Heat Expected To Waive R.J. Hampton
The Heat are expected to cut R.J. Hampton, opening up one of their two-way contract slots, reports Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link).
Hampton, who turned 23 on Wednesday, has battled some injuries this season and has only seen action in 17 total games in the NBA and the G League. In eight appearances for the Heat, he has recorded 10 points, eight assists, and six rebounds in 76 total minutes of actions, making just 4-of-14 shots (1-of-8 three-pointers).
The former first-round pick has been a little more effective for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Miami’s G League affiliate, averaging 11.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 4.7 APG with a .429/.273/.609 shooting line in nine regular season and Showcase Cup contests (28.0 MPG).
As Chiang notes, the plan will be to fill Hampton’s two-way slot with another developmental prospect.
Skyforce guard Alondes Williams looks like one contender for that opening, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald observes (via Twitter). Williams is averaging 20.3 PPG, 6.5 APG, and 5.2 RPG on 49.9% shooting in 32 games (37.0 MPG) for Sioux Falls. Skyforce guard Jamaree Bouyea is another candidate to watch, tweets Chiang.
Hampton will receive his full two-way salary from the Heat and will become an unrestricted free agent, free to sign with any team, if and when he clears waivers. Once he’s officially cut, Miami will have two open spots on its 18-man roster — one standard and one two-way.
NBA Announces Player Pool For 2024 Rising Stars Event
The NBA has officially revealed the 11 rookies, 10 sophomores, and seven G League players who will take part in the Rising Stars event at All-Star weekend in Indianapolis next month.
The following players, as voted on by NBA coaching staffs, made the cut:
Rookies
- Bilal Coulibaly (Wizards)
- Keyonte George (Jazz)
- Jordan Hawkins (Pelicans)
- Scoot Henderson (Trail Blazers)
- Chet Holmgren (Thunder)
- Jaime Jaquez (Heat)
- Dereck Lively II (Mavericks)
- Brandon Miller (Hornets)
- Brandin Podziemski (Warriors)
- Cason Wallace (Thunder)
- Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
Sophomores
- Paolo Banchero (Magic)
- Dyson Daniels (Pelicans)
- Jalen Duren (Pistons)
- Jaden Ivey (Pistons)
- Walker Kessler (Jazz)
- Bennedict Mathurin (Pacers)
- Keegan Murray (Kings)
- Shaedon Sharpe (Trail Blazers)
- Jabari Smith Jr. (Rockets)
- Jalen Williams (Thunder)
G League Players
- Izan Almansa (G League Ignite)
- Matas Buzelis (G League Ignite)
- Ron Holland (G League Ignite)
- Mac McClung (Osceola Magic)
- Tyler Smith (G League Ignite)
- Oscar Tshiebwe (Indiana Mad Ants)
- Note: Tshiebwe has a two-way contract with the Pacers.
- Alondes Williams (Sioux Falls Skyforce)
As was the case last season, the Rising Stars event will consist of four teams and three games. The seven G League players will comprise one team, coached by former NBA forward Detlef Schrempf. The other 21 players will be drafted to three squads coached by former NBA and WNBA stars Pau Gasol, Jalen Rose, and Tamika Catchings.
The four teams will be split into two first-round matchups and the winners of those two games will face one another for the Rising Stars championship. The two semifinals will be played to a target score of 40 points, while the final will be played to a target score of 25 points.
All three contests will take place on Friday, February 16 as part of All-Star weekend’s opening night.
NBA G League Announces Up Next Participants
A pool of 28 players has been selected for the NBA G League’s Up Next Game at All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, the NBAGL announced in a press release.
According to the release, the event features “four teams of seven players competing in two semifinal games. The winner of each semifinal will face off in a Championship game.
“The teams will be made up of 28 NBA G League players, including 10 selected by a fan vote. The remaining 18 players will be selected by the NBA G League and will include eight members of NBA G League Ignite and at least one member of the Indiana Mad Ants, the G League affiliate of the All-Star hosting Indiana Pacers. Each team will be coached by a head coach from the NBA G League.”
Players marked with an asterisk (*) are on two-way contracts.
