Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Heat Waive Varnado, Drew, Westbrook

October 21st, 2013 at 11:31am CST by Luke Adams

The Heat have parted ways with three players on non-guaranteed contracts, according to a release from the team. The club announced today that it has waived Jarvis Varnado, Larry Drew II, and Charlie Westbrook.

Varnado, 25, signed a deal with the Heat last season that included a non-guaranteed salary for 2013/14. He was set to receive a partial guarantee of $250K if he remained on the roster until opening night, but the likelihood of camp invitees Michael Beasley and Roger Mason Jr. making the team reduced Varnado’s chances. As for Drew and Westbrook, both players were on summer contracts, and could end up joining Miami’s D-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

After releasing Varnado, Drew, and Westbrook, the Heat are now carrying 17 players. Eric Griffin and Justin Hamilton look like they’ll be the last two roster casualties, but the club still has a few more days to make its final decision.

Eastern Notes: Webster, Heat, Magic, Allen

October 21st, 2013 at 10:07am CST by Luke Adams

As the final week of the preseason gets underway, let’s round up a few items from around the Eastern Conference….

Martell Webster signed a lucrative four-year deal with the Wizards this summer, but a sense of entitlement didn’t come along with that contract, says Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Webster had been in the mix for a starting spot, but will come off the bench instead, and tells Lee that’s fine with him.
In his latest mailbag for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Ira Winderman wonders if the Heat would part ways with Rashard Lewis in order to clear a spot on the roster for Eric Griffin.
Solomon Jones spoke to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld about the opportunity the Magic are giving him to play during the preseason and potentially earn a regular-season roster spot.
As someone who had already been criticized for a perceived lack of effort, Lavoy Allen didn’t do himself any favors when he missed a recent Sixers practice due to “oversleeping.” However, he tells Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer that it’s not something he believes will hinder his NBA future.

Odds & Ends: Carmelo, D-League, Oden, Wade

October 20th, 2013 at 9:25pm CST by Zachary Links

Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News doesn’t understand why the news that Carmelo Anthony would test the open market came as a surprise to anyone. Meanwhile, this season will be very telling for both the Knicks and Melo to figure out if they can win a championship together. Lupica openly wonders if New York can win a title with Anthony as their No. 1 player. Here’s more from around the Association..

Mark Porcaro of Secret Rival runs down the whereabouts of prominent members of each D-League team this offseason. It’s no surprise to see that many of the D-League’s standouts from last season have found NBA homes while others have landed lucrative deals overseas. To keep up on the latest in international player movement, check out the Hoops Rumors International Tracker, made with the help of Porcaro.
Heat offseason acquisition Greg Oden already knows he’ll have to wear a bulky knee brace when he gets back on the floor, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. Oden signed a two-year deal with Miami with a player option on 2014/15.
In a Twitter Q&A, Dwyane Wade said he’s a big supporter of offseason pickup Michael Beasley and is a bigger fan of his than he was during his first stint in Miami, writes Winderman.
New Pistons forward Josh Smith says he has no issues with playing the three in Detroit, tweets Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.

Eastern Rumors: Bucks, Sims, Oden, Mayo, Hill

October 19th, 2013 at 2:48pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Bucks overhauled their roster this summer, and they’re without four of the five players who averaged double figures in points for them last season. Still, they’re one of five teams that Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld believes is capable of overachieving and grabbing a playoff berth. Milwaukee made a pair of moves today, picking up their 2014/15 options on Brandon Knight and John Henson, and there’s more on the Bucks and more from Brigham in the latest out of the Eastern Conference.

Henry Sims is one of seven players on non-guaranteed deals in Cavs camp, but he’s expected to make the team, according to The Plain Dealer’s Terry Pluto.
Erik Spoelstra‘s intimate knowledge of Greg Oden‘s rehab procedures impressed the former No. 1 overall pick while he was considering where to sign this summer, as Oden tells USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt for a piece that looks at the Heat’s effort to revive the careers of Oden and Michael Beasley.
O.J. Mayo chose the best financial offer when he signed for three years and $24MM with the Bucks, but the money isn’t the only reason why Mayo’s new surroundings appeal to him, writes Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times. “I’m happy to be here and I want to stay here,” Mayo said. “That’s why I bought the house here because I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon.”
Solomon Hill was a surprise selection at No. 23 this past June, but early signs point to him seeing significant minutes for the Pacers this season, Brigham writes.

Odds & Ends: Favors, LeBron, Leslie, Smart

October 19th, 2013 at 12:35pm CST by Zachary Links

With Derrick Favors now locked up, Gordon Hayward is the next domino to fall for the Jazz, writes Tom Ziller of SBNation. Extending Hayward would further cut into Utah’s cap space for 2014, but ZIller notes that if they don’t work out a new deal with him, he’ll also affect their flexibility with an $8.6MM cap hold. Here’s more from around the Association..

