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Latest On Dwyane Wade

September 6th, 2017 at 6:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

Dwyane Wade feels misled by the Bulls and hasn’t talked with anyone from the front office for two months, writes Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype. Those strained feelings have led to rumors of an impending buyout and the possibility that Wade might be headed to Cleveland, Los Angeles or Miami.

Sources tell Kennedy that Wade asked management for assurances that Chicago would have a competitive team next season before deciding to opt in for $23.8MM. The front office promised him it would, so Wade announced June 21 that he will stay for another year. The next day, the Bulls traded Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves and signaled the start of a rebuilding process.

At 35, Wade doesn’t have a lot of years left in the league and he doesn’t want to waste a season playing for a lottery team. Kennedy states Wade’s only discussions with the organization since the deal were with coach Fred Hoiberg and didn’t involve anything related to the team.

Several recent stories in the national media have been negative toward Wade, which Kennedy speculates is the Bulls’ way of angering him so he might be willing to accept less in a buyout just to get out of Chicago. A recent report from ESPN suggested the Bulls’ younger players don’t like having Wade as a teammate. A Fox Sports story claimed Wade and Butler had a strained relationship, which Butler denies.

Even if a breakup is imminent, all public comments from the Bulls’ front office have indicated Wade is staying with the team. Kennedy adds that Wade is preparing to report to training camp if a buyout doesn’t happen in the next three weeks.

A source tells Kennedy the Cavaliers and Heat are the most likely destinations for Wade once a buyout is completed. If he does go to Cleveland, he will probably become a starter, with J.R. Smith being moved to a reserve role. The Cavs see a Wade addition as a way to improve their roster and appease LeBron James before he enters free agency next summer.

Wade recently took his children out of school in Chicago and moved them back to Miami, but Kennedy warns not to read too much into the move. Wade and Heat president Pat Riley have barely communicated since their 2016 breakup, and Wade wouldn’t be guaranteed a starting spot in Miami. Other teams, such as the Nuggets and Bucks, who both tried to sign Wade last summer, could also get involved.

Heat Sign Larry Drew II

September 5th, 2017 at 9:01pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Heat announced the signing of guard Larry Drew II on Tuesday. This marks the third time in five seasons that Miami will bring the UCLA product to training camp.

Drew, 27, won a gold medal earlier this month as a member of the United States squad at 2017 FIBA AmeriCup. The 6’2″ guard averaged 4.6 PPG, 5.0 APG, and 2.0 RPG in almost 19.5 minutes per contest. In recent years, Drew has played internationally for teams in both Lithuania and Puerto Rico.

Two seasons ago, Drew made 12 appearances for the 2014/15 Sixers team, averaging 3.8 PPG and 3.8 APG in 18.3 minutes per game.

Entering 2017/18, Drew has significant experience in the G League, where he has played in 96 games (all with the Sioux Falls Skyforce) while averaging 10.8 PPG, 7.8 APG, and 3.4 RPG while shooting nearly 48% from the field.

Heat Notes: Richardson, Olynyk, Ellington

September 5th, 2017 at 4:59pm CST by Austin Kent

A pair of Heat forwards who spent much of the 2016/17 campaign on the sidelines will be competing hard for a starting role, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. Expect Josh Richardson to put up a fight for a shot at the three, while Dion Waiters fills in at shooting guard.

Of course Richardson’s path on the depth chart is blocked by Justise Winslow, another individual expected to compete like crazy for the role, and to an extent, Rodney McGruder.

Last season Richardson averaged 10.2 points per game while Winslow added 10.9 of his own. In addition to modest offense both players provide length and versatility.

“Wherever [Erik Spoelstra] wants to take this positionless game, it can be real small, with him playing five on down to three point guards with Justise at four [or three bigs],” team president Pat Riley said.

There’s more out of Miami this evening:

A Boston beat writer isn’t all that impressed with some of the contracts on Miami’s payroll but A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England does add that the addition of sharpshooting Kelly Olynyk could bode well for the Heat considering Hassan Whiteside‘s lack of an outside game.
The Heat have gotten flak from fans for taking Justise Winslow ahead of Devin Booker in the 2015 NBA Draft but Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel reminds readers that there isn’t much point to looking back on such situations in hindsight, especially considering the club had Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on board at the time as well.
The Heat were fortunate to have Wayne Ellington step up and play a significant part in their turnaround last season but the forward could see his role decrease slightly considering that Josh Richardson and Justise Winslow are expected to be back at full health, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes.

Dwyane Wade To Consider Miami, L.A. If Bought Out?

