Zach Auguste Will Play On Summer-League Squad
- Forwards Zach Auguste and Norvel Pelle will play on the Heat’s summer league team, Keith Smith of RealGM tweets. The 6’10” Auguste played in the Turkish league last season after the Lakers cut him during training camp. The former Notre Dame forward also played on the Lakers’ summer league team. The 6’11’ Pelle played on the Heat’s summer league squad last season.
Pre-Draft Workouts: Hart, Smith Jr., Kennard, Adebayo
It’s that time of the summer, days until the NBA draft, when your favorite team is doing its due diligence and working out every prospect and his brother. Here is the latest in pre-draft workout news:
- Josh Hart (Villanova) worked out for the 76ers on Thursday and did not shoot well, tweets Adam Zagoria. Hart worked out for the Hawks on Friday and will also audition for the Spurs and Suns.
- In addition to Hart, the Hawks auditioned five other players on Friday: Matt Jones (Duke), Peter Jok (Iowa), Jaron Blossomgame (Clemson), Caleb Swanigan (Purdue), and Amile Jefferson (Duke), per the team’s official site.
- Jefferson is also set to work out for the 76ers on Monday, per Keith Pompey of Philly.com (link via Twitter).
- Tony Bradley (North Carolina) worked out for the Hornets on Friday and was also set to put his skills on display for the Heat and Nets, tweets Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer.
- On Thursday, the Heat worked out Dwayne Bacon (Florida State) and TJ Leaf (UCLA) in consideration of their 14th overall pick. The following players also worked out for Miami and are being considered in the second round and/or as undrafted free agents: V.J. Beachem (Notre Dame), PJ Dozier (South Carolina), James Blackmon (Indiana), Marc Loving (Ohio State), Sterling Brown (SMU), Billy Garrett Jr. (DePaul), and Jabari Bird (Cal), reports Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.
- The Celtics have scheduled a pre-draft meeting with Dennis Smith Jr. (North Carolina State), according to Ian Begley of ESPN.com. Begley notes that, even if Boston traded down to No. 3, it would be a shock if Smith was drafted so high. He is projected to be a Top-10 pick, but not Top-3.
- On Sunday, the Hornets will hold their seventh pre-draft workout, featuring two college standouts who played in the state of North Carolina: Luke Kennard (Duke) and Justin Jackson (UNC). Rounding out the group are Bam Adebayo (Kentucky), Troy Caupain (Cincinnati), Tim Kempton Jr. (Lehigh), and Rodney Purvis (Connecticut), per the team’s official website.
Heat Attending Dennis Smith Jr.'s Pro Day
- Point guard prospect Dennis Smith Jr. will have a Pro Day today, according to Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders, who tweets that the Timberwolves, Knicks, Mavericks, Hornets, Pistons, and Heat will be in attendance.
Draft Notes: Josh Jackson, Fultz, Smith Jr., Heat
Kansas forward Josh Jackson paid a visit to Kings today, but didn’t go through a workout, tweets Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee. Jackson is expected to be one of the first players selected next week and probably won’t be around for Sacramento’s pick at No. 5. There have been rumors that the Kings would like to move up, but a report today said they aren’t willing to give the Sixers the fifth and 10th picks to get No. 3.
There’s more from a full day of draft workouts:
- Washington’s Markelle Fultz, projected as the top pick, has decided not to visit the Kings, according to Voisin (Twitter link).
- Paolo Uggetti of The Ringer examines which top three team might have given Jackson a guarantee. A report Monday by John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 suggested that either the Celtics, Lakers or Sixers has promised to take Jackson if he’s still on the board when their pick comes up. Jackson canceled a workout this week with Boston and agreed to a second session in L.A.
- Along with a second workout for Lonzo Ball, the Lakers will audition six other players on Friday, tweets Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News. Their names have not been released.
- North Carolina State’s Dennis Smith Jr. may be in danger of slipping on draft night, tweets Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. However, some members of Philadelphia’s front office are intrigued by Smith and the team may trade down to get him, posts Ian Begley on ESPN Now.
- UCLA’s T.J. Leaf will visit Miami on Thursday to work out for the Heat, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. The Heat see him as a stretch four who can hit 3-pointers and rebound and will give him serious consideration with their No. 14 pick, Jackson adds.
- Duke’s Harry Giles canceled a workout with the Heat that was scheduled for Thursday, Jackson relays in the same story.
- Kentucky’s Bam Adebayo will be part of a group workout for the Nuggets on Friday, tweets Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders.
- The Nuggets will host six players Thursday, the team announced in an email. Participating will be Florida’s Canyon Barry, Air Force’s Hayden Graham, Miami’s Kamari Murphy, Baylor’s Johnathan Motley, Arizona’s Kobi Simmons and Gonzaga’s Nigel Williams-Goss.
- Wisconsin’s Bronson Koenig, who has upcoming sessions with the Lakers and Warriors, is impressing teams with his shooting, Scotto relays (Twitter link).
- Creighton’s Cole Huff has workouts set for the Celtics on Thursday and the Lakers on Monday, tweets Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.
