Jarvis Varnado

Jarvis Varnado To Remain With Heat

A report from Italy this weekend indicated that power forward Jarvis Varnado was close to an agreement with Italy's Sidigas Avellino, but Varnado still expects to take part in training camp with the Heat, agent Mitch Frankel tells Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Twitter link). Miami's brass is pleased with the improvements the 25-year-old is making to his game, Frankel says. Sportando's Emiliano Carchia hears from a source close to Varnado who says that though the Italian team made an offer, the two sides aren't nearing a deal.

Varnado is under a non-guaranteed contract for the minimum salary with the Heat for the coming season. The deal becomes partially guaranteed for $250K if he isn't waived on or before October 29th, but Winderman has heard from agents who've been told the Heat plan to carry only 13 players during the season. The team has 13 guaranteed deals on the books, so that would make Varnado a longshot to make the team. Still, Frankel characterized any dialogue he might have about his client with international teams as routine business for players without guaranteed deals (Twitter link).

The Heat wield the final decision on where Varnado will play this season, regardless of how negotiations proceed between Varnado and any foreign club. Miami signed Varnado to his deal in late January after first inking him to a pair of 10-day contracts. The Mississippi State alum also spent time with the Celtics last season.

Overseas Rumors: Varnado, Smith, Martin, Leslie

The international free agent market is still hot, and plenty of players with NBA ties are doing business with clubs from overseas. Here's the latest:

  • Sidigas Avellino is close to an agreement with Heat big man Jarvis Varnado, the print edition of the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta Dello Sport reports, according to Sportando's Enea Trapani. Varnado is on a non-guaranteed contract with Miami, and with rumors that the Heat will only carry 13 players this year, he appears to be on shaky ground.

Earlier updates:

  • Nolan Smith was expected to join the Celtics in training camp, but he's signed to play with Cedevita Zagreb, the Croatian team announced on its website (translation via Sportando's Emiliano Carchia).
  • Cartier Martin is mulling the idea of playing in China, agent Andy Miller tells J. Michael of CSNWashington.com. Martin has spent parts of the last four seasons with the Wizards, but it doesn't look like the team plans to re-sign him.
  • Former second-round draft pick Travis Leslie has signed with JSF Nanterre of France, the team announced (Twitter link; hat tip to Carchia). Leslie played 10 games with the Clippers in 2011/12. He signed a 10-day contract with the Jazz last season, but he didn't appear in a game for Utah. This week Nanterre also signed Deshaun Thomas, whom the Spurs drafted 58th overall in June).
  • One-time Kings and Rockets small forward Tyler Honeycutt has officially signed his deal with Ironi Nes Ziona of Israel, Carchia tweets. Sportando contributor David Pick reported a few days ago that the two sides had agreed to a deal.

Heat Rumors: Roster, Oden, D-League, Jones

Greg Oden's discount contract is the latest example of a player willing to make a financial sacrifice to join the Heat, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh set the tone with their deals in 2010, and Oden, Ray Allen and Chris Andersen followed this summer. The loss of a little extra cash or flexibility for Oden, Allen and Andersen means much greater gain for the Heat, who have the luxury tax to worry about. Winderman has more on the champs, as we detail:

  • Some agents are hearing that the Heat plan to carry only the minimum 13 players this season. That could spell trouble for Jarvis Varnado, whose deal is non-guaranteed for this season, and Eric Griffin, a training camp invitee, since Miami already has 13 guaranteed contracts. 
  • Winderman suggests that the Heat are already thinking of retaining the D-League rights of a few camp cuts — teams are able to do so with three players they let go before the regular season, sparing those guys from the D-League draft. So, perhaps the Heat will make sure Varnado and Griffin wind up with their affiliate in Sioux Falls.
  • The revelation this week that Oden's deal doesn't include a second season means the Heat only have to pay him the two-year veterans minimum, instead of the five-year veterans minimum, with the league compensating Oden for the difference. That's a $143,131 difference for Miami, an amount that will be magnified when it's subtracted from the team's tax bill at the end of the season.
  • Even if James Jones doesn't wind up running for union president, a candidacy that LeBron would reportedly get behind, he'll remain secretary-treasurer for another three years, since his term isn't expiring, Winderman points out. 
  • Just how steep a paycut Wade and Bosh are willing to take in their next deals, if they're willing to take paycuts at all, will be a central question for the Heat going forward, as Winderman opines in his latest mailbag column.

Southeast Notes: Wizards, Heat, Bobcats

Let's round up a few Tuesday morning items from around the Southeast Division….

D-League Moves: Dooling, Wroten, Varnado

The biggest D-League news of the day came when the Warriors inked Scott Machado to a 10-day deal, giving the Iona guard another crack in the NBA for the 2012/13 campaign.  We'll keep track of today's call-ups and assignments in this thread.  If you want to take a look back at all of the D-League assignments and recalls from this year, check out Hoops Rumors' running log.  Here's the latest..

