Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Heat Notes: Whiteside, Durant, Spoelstra

January 11th, 2017 at 7:48pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Hassan Whiteside said he doesn’t pay attention to the rumors and trade speculation surrounding his name, as Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel relays. “If I pay attention to it, I wouldn’t be back in the league. There’s all kind of rumors. A lot of people said a lot of things to keep me from being back in the league,” Whiteside said.

It was previously reported that no member of the Heat was off-limits in trade talks, but on Tuesday, a team spokesman shot down that report.

Here’s more from Miami:

Dealing Whiteside just six months after signing him to a four-year, $98MM contract would be troublesome for the franchise, Winderman argues in his weekly mailbag. Part of the value in retaining Whiteside was not letting an asset leave without getting anything back in return, Winderman adds before stressing that the team should be patient when evaluating possible trades.
If Whiteside is going to be the team’s franchise player, he needs to be more consistent, Winderman writes in the same piece. The scribe calls for more performances like the one against the Warriors on Tuesday, where the center pulled down 20 rebounds and scored 28 points.
The Heat always thought they had a chance to sign Kevin Durant in free agency up until the 2013/14 MVP signed with the Warriors, Winderman writes in a separate piece. “We’re all wired to think that we always have a chance,” coach Erik Spoelstra said of the Heat. Spoelstra added that he was impressed with how Durant handled himself when the small-forward met with the team over the summer. “Big fan before I met him. That was the only time I had ever met him. Bigger fan after that, even after he chose Golden State,” he said of Durant.

Heat Open To Dealing Hassan Whiteside?

January 10th, 2017 at 10:14pm CST by ChrisCrouse

10:14 pm: A team spokesperson denies the ESPN report, telling Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link) that the center is not available in trade talks.

9:45 pm: No player on the Heat is untouchable in trade talks, including Hassan Whiteside, Zach Lowe reports in his latest podcast. Lowe added that he believes the team is “open for business” regarding its willingness to shake things up.

It was previously reported that there’s a growing sense that the franchise will seriously explore moving Goran Dragic and other veterans prior to the deadline. However, Marc Stein of ESPN reported last week that the asking price for the point guard remains “too high to encourage any serious trade discussions.”

Whiteside signed a four-year, $98MM deal with Miami over the offseason and despite putting up impressive stats, he hasn’t been able to elevate the team in the win column. It remains to be seen what the team would want in return for the 27-year-old, though I speculate it would take at least an unprotected first-round pick or a promising player on a rookie deal to pry him from South Beach. The Blazers and Mavs were among the teams to show interest in the big man during free agency.

Miami currently owns the second spot in our Reverse Standings, which means if the season ended today, the franchise would have a 19.9% chance at the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. The Heat are in good position to angle for that top pick by executing a tanking strategy, though there has been no indication that they plan on taking that route at this time.

Heat Notes: Richardson, Dragic, Reed, Winslow

January 8th, 2017 at 10:58am CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat are starting to focus on the future as this season continues to unravel, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Dwyane Wade‘s departure for Chicago and Chris Bosh‘s ongoing battle with blood clots robbed Miami of two huge talents. On top of that, second-year forward Justise Winslow is out for the year after shoulder surgery and veteran big man Josh McRoberts is sidelined indefinitely with a foot problem. While this appears to be a lost season, Miami is in position to rebuild quickly. At 11-27 and third in our Reverse Standings, the Heat will have a high draft pick this summer. The final two seasons of Bosh’s contract will probably be cleared away by a medical hardship, making Miami a player on the free agent market again. “It’s a competitive league and everybody wants to be that last team, but who has a coherent plan? Who’s committed to that plan? Who’s disciplined for that plan when there’s a lot of noise and it’s not necessarily getting the results that you want?” said coach Eric Spoelstra. “We’re able to see great promise, hope, and progress with this team. If you know anything about our organization, we have a plan.”

There’s more news out of Miami:

An MRI performed Saturday on guard Josh Richardson‘s left ankle was negative and he is listed as day-to-day, according to Manny Navarro of The Miami Herald. Center Hassan Whiteside, who has missed four games with a bruised retina, is expected back today.
Willie Reed made an impression on Spoelstra with his play during Whiteside’s absence, Navarro writes in the same piece. The performance of the second-year center, who signed with Miami over the summer, “definitely earned him more minutes, more opportunities,” Spoelstra said.
If the Heat are able to get two draft picks for point guard Goran Dragic, one may come well in the future, speculates Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. A scout told Winderman the Heat are unlikely to get a pick anywhere near the top of this year’s lottery by dealing Dragic.
Miami shouldn’t hesitate to pick up Winslow’s $3.5 million rookie-scale salary for 2018-19, Winderman argues in a separate column. He notes that Winslow, the 10th pick in the 2015 draft, will only be 21 when training camp opens, and although he is coming off a poor shooting season he can contribute as a rebounder, defender and playmaker.