Fan vote:
- Emoni Bates (Cleveland Charge)*
- Luka Garza (Iowa Wolves)*
- Ashton Hagans (Rip City Remix)
- Kevon Harris, (Osceola Magic)*
- Javan Johnson (Santa Cruz Warriors)
- Skal Labissiere (Stockton Kings)
- Markquis Nowell (Raptors 905)*
- Trevelin Queen, (Osceola Magic)*
- Quinndary Weatherspoon (South Bay Lakers)
Former Kentucky guard Hagans received the most votes.
NBAGL selections:
- Dominick Barlow (Austin Spurs)*
- Darius Bazley (Delaware Blue Coats)
- JD Davison (Maine Celtics)*
- Collin Gillespie (Grand Rapids Gold)*
- Keyontae Johnson (Oklahoma City Blue)*
- Kenneth Lofton Jr. (Delaware Blue Coats)*
- Jermaine Samuels (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)*
- Cole Swider (Sioux Falls Skyforce)*
- Ethan Thompson (Mexico City Capitanes)
- Oscar Tshiebwe (Indiana Mad Ants)*
- Alondes Williams (Sioux Falls Skyforce)
G League Ignite:
- Izan Almansa
- Matas Buzelis
- Thierry Darlan
- Ron Holland
- London Johnson
- Dink Pate
- Babacar Sane
- Tyler Smith
They aren’t currently on NBA teams, but it’s worth noting that Labissiere and Bazley are ineligible for two-way deals because they each hold four years of NBA experience. Weatherspoon (three years), Hagans (one) and Williams (one) also hold at least some NBA experience.
Heat Notes: Herro, Butler, Jaquez, Jovic, Champagnie
Tyler Herro is still in Miami after a long summer of trade rumors and he’s determined to show the Heat that he was worth keeping, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Herro appeared on the way out when Damian Lillard asked the Trail Blazers for a trade in early July and listed Miami as his only preference. But Herro’s role with the Heat is secure now and he’s ready to make an impact, as he showed with a 30-point performance on Sunday night.
“I’m always ambitious,” he said. “Motivation kind of drives me and it’s who I am. But that’s who I am, so that’s me every day. Just being myself. This year is obviously, I wouldn’t even call it revenge or a bounce back. It’s just a year to be myself and just have fun and enjoying what I love to do, which is play basketball. Tonight was a little bit of it.”
Herro was a productive scorer from everywhere on the court on Sunday, Chiang adds, finishing 11-of-19 from the field, 4-of-7 from three-point range, and 4-of-5 on free throws. He displayed an effective floater near the basket as nine of his shots came from inside the lane.
“Man, he’s just so efficient now,” Bam Adebayo said. “His movements, less dribbles, not trying to do much. He gets straight to his points, gets straight to his shots.”
There’s more from Miami:
- Jimmy Butler was held out of Sunday’s game after undergoing two separate dental surgeries this week, but he’s expected to return before the end of the preseason, Chiang adds.
- Coach Eric Spoelstra cited progress by Drew Peterson and Alondes Williams, who were both waived over the weekend, Chiang states in another Miami Herald story. Both players were part of Miami’s Summer League team, and Spoelstra hopes they will continue to develop with the organization’s G League affiliate. “We’re encouraged by both of them,” he said. “This was part of the agreement to transition them and get guys on to Sioux Falls. It happens in stages. These can be great opportunities still. We want to invest in them for the entire season. That’s ideally the plan. They got a lot better these last eight weeks and we’re looking forward to this next step in Sioux Falls.”
- Nagging injuries have virtually eliminated any chance that Jaime Jaquez or Nikola Jovic will be in the rotation when the regular season begins, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Jaquez has been limited by a groin strain in the preseason, while Jovic is dealing with a bruised knee.
- Justin Champagnie may be the favorite to fill the open roster spot if the Heat don’t try to sign someone else, Winderman speculates in a separate piece. He expects Cole Swider to be converted to a two-way contract, with current two-way player Dru Smith possibly the odd man out.
Heat Notes: Cain, Smith, Butler, Injuries, Peterson, Williams
Jamal Cain is making a strong bid to have his two-way contract with the Heat converted into a standard deal, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Cain had 24 points and 10 rebounds in 27 minutes against San Antonio on Friday.
Miami currently has 13 players on standard deals and needs to add at least one more by the season opener.