  • The Grizzlies announced that they have recalled Keyon Dooling and Tony Wroten from the Reno Bighorns.  Dooling had six points and two steals in his D-League debut.  Wroten, making his fourth D-League appearance of the year, had 30 points and eight assists.
  • The Heat announced that they recalled Jarvis Varnado from the Sioux Falls Skyforce.  Varnado averaged 18.6 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.75 blocks, and 1.75 steals in his eight game stint.

D-League Moves: Terrence Jones, Jarvis Varnado

We'll follow today's D-League assignments and recalls in this space, with any additional moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:

  • The Rockets have re-assigned Terrence Jones to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the team announced today in a press release. Houston's D-League affiliate, which lost one power forward today, will add another in Jones, who has averaged 18.4 PPG and 9.3 RPG in 17 games with the team this season.

Earlier updates:

  • The Heat have sent Jarvis Varnado back to the D-League, following last night's win over the Cavs, tweets Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. The move was confirmed by the Heat in a press release. In 15 D-League games so far this season, Varnado has nearly averaged a double-double, with 12.3 PPG, 9.9 RPG, and 3.7 BPG.

D-League Moves: Thunder, Heat, Lamb, Varnado

We'll keep track of today's D-League assignments and recalls here, with any additional moves added to the top of the page.

  • The Heat announced that they have recalled Jarvis Varnado from the Sioux Falls Skyforce after a stay that lasted less than two weeks.  In 15 D-League games this year, Varnado has averaged 12.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.67 blocks, 1.1 assists and 29.9 minutes while shooting 52.2 percent from the field.
  • The Thunder continue to make liberal use of their nearby D-League affiliate, announcing they've assigned forward Perry Jones III and shooting guard Jeremy Lamb to the Tulsa 66ers. It's the sixth time Jones has been sent down this season, and the seventh assignment for Lamb, who's put up slightly better numbers over his time in Tulsa. Lamb is averaging 21.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game in the D-League, while Jones has posted 14.8 PPG and 6.9 RPG. 

D-League Moves: Varnado, Scott, Jones, Baynes

We'll track today's D-League assignments and recalls here, with any additional moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:

  • Jarvis Varnado has been sent to the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Heat announced today in a press release. Varnado averaged a double-double in the D-League earlier this season, recording 14.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG, and 3.9 BPG for Sioux Falls.
  • The Hawks have assigned rookie Mike Scott to the D-League, tweets Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Consitution. Scott will join the Bakersfield Jam, who have a home-and-home set against the Los Angeles D-Fenders on Saturday and Sunday this weekend.

Earlier updates:

  • The Cavaliers have recalled Kevin Jones from the D-League just a day after re-assigning him, the team announced in a press release. Jones led the Canton Charge with 24 points and nine rebounds in last night's game, helping the team defeat the Idaho Stampede, 115-109. The rookie forward will be available for the Cavs tonight against the Clippers.
  • Aron Baynes also led his D-League team to victory last night during his one-game assignment. The Spurs announced today in a press release that Baynes had been recalled from the Austin Toros after recording 16 points and nine boards in the club's Thursday win.
  • The Celtics have assigned Fab Melo to the Maine Red Claws, according to a team press release. With D.J. White and Shavlik Randolph expected to be ready to play tonight, the C's didn't need Melo on the bench in Boston.

Heat Sign Varnardo For Remainder Of Season

FEBRUARY 4th: Varnado's deal is paying him him a prorated $473K this season and is non-guaranteed next season for nearly $789K, according to Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida (on Twitter).

JANUARY 30th: The Heat have officially signed Varnado for the remainder of the season, according to a team release. Varnado's represents the 14th guaranteed contract on Miami's roster, so if the Heat intend to keep an open roster spot for Greg Oden or anyone else, the team would have to release Chris Andersen when his second 10-day deal ends.

JANUARY 29th: Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reports that the Heat are working to finalize a deal with Jarvis Varnado for the rest season, also noting that a decision had to be made today after the 6'9 power forward completed two 10-day contracts with the team (Twitter links). 

Varnado has appeared in a total of seven games this season, including five with the Celtics and two with Miami. Although the former Mississippi State standout had originally been drafted in the second round of the 2010 NBA draft by the Heat, Varnado spent nearly two years in Europe in addition to a brief stint with the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the D-League, where he averaged 14 PPG, 10 RPG, 3.9 BPG, and 30.5 MPG in 10 contests. This year marks his first set of appearances in an NBA regular season. 

Washburn On Hunter, Rivers, Kings, Celtics

Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe has a new column in which he reports and comments on several topics of importance from around the NBA.

  • Washburn touches on the recent controversy around NBPA director Billy Hunter's handling of the union's finances, writing that Hunter has made it clear he has no intention of resigning as union boss.
  • Hornets rookie Austin Rivers has had a rough rookie season, but is trying to remain confident through his struggles, Washburn writes.
  • NBA insiders tell Washburn that although the feeling around the league is that the Kings will ultimately move to Seattle, the commissioner's office has made it clear that the city of Sacramento will have a fair shot at making a competitive offer.
  • The Celtics recently waived Kris Joseph and Jarvis Varnado not because of their play, but because the team was approaching the $74MM hard cap.
  • The Celtics are among the teams interested in Greg Oden, although the former Trail Blazers center is not close to being healthy enough to return to the court.