sometime after the All-Star break that Ball would miss the remainder of the season.
Ball underwent surgery for a torn meniscus in his left knee last January, but complications related to that procedure prevented him from returning for the rest of the 2021/22 season. He underwent an arthroscopic debridement procedure this past September in the hopes of cleaning up the lingering issues in the knee. However, according to Charania, the former No. 2 overall pick is still experiencing pain and discomfort.
It has been a brutal process for both Ball and the Bulls, who were playing terrific basketball before their starting point guard went down last season. At the time of Ball’s injury last January, Chicago had a 27-13 record; across parts of the two seasons since then, they’re just 45-56.
While Ball’s averages last season (13.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 5.1 APG) didn’t jump off the page, he was a strong contributor on defense and did a good job managing an offense that includes three talented scorers (Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic). He also helped spread the floor around those scorers by making 42.3% of his three-pointers.
The Bulls have rotated through multiple point guards this season, with Ayo Dosunmu and Alex Caruso both getting starts and Goran Dragic and Coby White also seeing some time at the position. Chicago just reached an agreement to sign another veteran point guard, Patrick Beverley, to help fill the void created by Ball’s absence.
Given how long Ball has been sidelined, at this point we’re just hoping to eventually see the talented 25-year-old back on the floor and looking like his old self. Ideally, that will happen next season, but we’ll have to wait for more details on his prognosis, including whether he’ll have to undergo any additional procedures.
Ball still has two years left on his contract with the Bulls beyond this season. He’s owed a guaranteed $20.5MM salary next season, with a $21.4MM player option for 2024/25.
Patrick Beverley: Decision Came Down To Bulls, Warriors
After reaching an agreement to sign with Chicago, veteran guard Patrick Beverley stated on the latest episode of his Pat Bev Podcast that his decision in free agency came down to the Bulls and Warriors.
“It was between Golden State and the Bulls,” he said. “The Bulls have been after me for the last couple years. I f–k with (Bulls head coach) Billy Donovan, I really do. I like his structure, I like how he goes about things. So I couldn’t say no to that.
“Obviously it’s always good to play with a lot of great talent in Golden State. But there’s a lot of guards over there, you know? So I figured I could make a playoff push with the Bulls right now and kind of pump them up a little bit. The East is kind of weak. Not to disrespect anybody in the East, but a lot of people went to the West (at the trade deadline).”
Beverley, who was born and raised in Chicago, said he dreamed of playing for the Bulls when he was a kid. He added that he’s thrilled by the opportunity to play for his hometown team while getting to spend time with family and take his kids to school.
“I get to rep my city on my chest, proudly,” Beverley said. “So if you think I went hard for other teams, just imagine how hard I’m gonna go for this one. I’m excited, my mom’s excited, my family’s excited, my friends are excited, I know the Bulls are excited. I just can’t wait to get s–t started, man.”
Beverley got off to a slow start this season with the Lakers, but had played better over the last couple months. Since December 9, he has averaged 7.9 points and 2.7 assists on .474/.424/.759 shooting in 27 games (27.3 MPG). Still, Los Angeles decided to send him to Orlando in a deadline-day trade for Mohamed Bamba and he subsequently reached a buyout agreement with the Magic.
Pointing out that the Bulls will play the Lakers twice next month, Beverley expressed a desire to knock his old team out of the playoff mix in the West. He also suggested that he believes he can help his new team finish strong.
“You know me, I impact winning,” he said. “I’m shooting 40 (percent on three-pointers) over the last couple months. I’m actually playing some of my best basketball. If you pull up the numbers, my numbers right now are better than my numbers in Minnesota last season.”
As for his discussions with the Warriors, Beverley said he spoke to front office executive Mike Dunleavy Jr. and was scheduled to talk to head coach Steve Kerr too, but made his decision to join the Bulls before that conversation with Kerr occurred. Based on Beverley’s comments, it’s unclear whether Golden State actually had an offer on the table for him or whether the two sides were still working to determine the fit.