September 4th, 2017 at 8:52pm CST by Luke Adams

Dwyane Wade remains under contract with the Bulls for 2017/18 and appears virtually certain to open the year with the club, but he’s also considered a strong bet to be bought out at some point during the season. If and when that happens, Miami and Los Angeles are among Wade’s possible landing spots, says Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.

According to Jackson, a Wade associate has been telling people that Miami and L.A. would appeal to the veteran guard. The Herald scribe adds that this same source was the first to inform him of trouble in contract negotiations between Wade and the Heat before the former Finals MVP left Miami as a free agent.

A return to the Heat certainly wouldn’t be out of left field for Wade — despite a breakdown in contract talks last summer, he still has a good relationship with Udonis Haslem and others within the organization. Wade’s children are also currently enrolled at a South Florida school, Jackson notes, citing WINZ-940’s Andy Slater.

As for Los Angeles, Jackson doesn’t specify whether Wade would have his eye on the Clippers or Lakers, but the Clips figure to be closer to contention this year, even without Chris Paul. The Lakers may become a more viable option for Wade in future seasons, particularly if the team could land LeBron James or another marquee free agent.

In addition to Miami and Los Angeles, Cleveland is considered a very real possibility for Wade, and the Cavaliers may still be the favorite if and when the Bulls buy him out. However, as Jackson’s report suggests, the Cavs won’t be the only team in the mix.

So far, Wade and the Bulls reportedly haven’t engaged in discussions about a buyout, though that’s expected to change in the coming months.

Haslem Wants To Retire With Wade

September 3rd, 2017 at 2:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Heat forward Udonis Haslem remains hopeful that Dwyane Wade will return to Miami so that they can finish out their careers together, Tom D’Angelo of the Palm Beach Post reports. Haslem, 37, re-signed with the Heat in July on a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal. He previously expressed his desire to reunite with Wade and reiterated those feelings to D’Angelo. “We talked about finishing our careers together,” Haslem said. “We really want it to be the case. Plans change. So if it doesn’t happen it doesn’t put any strain on our relationship but it’s still a goal of mine. Hopefully we can end it that way.” That won’t happen unless Wade eventually reaches a buyout agreement with the Bulls. Wade opted in for the upcoming season in June, unwilling to leave $23.8MM on the table even though Chicago is in a rebuild mode after trading away Jimmy Butler.

Heat Roster May Change Throughout Camp

September 2nd, 2017 at 8:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Expect the Heat to make roster moves well into training camp to maximize their flexibility, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. The team will probably follow the same pattern it did last year when Keith Benson and Stefan Jankovic stayed with the team for most of camp before being replaced by Vashil Fernandez and Luis Montero. All four players wound up with the team’s G League affiliate in Sioux Falls.

Heat GM Andy Elisburg explains that teams have to be aware of building a 10-man G League team at the same time as the 15-man NBA roster. That process is complicated this year by the creation of two-way contracts for players who remain under team control in the G League and are limited to 45 days with the NBA club. “I think you’re going to see signings up to training camp,” Elisburg said. “You’re going to see signings throughout training camp. You’re going to see signings the last week or two of training camp, maybe last day or two of the preseason, of players who will be joining the roster, who will be probably working their way to various developmental-league teams.”

The Heat might be reluctant to pursue any of the veteran free agents still on the market, Winderman writes in a separate piece. In response to a reader’s letter suggesting Tony Allen, Beno Udrih, Deron Williams, David Lee, Mike Dunleavy or Boris Diaw, Winderman explains that Miami already has a full complement of players with guaranteed contracts, and adding another would likely lead to getting rid of Okaro White, who has a partial guarantee, or A.J. Hammons, who is fully guaranteed at the minimum salary.

Heat Didn't Put Team On Hold For 2018 Flexibility

August 31st, 2017 at 3:29pm CST by Austin Kent

The Heat committed to maintaining their core and culture this offseason even though it limited flexibility they may have had next summer when LeBron James and Paul George hit free agency. Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel writes that the club didn’t put their club on hold for the chance at a superstar, adding that the roster is full of tradable contracts if Pat Riley does, in fact, look to carve out some cap room.

NBA Draft Rights Held: Southeast Division

August 30th, 2017 at 11:41am CST by Luke Adams

When top college prospects like Markelle Fultz or Lonzo Ball are drafted, there’s virtually no doubt that their next step will involve signing an NBA contract. However, that’s not the case for every player who is selected in the NBA draft, particularly for international prospects and second-round picks.

When an NBA team uses a draft pick on a player, it gains his NBA rights, but that doesn’t mean the player will sign an NBA contract right away. International prospects will often remain with their professional team overseas for at least one more year to develop their game further, becoming “draft-and-stash” prospects. Nikola Mirotic, Dario Saric, and Bogdan Bogdanovic are among the more notable players to fit this bill in recent years.