Stein: Asking Price For Dragic Too High For Serious Trade Talks

January 7th, 2017 at 12:53pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat‘s asking price for Goran Dragic remains “too high to encourage any serious trade discussions,” according to Stein.

[SOURCE LINK]

Heat Apply For Disabled Player Exception

January 6th, 2017 at 4:14pm CST by Austin Kent

The Heat have applied for a disabled player exception in light of the recent injury to forward Justise Winslow, tweets Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald. The news comes on the heels of Winslow’s successful but presumably season-ending procedure to repair a torn labrum that he suffered last week.

Although the surgery went well according to a release published on the team’s website, the club will look to add an extra body heading into the second half of the season. Teams have until January 15 to apply for one of the disabled player exceptions and if approved are free to sign a replacement player making up to either 50% of the injured player’s salary or the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, whichever is lower.

In Miami’s case, should the application be granted, they’ll be free to sign somebody worth up to approximately $1.3MM due to Winslow’s $2.6MM deal without it using up cap space. Though not applicable in this scenario, the non-taxpayer mid-level exception for 2016-17 is $5.6MM.

The Heat are currently down a roster spot already considering that Chris Bosh has yet to be medically cleared to play for the team. In Bosh’s case, the Heat retain the option to apply for a disabled player exception worth the full non-taxpayer MLE, but appear instead to be holding onto Bosh with the intent of waiving him and potentially clearing his contract from their books altogether. More on Bosh’s contract situation in this October feature by USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt.

With Winslow out, one potential replacement that has been mentioned by The Palm Beach Post’s Anthony Chiang is Briante Weber. Weber has thrived this season with Miami’s D-League affiliate and was one of the last cut from the team after training camp. As of Thursday, Chiang notes, teams have been eligible to sign players to 10-day contracts.

Salary information from HoopsHype was used in this report.

Heat Notes: Dragic, Bosh, Roster, Waiters

January 5th, 2017 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat already owned the NBA’s third-worst record, and announced on Wednesday that they will likely be without forward Justise Winslow for the rest of the season. While the team looks like a prime tanking candidate, don’t tell that to Erik Spoelstra, who tells Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel that Miami remains focused on winning games.

“We’re always going to play our games to win,” said the Heat head coach. “It’s been tough to be in this situation right now. But we’re developing. Guys are getting better. The team is progressing and that’s all we’re focusing on right now. The mentality won’t change.”

With so many young players on their roster, the Heat could engage in a sort of “natural” tank this season, leaning heavily on those young players who might not be ready to lead the club to many victories. However, Spoelstra added that he doesn’t intend to play anyone based on anything “other than merit, and earning it.”

Here’s more from out of Miami:

Heat sources have suggested to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders that the idea of rebuilding around Goran Dragic has some appeal. However, Kyler adds that there’s a “growing sense” that Miami will seriously explore the idea of moving Dragic and other veteran players on expiring deals prior to the trade deadline.
Appearing on a panel at a conference in Las Vegas, Chris Bosh admitted that he’d getting a “taste of retirement” this year, though he didn’t suggest he has given up on the idea of making a comeback. Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (via NBA.com) has the details and the quotes from Bosh.
Although the Heat have three players on their roster – Winslow, Bosh, and Josh McRoberts – who might be out for the rest of the 2016/17 season, the team isn’t eligible for the hardship exception to add a 16th player, as Winderman explains in a Sun Sentinel story.
With Dion Waiters back in action for the Heat after missing 20 games with a groin injury, the team will have to determine how he fits in the rotation, Winderman writes in another Sun Sentinel piece. Waiters is eligible to opt out of his contract and return to the free agent market in 2017, so it’s possible Miami will look to move him prior to February’s trade deadline.

Justise Winslow Likely Out For Season

January 4th, 2017 at 9:03pm CST by Austin Kent

Heat sophomore Justise Winslow will probably miss the rest of the 2016/17 season, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. The versatile forward injured his shoulder tangling with Al Horford on Friday and will undergo what’s presumed to be season-ending surgery this Thursday.

The news that Winslow had in fact torn his labrum was announced by head coach Erik Spoelstra prior to Miami’s tilt with the Kings on Wednesday.

Winslow had missed the last two games with what the team had listed generically as a “right shoulder injury.” Earlier in the season he missed 16 games with a wrist injury that was said to potentially warrant surgery in its own right.

In 18 games with the Heat this season, Winslow has averaged 10.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, up from 6.4, 5.2 and 1.5 respectively in his rookie year.