“They kept it real with me, like, ‘We don’t want you to wait, Pat, if this is an opportunity you want to take, go ahead, we respect it, we know there’s a lot of teams after you,'” Beverley said. “So I felt like the Bulls were the best fit. I appreciate Golden State. I appreciate the opportunity that was there, if it was there. It worked out the way it was supposed to.”
Roster Moves Required Soon For Knicks, Hornets, Rockets, Jazz
The NBA’s rules require teams to carry a minimum of 14 players on their standard 15-man roster (not counting two-way contracts). However, teams are permitted to dip below 14 players for up to two weeks at a time, and that often happens around the trade deadline when clubs send out multiple players in a deal without acquiring as many in return.
Entering this week, there were six NBA teams who were carrying only 13 players on standard contracts. However, the Heat filled their two open roster spots by signing Kevin Love and Cody Zeller, while the Bucks are reportedly signing Meyers Leonard to a 10-day contract to be their 14th man (they’ll have to finalize that deal by Thursday).
That leaves four teams with roster moves to make in the coming days, as our roster counts page shows. Here’s the breakdown:
New York Knicks
The Knicks had a full 15-man roster heading into trade deadline day, but they sent out three players – Cam Reddish, Ryan Arcidiacono, and Svi Mykhailiuk – in the multi-team deal that landed Josh Hart in New York.
As a result, the Knicks have been carrying just 13 players on standard contracts since February 9 and will have until this Thursday to add at least one player to their roster. Two-way player DaQuan Jeffries has been mentioned as a candidate for a possible promotion.
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets didn’t make any mismatched trades at the February 9 deadline, but they already had one open roster spot at that time and created another when they bought out Reggie Jackson after acquiring him from the Clippers.
Since Jackson was officially waived on February 12, the Hornets’ two-week window to add a 14th man will close on Feb. 26, so they still have a few days to make a decision on that spot. Promoting a two-way player (Theo Maledon or Bryce McGowens) is one option for Charlotte, though the team could also target a free agent for either a 10-day or rest-of-season contract.
Houston Rockets
The Rockets made a series of cuts after the trade deadline passed, waiving John Wall and buying out Danny Green and Justin Holiday. They did sign Boban Marjanovic during that time as well, so they only have two openings on their roster, rather than three. But they’ll have to add a 14th man by February 27, two weeks after Holiday was officially cut.
Again, the Rockets could choose to promote a two-way player, but Darius Days or Trevor Hudgins have barely played at the NBA level this season, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Houston opt for a free agent or a G League call-up instead.
Utah Jazz
The Jazz had a full roster entering February 9, but traded four players for three in their deal with the Lakers and Timberwolves. They subsequently created two more roster openings by buying out Leandro Bolmaro (on Feb. 16) and Russell Westbrook (on Monday).
Because they first dipped below the 14-man minimum last Thursday, Utah will have until next Thursday (March 2) to add two players.
The 29-31 Jazz remain very much in the play-in mix, just a half-game behind the No. 10 Thunder, so it’s possible they could have interest in a veteran who could contribute immediately.
On the other hand, the Jazz’s deadline moves suggested management wasn’t focused on going all-out for a top-10 seed, so they may rather bring in young players they could develop — Utah could potentially sign those players to multiyear contracts that aren’t guaranteed beyond this season, allowing the team to take cheap fliers on a couple prospects.
[Note: The Jazz reached agreements to sign Frank Jackson and Kris Dunn to 10-day contracts a few hours after this story was published.]
Heat Sign Cody Zeller
FEBRUARY 20: The Heat have officially signed Zeller, the team tweets.
FEBRUARY 19: In addition to reaching an agreement to sign Kevin Love, the Heat plan to fortify their frontcourt depth by adding Cody Zeller to their 15-man roster, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press first reported (via Twitter) that Zeller was “targeting” signing with the Heat, after Michael Scotto of HoopsHype stated on Saturday that the veteran center had worked out for Miami.
The fourth overall pick in the 2013 draft, Zeller spent his first eight NBA seasons in Charlotte, then played for Portland in 2021/22. He had a limited role for the Blazers last season, averaging 5.2 PPG and 4.6 RPG in a career-low 13.1 minutes off the bench in 27 games before a right patellar avulsion fracture ended his season.