However, draft-and-stash players can be former NCAA standouts too. Sometimes a college prospect selected with a late second round pick will end up playing overseas or in the G League for a year or two if there’s no space available on his NBA team’s 15-man roster.

While these players sometimes make their way to their NBA teams, others never do. Many clubs around the NBA currently hold the rights to international players who have remained overseas for their entire professional careers and are no longer viewed as top prospects. Those players may never come stateside, but there’s often no reason for NBA teams to renounce their rights — those rights can sometimes be used as placeholders in trades.

For instance, earlier this summer, the Pacers and Raptors agreed to a trade that sent Cory Joseph to Indiana. Toronto was happy to move Joseph’s salary and didn’t necessarily need anything in return, but the Pacers had to send something in the deal. Rather than including an NBA player or a draft pick, Indiana sent Toronto the draft rights to Emir Preldzic, the 57th overall pick in the 2009 draft.

Preldzic is currently playing for Galatasaray in Turkey, and at this point appears unlikely to ever come to the NBA, but his draft rights have been a useful trade chip over the years — the Pacers/Raptors swap represented the fourth time since 2010 that Preldzic’s NBA rights have been included in a trade.

This week, we’re taking a closer look at the players whose draft rights NBA teams currently hold, sorting them by division. These players may eventually arrive in America and join their respective NBA teams, but many will end up like Preldzic, plying their trade overseas and having their draft rights used as pawns in NBA trades.

Here’s a breakdown of the draft rights held by Southeast teams:

Atlanta Hawks

Augusto Binelli, C (1986; No. 40): Retired.
Alain Digbeu, F (1997; No. 49): Retired.
Marcus Eriksson, G/F (2015; No. 50): Playing in Spain.
Isaia Cordinier, G (2016; No. 44): Playing in France.
Alpha Kaba, C (2017; No. 60): Playing in France.

Charlotte Hornets

None

Miami Heat

George Banks, F (1995; No. 46): Retired.
Robert Duenas, C (1997; No. 57): Retired.

Orlando Magic

Rashard Griffith, C (1995; No. 38): Retired.
Remon van de Hare, C (2003; No. 52): Retired.
Fran Vazquez, C (2005; No. 11): Playing in Spain.
Janis Timma, F (2013; No. 60): Playing in Spain.
Tyler Harvey, G (2015; No. 51): Playing in France.

Washington Wizards

Aaron White, F (2015; No. 49): Playing in Lithuania.

Previously:

Information from Mark Porcaro and Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post.

Goran Dragic To Retire From Slovenian Team

August 27th, 2017 at 8:01pm CST by Austin Kent

This will be Goran Dragic‘s last stint with the Slovenian national team, Niki Lupo of Sportando writes. The 31-year-old Heat guard tweeted that he’ll be done with the program following Eurobasket 2017.

Kevin Durant Discusses Rival Teams’ Offseason Moves

August 27th, 2017 at 3:44pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The NBA had one of its most unpredictable offseasons in recent memory and Kevin Durant, who joined the Warriors last offseason before re-signing with them this summer, believes Golden State’s moves have caused other teams to be more active. Durant was particularly impressed with the Rockets’ acquisition of Chris Paul, as he tells The Ringer’s Bill Simmons.

“I think it was a great move,” Durant said. “You put two guys together that — crafty with the ball like that — they’re going to get everybody shots, and they’re going to get each other shots, so it was a ballsy move to pull off by [Daryl] Morey. And I don’t think nobody would have thought to do that, because especially when you’ve got James, who basically plays your point guard, you really have to have some type of clarity when you’re making a decision like that. Because it’s just like, you played well last year, but this — he cannot sustain this. You gotta know that. You can’t; just look at the numbers. So you can tell that he’s actually seeing some stuff within this team. He’s paying attention.”

The move gives James Harden, who played alongside Durant for three seasons, an opportunity to play alongside a future Hall of Famer and it gives the team an opportunity to compete with the Warriors this season. Harden isn’t the only former teammate of Durant’s who received help this summer, as Oklahoma City added Paul George from the Pacers. According to Durant, Indiana made a foolish trade.

“[The trade] was shocking because Indiana just gave him away,” Durant said before adding that he envisions George playing significant minutes at the four spot this season. The 2013/14 continued to discuss OKC, telling Simmons that his former team needs one more addition. “They need another wing,” Durant opined.

Durant went on to talk about another one of his former teammates—Dion Waiters. The 2013/14 MVP believes Waiters, who re-signed with Miami on a four-year, $52MM deal this summer, could have received an even larger deal had the shooting guard been more dedicated earlier in his career. Waiters previously discussed how he didn’t get in “world-class shape” until he inked a deal with the Heat last offseason.