- North Carolina’s Justin Jackson has workouts lined up with the Knicks, Hornets, Bucks and Trail Blazers, according to Begley.
- Jackson will be part of a Pacers workout Thursday, along with Clemson’s Jaron Blossomgame, Houston’s Damyean Dotson, Marquette’s Luke Fischer, Vanderbilt’s Luke Kornet and Louisville’s Donovan Mitchell, the team announced on its website.
- Northeastern’s T.J. Williams has an upcoming workout with the Knicks and has already auditioned for the Jazz, Lakers, Clippers, Timberwolves and Raptors, Begley writes in a separate piece.
- Iowa’s Peter Jok, IUPUI’s Darell Combs, Syracuse’s Andrew White III, Connecticut’s Amida Brimah, Siena’s Marquis Wright and Lehigh’s Tim Kempton Jr. will work out Thursday for the Wizards, the team announced on its official blog.
- The Hawks hosted six players for a workout earlier today, according to the team. Participants were Kempton, California’s Jabari Bird, Loyola-Chicago’s Milton Doyle, Gonzaga’s Przemek Karnowski, Middle Tennessee State’s Reggie Upshaw and Colorado’s Derrick White.
- Six players worked out today for the Jazz, the team tweeted. On hand were Indiana’s James Blackmon, Dayton’s Charles Cooke, Weber State’s Jeremy Senglin, Eastern Washington’s Jake Wiley, Alabama’s Jimmie Taylor and Texas A&M CC’s Rashawn Thomas.
Woj: Heat Could Enter CP3 Sweepstakes If He Leaves LAC
As for the Clippers, Wojnarowski doesn’t see a scenario in which the club is able to bring back Griffin, Chris Paul, and J.J. Redick. And while Redick is probably the most likely of the three to change teams, Woj thinks there’s a “real chance” the Clippers would move on from from Paul if the two sides can’t come to a quick agreement when free agency begins. Wojnarowski names the Spurs, Heat, Lakers, and Rockets as teams that could get involved in the CP3 sweepstakes if the veteran point guard seriously considers leaving the Clips.
CSKA Moscow Attempting To Retain Milos Teodosic
Euroleague star Milos Teodosic said way back in September 2016 that he was looking forward to exploring his NBA opportunities in the summer of 2017, but his current team won’t let him go without a fight. According to Nikos Varlas of Eurohoops, CSKA Moscow is offering Teodosic a new three-year contract worth 12 million euros.
In 29 Euroleague games this season, Teodosic averaged 16.1 PPG and a team-high 6.8 APG while making 38.1% of his three-point attempts. His play helped CSKA Moscow earn a VTB League championship and a spot in the Euroleague Final Four, where the team finished third behind Fenerbache (Turkey) and Olympiacos (Greece). Teodosic’s performance also attracted plenty of NBA interest.
The Nets have been frequently cited throughout the last year as a likely suitor for Teodosic, and various reports have named the Jazz, Kings, Heat, and Nuggets as other NBA clubs that could be in the mix for the point guard’s services.
CSKA’s alleged offer to Teodosic is based on a net figure, since European teams often pay the taxes on player contracts, Varlas notes. So, taking into account the money he’d pay in taxes and the conversion from euros to U.S. dollars, Teodosic would require a substantial offer from an NBA team to make a move stateside worth his while financially.
As Emiliano Carchia of Sportando relays, Teodosic recently suggested that he wants to rest and take his time deciding on his future, but CSKA Moscow will push for a decision soon. “We will try to build a stronger team and that’s why we are waiting Teodosic’s answer as soon as possible,” CSKA president Andrey Vatutin said this week, per Varlas.
Southeast Notes: J. Johnson, Heat, Hawks, Hornets
When James Johnson was asked about whether his affection for the Heat could translate into a team-friendly contract in free agency this offseason, the forward took a measured stance Sunday, reports Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Johnson reiterated his love the organization, while maintaining that a business decision must be made:
“I love this place so much and the opportunity they gave me. I couldn’t thank them enough. Down the line, it’s hard in this phase of my career to try to find somewhere that you call home or you want it to be home and things like that. So you know the love I have for this team is up there. But it’s just something I got to let the agent and Pat [Riley] discuss and try to figure out, and then just give my last say so at the end.”
Johnson enjoyed a career season in 2016/17, averaging 12.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 3.6 APG.
Here’s what else you should know from the Southeast division:
- On Monday, J.J. Frazier (Georgia) was set to work out for the Hawks, reported Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (link via Twitter). Other participants scheduled to work out for the Hawks that day were Johnathan Motley (Baylor), Jordan Bell (Oregon), London Perrantes (Virginia), Semi Ojeleye (SMU), and Damyean Dotson (Houston), also via Vivlamore (link via Twitter).
- On Tuesday, the Hawks held pre-draft workouts for seven more players, according to the team’s website: Troy Caupain (Cincinnati), Ilimane Diop (Baskonia), TJ Leaf (UCLA), Landen Lucas (Kansas), Tyler Lydon (Syracuse), Anžejs Pasečniks (Gran Canaria), and Jeremy Senglin (Weber State).