A veteran NBA scout told Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel that he doesn’t see the Heat staying on top forever as he expects LeBron James to bolt at some point.
As C.J. Leslie fights for a roster spot with the Knicks, coach Mike Woodson told reporters that he views the forward as a project, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. “He is a project,” Woodson said after Leslie saw no playing time in Thursday’s preseason contest. “No doubt about that. Right now the game is somewhat quick for him in terms of catching on to what we’re doing. I’ve seen that over the years since I’ve been coaching, a lot of young guys they struggle early because you throw so many things at them, it’s too fast. So we’re trying to slow it down a little a bit, spend more time with him in the classroom.” Leslie has a reported guarantee of ~$200K.
Oklahoma State star Marcus Smart says that he’s motivated by people crowning Andrew Wiggins as the best player in college basketball before he has even played a game, writes Eric Prisbell of USA Today. Wiggins is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 draft while Smart is currently No. 5 on DraftExpress‘ mock draft.
Ryan Gomes is pushing for a job with the Thunder and he says that he is encouraged by the support he has gotten from GM Sam Presti, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman.

Southeast Notes: LeBron, Bosh, Asik, Temple

October 19th, 2013 at 9:56am CST by Zachary Links

LeBron james took to Twitter last night for a quick Q&A session with his fans. According to the transcript from Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel, James is leaving the door open for a stint on the gridiron. When asked if he would consider playing in one game of pro football at any level, King James responded, “I wanna play one NFL game before it’s over.” As you daydream about LeBron lining up at tight end, check out the latest from the Southeast Division..

In today’s mailbag, Winderman downplays a recent ESPN the Magazine article that claims the relationship between LeBron James and Dwyane Wade isn’t as close as most people believe. Of course, both men can opt out of their deals following this season.
Winderman is also asked if a swap of Rockets center Omer Asik for Chris Bosh is a possibility for the Heat after the thought was mentioned by ESPN’s David Thorpe. However, the Heat are highly unlikely to go for a major shakeup before they see how 2013/14’s championship bid shakes out. Besides, they’ve done alright for themselves without a true center.
Garrett Temple won’t start 36 games for the Wizards again, but Washington is extremely happy to have him back in the fold, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post. “He’s like a great utility player in baseball,” coach Randy Wittman said of Temple. “I want guys who are very versatile in what they do. It gives you different options in the course of the game, gives you different options when you have injuries.” The Wizards re-signed Temple to a one-year, guaranteed deal this offseason.
Jason Maxiell‘s bruising style of play will help the Magic this season, writes John Denton of Magic.com. Orlando inked Maxiell this summer after he spent the previous eight seasons in Detroit.

Odds & Ends: Knicks, Wolves, Hummel, ‘Cats

October 18th, 2013 at 10:35pm CST by Chuck Myron

Carmelo Anthony says he doesn’t expect Kobe Bryant to woo him to the Lakers, but Frank Isola of the New York Daily News is convinced the two have already spoken about teaming up, and interprets Anthony’s statement this week that he wants to test free agency as a warning shot designed to spur the Knicks into improving the team around him. We’ll have to wait until summer to find out what ‘Melo winds up doing, but there are plenty of moves to be made around the league between now and then. Here’s the latest:

The Timberwolves are exploring potential trades and free agent signings as well as internal candidates to replace Chase Budinger while he recovers from left knee surgery, according to Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. Minnesota continues to debate whether Derrick Williams can back up Corey Brewer at small forward or whether the former No. 2 overall pick should stick to playing power forward.
Shooting is Robbie Hummel‘s specialty, but he has more weapons in his arsenal as he attempts to make the Wolves, as Bruce Brothers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press examines.
The Bobcats don’t appear nearly as high on Bismack Biyombo as they were when they drafted him seventh overall in 2011, and the onus is on him to show improvement, writes Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer. He’ll be eligible for a rookie scale extension after this season.
Toure Murry looks like he’s eclipsed C.J. Leslie as the favorite for a spot on the team, but scouts from other clubs, including the Heat, are monitoring him in case the Knicks let him go, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Mark Cuban is particularly excited about Mavs free agent signee Monta Ellis, and told reporters, including Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News, that the organization has been impressed with his passing.

Eastern Notes: Watson, Billups, Taylor, ‘Melo

October 18th, 2013 at 7:32pm CST by Chuck Myron

HoopsWorld’s Alex Kennedy looks at the upgraded bench in Indiana, and hears from C.J. Watson that the team’s desire to reach a deal with him on the first day of free agency influenced his decision to join the Pacers.

“I wanted to play for a contender and I wanted to go to a team where I could get playing time,” Watson said. “Also, I felt like I could help this team. They were a very good team already, they’re very young and getting better each and every year, but I felt I could help. I just want to come off the bench and score and defend and change the tempo whenever they need me to and also be a leader.”