“He really competed and played hard,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, as relayed by the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. “It’s satisfying to see. He’s put in so much time in the last year. His effort and attention to details defensively have gotten a lot better.”
We have more on the Heat:
- Dru Smith is participating in his third straight training camp with Miami and also hopes to earn a spot on the 15-man roster, according to The Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang. “I’m just really grateful and really appreciative of the opportunities that I’ve been able to have, the chances that I have in front of me right now,” Smith said. “After that, it’s in my hands but also it’s out of my hands. Whatever they decide to do, that’s what they decide to do. So I just have to go out there and try to play the best basketball that I can and let the rest fall where it may.” Smith currently holds a two-way contract.
- Jimmy Butler is recovering from dental surgery, Winderman tweets. He remains on track to play in the team’s season opener on Oct. 25.
- Caleb Martin (knee), Jaime Jaquez Jr. (groin), Nikola Jovic (hip), R.J. Hampton (hip), Smith (hamstring) and Josh Richardson (foot) also sat out the Heat’s preseason game against the Grizzlies on Sunday, Winderman tweets.
- Spoelstra is hopeful Drew Peterson and Alondes Williams will join the Heat’s NBA G League team, Sioux Falls Skyforce, after they clear waivers, Winderman relays in another tweet. The duo was cut loose on Saturday.
Heat Cut Drew Peterson, Alondes Williams
The Heat have waived forward Drew Peterson and guard Alondes Williams, the team announced today in a press release. The cuts reduce Miami’s roster count from 21 players to 19.
Peterson, who went undrafted earlier this year out of USC, was a two-time All-Pac-12 honoree while with the Trojans. Across 33 games in 2022/23, the 6’8″ super-senior averaged 13.9 PPG with a shooting line of .442/.358/.752. He also contributed 6.2 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.1 SPG and 0.8 BPG.
Williams went undrafted in 2022 out of Wake Forest and spent most of the season with the Long Island Nets in the G League. He appeared in 24 games at that level, including 12 starts, and averaged 13.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.2 steals in 27.6 minutes per game. He also played one game for the Brooklyn Nets in December.
Peterson and Williams, who each appeared in one preseason game with the Heat, had been on Exhibit 10 contracts. Although they won’t make Miami’s regular season roster, the plan is still for them to join the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Heat’s NBAGL affiliate, tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Assuming Peterson and Williams spend at least 60 days with the Skyforce, they’ll receive Exhibit 10 bonuses worth $75K.
The Heat are still carrying three players on Exhibit 10 contracts: Cole Swider, Justin Champagnie, and Cheick Diallo. Since Miami only has 13 players on standard deals, one of those camp invitees seems likely to either earn a spot on the 15-man roster or get a two-way contract (if the Heat convert a two-way player to a standard deal). Of the three, Swider has generated the most buzz so far this fall.
Heat Sign Alondes Williams To Camp Contract
2:51pm: The signing is official, the team tweets.
1:51pm: The Heat have agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with guard Alondes Williams, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Williams went undrafted last year and spent most of the season with the NBA G League Long Island Nets. He appeared in 24 games at that level, including 12 starts, and averaged 13.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.2 steals in 27.6 minutes per game. He also played one game for the Brooklyn Nets in December.
In late July, the Long Island Nets dealt the returning player rights for Williams to the Heat’s NBA G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, in exchange for the returning player rights of shooting guard D.J. Stewart.
The Heat have agreed to Exhibit 10 deals with a handful of players this summer, but have yet to begin finalizing those contracts.
Williams could earn a bonus worth up to $75K if he’s waived and then spends at least 60 days with the Skyforce. He could also be a candidate for a two-way contract, as the Heat have an open slot.
New York Notes: Randle, Knicks, Long Island Nets, Simmons
Knicks All-Star power forward Julius Randle seems to be on the mend following his offseason arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle last month. As Belle Fraser of The New York Post writes, Randle shared a new workout video to his personal Instagram account.
Randle sat out the final five contests of the 2022/23 regular season after spraining his ankle in a late March bout with the Heat. He then re-aggravated the ailment during the closeout bout of New York’s five-game first-round series win over the Cavaliers.