Heat Notes: Richardson, Draft, McGruder

January 4th, 2017 at 10:19am CST by Luke Adams

Thursday is the first day that NBA teams can sign players to 10-day contracts this season, and it’s a tool that the Heat have used frequently in the past, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. For now though, Miami remains in “roster gridlock,” with the maximum 15 players under contract. It’s unlikely that all 15 of those players will finish the season with the Heat, but the team will be in no rush to cut ties with veterans, since their contracts might be required to make trades work at the trade deadline. After the deadline passes in late February, Miami will likely be more inclined to take fliers on players on 10-day contracts.

Here’s more on the Heat:

The NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement will impact a number of Heat players on rookie contracts or minimum salary deals, giving them a salary bump beginning in 2017/18, Winderman notes in a piece for The Sun Sentinel. That’s welcome news for players affected by the change, such as Josh Richardson. “I was excited,” Richardson said. “Any time you say more money to a young fellow like us, I’m like, ‘Oh, yeah,’ I’m going to jump all over that. They told me I was going to be getting paid a little bit more and I was like, ‘Sounds great to me. I’m going to go to the gym right now.'”
With the Heat projected to land a lottery pick of their own for 2017, one of Winderman’s readers wonders if the team could go all-in on the draft, trading Goran Dragic in a deal that secures another top pick. However, Winderman is skeptical that Pat Riley would lean too heavily on the draft – which would likely mean adding multiple teenagers to the roster – when the Heat president prefers a rapid rebuild.
In a separate mailbag, Winderman explores whether a reunion with Mario Chalmers could be in the cards for the Heat, and discusses the impact that Rodney McGruder has had on the team. McGruder is on a non-guaranteed deal, but appears to be in little danger of losing his roster spot before the upcoming salary guarantee deadline.
Chris Crouse of Hoops Rumors took an extended look at Tyler Johnson‘s fantasy basketball value in his weekly Fantasy Hoops feature on Tuesday night.

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Miami Heat

Reed's Increased Role Could Impact Free Agency

January 2nd, 2017 at 8:31pm CST by Austin Kent

Heat big man Willie Reed has seen his role increase with Hassan Whiteside out nursing an eye injury and the sophomore’s yeoman-like play could very well earn him a spot in the team’s long term plans. This summer, with the salary cap slated to rise dramatically, Reed could opt out of his player option for $1.6M and look to cash in.

Such a decision, coupled with Josh McRoberts‘ player option for $6M and Dion Waiters‘ for $3M, could factor heavily into how the Heat approach the offseason. As Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes, clearing cap space is a top priority for the club given the Chris Bosh situation, and the time is fast approaching that Pat Riley and company “accept the reality that the long view might be the only remaining perspective for this season.”

In 11.9 minutes per game for the Heat, Reed has averaged 3.9 points and 4.0 rebounds, figures that translate to 12.2 and 12.5 per 36, respectively.

Head coach Erik Spoelstra signed a contract extension to remain with the Heat last week and Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders has written about just how important continuity can be in NBA clubhouses. Spoelstra is already the second-longest tenured coach in the league behind only Gregg Popovich.

Latest On Paul Millsap

January 2nd, 2017 at 1:35pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s 2017 rumor mill got off to an interesting start on Sunday, with an ESPN report suggesting that the Hawks are listening to offers on Paul Millsap, among other players. Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution takes a closer look at that report today, noting that Atlanta is indeed doing its due diligence on Millsap, along with Kyle Korver, Thabo Sefolosha, Tiago Splitter, and Kris Humphries. However, just because the team is willing to listen, that doesn’t mean a deal is imminent or even likely. Atlanta hasn’t put Millsap on the trade block, per Vivlamore.

Vivlamore also addressed a separate report from ESPN, which indicated that Millsap has already decided to opt out of his contract and become a free agent in 2017. That report is simply “not true,” according to Vivlamore, who heard from a source on Sunday that no decision has been made on that front. It’s certainly likely that Millsap will turn down his player option and explore the open market, but a serious injury or another unexpected factor could impact that decision, Vivlamore writes.

Here’s more on Millsap, as rumors begin to swirl in Atlanta:

The Hawks‘ asking price for Millsap will be high, and will likely outweigh what suitors are willing to give up for a player on an expiring contract, says Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (Twitter links). Kyler expects there to be plenty of trade talk surrounding Hawks players like Millsap and Korver, but he isn’t anticipating a ton of action by the deadline.
Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders identifies the Raptors, Trail Blazers, and Nuggets as a few teams that would make sense as trade partners for Atlanta if the Hawks get serious about moving Millsap.
Within his latest mailbag, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel discusses the possibility of the Heat making a play for Millsap via trade or free agency.