In the same NBA PM piece, Kennedy checks in with Pistons offseason addition Chauncey Billups and Cavaliers camp invitee Jermaine Taylor. Here’s more from the East:

A recent report suggested Carmelo Anthony would be open to a recruiting pitch from Kobe Bryant next summer, but Anthony told reporters today, including Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv, that he doesn’t expect Bryant to try to influence his decisions. It’s not clear whether Anthony isn’t expecting to hear a pitch from Bryant during the season — which would constitute tampering — or whether he doesn’t think he’ll hear from Bryant at all.
The Heat weren’t one of the teams that called on the league to investigate the Nets‘ signing of Andrei Kirilenko, notes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, who also revisits the animosity over Ray Allen‘s decision to leave the Celtics for the Heat in 2012.
Josh McRoberts, who re-signed with the Bobcats this summer, is extra valuable on a team like Charlotte because of his passing and his veteran presence, writes Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.

Odds & Ends: Kidd, Bynum, Bennett

October 17th, 2013 at 8:27pm CST by Ryan Raroque

For some, it may be difficult to fathom that 12 years have already gone by since Jason Kidd landed with the Nets through an offseason trade with the Suns, and that tonight, the franchise is honoring him by retiring his No. 5 uniform (video link via USA Today) in the rafters. Once he arrived in New Jersey in 2001, Kidd appeared more than ready for the revitalization process and leadership role on a team that had missed the playoffs in six of the last seven seasons prior to his arrival:

“(He) told the players, ‘I don’t care what went on here before. We will make the playoffs,'” recalled Rod Thorn, the team president who had made the trade. “Guys were looking at Jason like, ‘What the heck are you talking about?” (ESPN New York’s Ian O’Connor).

The team would go on to win 52 games that season en route to two straight Finals appearances and six consecutive playoff berths. Though Kidd would ultimately fall short of leading the Nets to an NBA title as a player, he now takes on the opportunity of coaching a team with championship aspirations. How far he’ll lead Brooklyn this year remains to be seen, but it’s clear that Kidd could be in the midst of his most special chapter with the Nets’ franchise. Here are some of tonight’s miscellaneous news and notes:

Newsday’s Roderick Boone found that Heat superstar LeBron James wouldn’t comment on whether or not the Nets could contend for a title along with the Heat. Dwyane Wade, on the other hand, had this to say: “(Brooklyn) they did what they said they were going to do. They want to compete for a championship” (Twitter links).
Jason Lloyd of Ohio.com reports that Cavaliers center Andrew Bynum is now near his usual playing weight of 285 lbs and is inching closer to a return to the court.
Earlier tonight, Cavs coach Mike Brown revealed that first overall pick Anthony Bennett has been dealing with asthma and sleep apnea (ESPN via the Associated Press). Though Brown says that the breathing issues are noticeable, it doesn’t appear that it’ll affect the way he tries to use Bennett in his rotation this season: “It’s been tiring to watch him because every time I watch him he’s (gasping)…It makes me tired, so I try not to look at him. I tell him, `If you need a sub, just tell me. Otherwise I’m not going to look at you.”
Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum calls Joel Freeland his “training camp MVP,” while head coach Terry Stotts admits that the 6’11 center has had a good training camp thus far. Joe Freeman of the Oregonian writes that Freeman’s quiet transition into a Nick Collison-type of player could produce an opportunity to find a spot in Stotts’ rotation.
Nuggets coach Brian Shaw likes what he sees in Wilson Chandler, and team GM Tim Connelly was quick to name him as the most likely to have a breakout year: “He got here about two months ago. He’s in great shape. He’s got the right mindset. Playing for a guy like coach Shaw could really allow him to take that next step” (Aaron J. Lopez of Nuggets.com).

Eastern Notes: Kleiza, Robinson, Nets

October 17th, 2013 at 6:44pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Former Raptors forward Linas Kleiza told lrytas.lt – a Lithuanian media outlet – that he has no interest in returning to the NBA after being amnestied by Toronto this past July (hat tip to RealGM.com). The 6’8 forward now plays for Fenerbahçe Ülker of the Turkish Basketball League.

Here are some more news and notes from around the Eastern Conference:

One source tells Ridiculous Upside’s Keith Schlosser that former NBA veteran Cliff Robinson has landed an assistant coaching job with the Springfield Armor of the NBDL, which serves as an affiliate with the Nets. The one-time All-Star’s 18-year playing career included stops in Portland, Phoenix, Detroit, Golden State, and most recently New Jersey.
Hoopsworld’s Alex Kennedy looks at how the Nets have become a legitimate title contender after an offseason overhaul that brought in three former All-Stars in Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Andrei Kirilenko to go with new head coach in Jason Kidd.
Sam Amick of USA Today checked in with TNT’s Charles Barkley and Steve Kerr along with ESPN’s Jeff Van Gundy to get their opinions on some of the biggest storylines of the upcoming season. As far as the East is concerned, Barkley views center Greg Oden as the key to the Heat’s quest for a third-consecutive title, Kerr predicts that the Bulls will unseat Miami in the playoffs, and Van Gundy thinks the jury’s still out as to how the new additions in South Beach could hurt or help the Heat.
Marc Berman of the New York Post (via Twitter) notes that plenty of scouts are in attendance at tonight’s pre-season game between the Wizards and Knicks to get a look at potential cuts. With Knicks GM Steve Mills’ recent comments about lack of depth at center, Berman believes New York will certainly be scouting too.