In the regular season, the 28-year-old averaged 25.1 PPG, 10.0 RPG, and 4.1 APG during his second All-NBA season with the Knicks, who finished with a 47-35 record and the No. 5 seed in the East last year. His numbers regressed mightily in the playoffs, in part due to the ankle ailment. Randle averaged 16.6 PPG on 37.4% shooting from the field, along with 8.3 RPG, and 3.6 APG.
There’s more out of New York:
- The Knicks have shored up their wing depth this offseason, but will still face an uphill battle in a stacked Eastern Conference. Zach Braziller of The New York Post (subscriber link) predicts how the Knicks will fare this season, speculating that five Eastern teams will finish ahead of them.
- The Nets’ NBAGL team, the Long Island Nets, have traded the returning player rights for swingman Alondes Williams to the Heat’s NBA G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, in exchange for the returning player rights of shooting guard D.J. Stewart to the Nets, the Skyforce announced in a press release.
- Oft-injured Nets guard Ben Simmons is now completely healthy after rehabbing from the back nerve impingement that caused him to miss the last six weeks of the 2022/23 regular season, sources inform Ian Begley of SNY.tv. The 27-year-old anticipates that he will be able to fully partake in Brooklyn’s training camp in September.
New York Notes: Warren, Nets, A. Williams, Robinson, Knicks
With Kevin Durant sidelined due to a knee injury, Nets forward T.J. Warren feels as if he’s capable of stepping up and taking on a bigger role. However, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes, Warren is still on a minutes limit after missing nearly two years of action, and while he recognizes it’s in his best interest, he can’t help but be frustrated by it.
“Yeah, it’s super-frustrating, trust me,” Warren said. “It’s trying to find a balance (between) being out two years but also knowing that I feel like I can carry the load a little bit during those long stretches.
“But just got to put my trust and training staff’s hands. … They’ve been doing a great job with me, got me back to this point, and just got to see the bigger picture, end of the season, playoffs, playing at my best, hopefully off the minute restriction.”
Warren has averaged 20.7 minutes per game in 19 appearances since making his season debut. In the Nets’ last three games with Durant unavailable, he has averaged 16.0 points in 24.9 minutes per night.
Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York-based teams:
- Despite losing all three of their games since Durant’s injury, the Nets remain upbeat and confident that they’ll be able to right the ship and avoid a repeat of last season’s 5-16 slide without KD, Lewis writes in another New York Post story. “Last year it was… it was kind of a toxic environment,” Nic Claxton said. “We didn’t know if everybody wanted to be here at the time. This year there’s no divide between everybody that’s out there. We’re going to figure it out.” As Lewis notes, Claxton’s comments appear to be referencing James Harden, who asked to be traded during Durant’s absence.
- After being waived by the Nets last week, rookie guard Alondes Williams has rejoined the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, according to Chris Milholen of NetsDaily. Williams had spent plenty of time with Long Island on his two-way contract, but is now an NBA free agent and would be free to sign with any team if he gets an offer.
- Knicks center Mitchell Robinson left Wednesday’s game due to a sprained right thumb and will undergo further evaluation on Thursday to determine the severity of the injury, per Zach Braziller of The New York Post. If Robinson misses time, big man Jericho Sims will likely reclaim a rotation role for New York.
- Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau isn’t concerned about how much court time his top players are seeing, referring to critics of his rotation as the “minutes police,” Braziller says in another story for The New York Post. “I know you guys like to create the narrative for your stories and you don’t look at it in totality,” Thibodeau said. “I don’t think we have anyone in the top 20 in minutes played.” As Braziller details, in the 15 most recent games entering Wednesday night, Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson were in the NBA’s top five in minutes played, while Quentin Grimes was 14th. However, all three players rank much lower among the full-season minutes leaders.
Nets Waive Alondes Williams
The Nets have waived rookie guard Alondes Williams, the team announced.
Williams won ACC Player of the Year in 2021/22 for Wake Forest, but went undrafted this past June. He caught on with the Nets shortly after the draft, signing a two-way contract.
The 23-year-old only made one NBA appearance for a total of five minutes. However, he was a regular for the team’s G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, averaging 9.9 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.5 APG in 11 games (26.2 MPG) during the Showcase Cup.
Williams struggled with turnovers (2.5 per contest) and efficiency (.368/.341/.625 shooting line) during the Showcase Cup, which may have played a factor in his release. The Nets have a full 15-man standard roster, but now have a two-way opening.