- On Monday, the Hornets held their fourth pre-draft workout, hosting Jaron Blossomgame (Clemson), Antonius Cleveland (Southeast Missouri State), PJ Dozier (South Carolina), Avry Holmes (Clemson), Justin Patton (Creighton), and Quinton Stephens (Georgia Tech), according to the team’s official website.
- The Hornets held another pre-draft workout session on Tuesday, hosting Jamel Artis (Pittsburgh), Sidy Djitte (Clemson), Youssoupha Fall (France), Xavier Rathan-Mayes (Florida State), Melo Trimble (Maryland), and Elijah Wilson (Coastal Carolina), also via the team’s website.
- Donovan Mitchell worked out for the Heat on Tuesday, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Follow the link to read an analysis of Mitchell’s strengths and weaknesses.
- Should the Heat prioritize acquiring Rudy Gay, Paul George, or Gordon Hayward this offseason? Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel does cost-benefit analysis with regard to each of the three talented small forwards.
Lowe: Heat 'Loading Up' To Pursue Gordon Hayward
- The Heat aren’t shying away from win-now moves either. League sources confirm to Lowe that Miami is “loading up” to pursue Gordon Hayward in free agency.
[SOURCE LINK]
Five Key Offseason Questions: Miami Heat
Through the first half of the 2016/17 season, the 11-30 Heat looked like the greatest threat to the Celtics for the No. 1 spot in the NBA’s lottery rankings.
If the Heat had performed the entire season like they did the second half, when they went 30-11, they would’ve be the greatest threat to Boston for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
That red-hot second-half run didn’t earn Miami a spot in the postseason, but it significantly changed the team’s outlook for 2017/18. While president Pat Riley may still use the dreaded R-word (“rebuild”), a 25-win season likely would’ve seen the Heat undertaking a multiyear retooling process — instead, Riley has hinted at an accelerated rebuild with an eye toward getting the club back in contention within the next couple years.
As they look to build a roster capable of getting back into the playoffs, here are five key questions facing the Heat this offseason:
1. Will the Heat pursue a “whale”?
Even when the Heat aren’t a title contender, they’re a popular destination for free agents. South Beach is a draw, as is Florida’s lack of income tax, but the culture Riley has built in Miami is perhaps the strongest selling point. That’s what gave the Heat the opportunity to sit down with Kevin Durant during his free agency last summer, despite having the weakest roster of the six teams Durant considered.
At season’s end, Riley suggested that the Heat wouldn’t be in the market for a “whale” this offseason, but the club may not be able to help itself. A recent report suggested that the Jazz view Miami as a legit threat to poach free-agent-to-be Gordon Hayward, who reportedly has interest in the Heat.
Hayward would be a terrific fit in Miami, as a scorer and shooter capable of playing at the three or four, depending on the lineup around him. A maximum salary contract, or something close to it, would eat into the Heat’s cap room in a major way, but the team could afford it, and Hayward – who just turned 27 – might be worth the investment.
2. Will Dion Waiters and James Johnson be re-signed?
After realizing last summer that Dwyane Wade wouldn’t be returning, the Heat completed a flurry of signings using their excess cap room, and many of these contracts were for one year. That allowed the team to maintain its flexibility for this summer, but it has created a tricky situation in instances where Miami wants to re-sign some of those players.
Waiters and Johnson are the two most obvious examples — both players will be in line for big raises after earning $3MM and $4MM respectively, but the Heat don’t hold either player’s Bird rights, meaning they’ll need to use cap room to re-sign them.
As it stands, the Heat have more than enough space to sign both players, but that could change if they pursue Hayward or another top-tier free agent. Even if the Heat are able to re-sign both Waiters and Johnson, locking them up on fair, market-level deals would mean dedicating most of their available cap room to retaining last year’s roster. Unless both Waiters and Johnson are willing to accept discounted offers, it might make sense for the Heat to just bring back one of them, rather than both.
Heat Notes: Hayward, Johnson, Draft
The Heat may be a threat to pry Gordon Hayward away from the Jazz, but adding the All-Star wing won’t be enough to propel Miami into the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference. The franchise will need to add other talent and Heat Hoops outlines how it could create upwards of $11MM in cap space after signing Hayward to a max deal.
The team would need to waive Wayne Ellington, Rodney McGruder, and Okaro White, and ideally, find a taker for Josh McRoberts on the trade market, though it’s more likely that the organization will have to use the stretch provision on the big man. Doing that while renouncing all of the team’s free agents will give the Heat enough cap room to bring in an impact player in the $10-11MM annual salary range.
Here’s more from Miami:
- The time to go after major free agents is now, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel explains. The team has the cap space to offer someone a max deal, but with Tyler Johnson‘s deal on the books, it’ll be a more difficult feat next offseason. Johnson will make slightly over $5.88MM this season before making roughly $38.5MM over the following two seasons.
- Miami can’t afford to be patient and build through the draft since they will likely be without a pair of first-rounders over the next few seasons, Winderman notes in the same piece. The Heat will ship their 2019 first round pick to the Suns if it falls outside the top seven as well as their 2021 selection as a result of the Goran Dragic deal.