Zeller signed a non-guaranteed training camp deal with Utah this past September, but failed to earn a spot on the Jazz’s regular season roster and was waived at the end of the preseason. He has been seeking a new NBA home since then, having also worked out for the Lakers earlier in the season.
The Heat’s salary-dump trade of center Dewayne Dedmon prior to the deadline created some extra breathing room below the luxury tax for the organization, putting Miami in position to fill its 14th and 15th roster spots without becoming a taxpayer. The deal also thinned out the team’s frontcourt depth, so when the Heat went shopping on the buyout market following the deadline, they were said to be focusing on frontcourt players rather than guards.
Zeller will give Miami an experienced veteran option on the depth chart behind All-Star center Bam Adebayo. Omer Yurtseven, Orlando Robinson, and Udonis Haslem are also in the mix at the five, but Yurtseven is coming off ankle surgery and hasn’t played at all this season, Robinson is on a two-way contract and is nearing his games-played limit, and Haslem hasn’t played regular minutes for the last few years.
Assuming Love and Zeller both officially sign, as expected, the Heat would have a full 15-man roster, leaving no room for Robinson to get a promotion or Jamaree Bouyea to get another 10-day deal unless another player is waived.
We’ll see how that situation plays out, but if Robinson isn’t in the franchise’s plans going forward, Miami could cut him when he reaches his games-played limit, then bring back Bouyea to a two-way contract.
Kevin Love Signs With Heat
FEBRUARY 20: Love has officially signed with the Heat, the team announced (via Twitter).
FEBRUARY 19: Veteran forward Kevin Love intends to sign with the Heat after he clears waivers, agent Jeff Schwartz has confirmed to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Miami had been considered the frontrunner to sign Love after he completed a buyout agreement with the Cavaliers on Saturday. However, reports at the time indicated that he hadn’t yet made a final decision, with Wojnarowski noting that the 34-year-old still wanted to meet with the Sixers. Now, following that conversation with Philadelphia, it appears Love has made up his mind (Twitter link).
The Heat were viewed as a logical landing spot for Love because they can offer him the ability to play a key role right away. Miami has been on the lookout for power forward help for months, following P.J. Tucker‘s exit in free agency last summer. Caleb Martin has been the de facto starter at that spot for much of the season, but the 6’5″ wing lacks the size to match up with stronger, more physical fours.
Love, who fell out of the rotation in Cleveland last month and played his last game as a Cavalier on January 24, can’t replicate what Tucker did for the Heat last season, since he’s not as stout or as versatile defensively. But the five-time All-Star will bring some size, scoring, and rebounding to a Miami team that ranks 26th in the NBA in offensive rating (111.1) and 27th in rebounds per game (41.4) at the All-Star break.
Love’s averages of 8.5 PPG and 6.8 RPG on .389/.354/.889 shooting in 41 games (20.0 MPG) for the Cavs this season are somewhat underwhelming, but he put up 13.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and a .430/.392/.838 shooting line in a similar role (22.5 MPG) across 74 appearances for Cleveland last season.
The Heat won’t have to make a corresponding roster move to sign Love, since they have two open spots on their 15-man roster following the expiration of Jamaree Bouyea‘s 10-day deal with the team. Even after signing Love, Miami will have one more opening to either bring back Bouyea on another 10-day contract, promote Orlando Robinson from his two-way deal, or sign someone else.
According to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link), Cody Zeller – who recently worked out for the Heat – has emerged as a strong candidate to fill that final open roster spot.
Having been officially waived on Saturday, Love will clear waivers on Monday, so the Heat are in position to sign him before their season resumes on Friday in Milwaukee. Miami has a portion of its mid-level exception and its full bi-annual exception available, giving the club the ability to offer Love more than the veteran’s minimum, but the terms of his deal haven’t yet been reported.
In addition to Miami and Philadelphia, the Suns and Lakers were among the other teams believed to have some level of interest in Love.