Victor Oladipo

Heat Notes: Oladipo, Lowry, Robinson, Draft Pick

April 24th, 2022 at 11:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Kyle Lowry‘s hamstring injury may create an opportunity for Heat guard Victor Oladipo, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Oladipo played just eight games during the regular season and hasn’t seen the court yet in the playoff series with the Hawks, but he gives coach Erik Spoelstra a veteran option if Lowry isn’t available for today’s Game 4.

“I’m just staying ready,” Oladipo said. “I can’t really control what happens out there, what goes on. I just got to stay ready. If my number is called, I’m going to go out there and play the game to the best of my ability.”

Oladipo is coming off an 11-month recovery from surgery on his quadriceps tendon. He wasn’t available until March 7, but he showed that he can still score, putting up 21 points on April 3 against the Raptors and 40 in the regular season finale against the Magic.

“Playoffs, regular season, it’s tough,” Oladipo said about not playing. “I want to be out there competing, helping the team win. But at the end of the day, I’m just focused on what I can control and whatever the coaching staff needs me to do to help us win, that’s what I’m going to do.”

There’s more on the Heat:

John Hollinger of The Athletic examines whether Miami is resilient enough to survive an extended absence by Lowry, who is listed as questionable for today’s game. Atlanta was able to exploit the Heat’s defense after Lowry was forced to leave Game 3, Hollinger notes, especially when Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson were on the court together.
Robinson’s inconsistency continues to be an issue from game to game, notes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. After making 8 of 9 shots in the series opener, Robinson went scoreless in Game 2 and managed just six points in Game 3. Winderman states that Caleb Martin might take some of Robinson’s minutes, especially if Lowry is unavailable and Miami needs better defense.
The Heat landed the No. 27 overall draft pick in a tiebreaker this week, but they may be more likely to trade it than use it, Winderman states in a separate story. Miami already has a wealth of young talent with Mychal Mulder and Javonte Smart holding two-way contracts that extend to next season and Haywood Highsmith and Omer Yurtseven on the roster as well. In addition, Marcus Garrett did rehab work at the team’s facility after January wrist surgery and Micah Potter was an All-Rookie selection with Miami’s G League affiliate. Winderman suggests that the first-round pick could be used as sweetener to get a team to take on Robinson’s $16.9MM contract.

Heat Notes: Butler, Herro, Morris, Oladipo

April 22nd, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Jimmy Butler‘s 45-point outburst on Tuesday in Game 2 of the Heat‘s series vs. Atlanta was reminiscent of the big performances he turned in during Miami’s 2020 run to the NBA Finals in the Orlando bubble. However, Butler said after the game that he’s a different player now than he was then, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“I’m not as ball-dominant as I was in the bubble,” Butler said. “We got a point guard, and that’s Kyle (Lowry), and I love him being a point guard. I just get to go out there and try to score. And if I can’t score, pass the ball. We’re a different team; I’m a different player.”

While Butler may feel as if he has changed as a player since two years ago, the Heat will welcome more playoff outings that resemble what he did in 2020, as opposed to a repeat of 2021, when he averaged 14.5 PPG on 29.7% shooting in a four-game sweep at the hands of Milwaukee.

As Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald writes, the more games Butler has like Tuesday’s, the better the Heat’s decision to sign him to a new long-term, maximum-salary contract extension last offseason will look. That deal is expected to pay Butler a salary exceeding $50MM in 2025/26, his age-36 season.

Here’s more on the Heat:

In an in-depth feature for ESPN, Israel Gutierrez details Tyler Herro‘s growth over the last two seasons, from his struggles in 2020/21 to his probable Sixth Man of the Year win in 2022. Within the story, the Heat guard dismissed the rumors that surfaced a year ago about the team being concerned by his so-called celebrity lifestyle. “There were so much rumors floating around my name,” Herro said. “The lifestyle stuff, the girls, and saying I’m getting caught up in that, which was never true.”
Markieff Morris has recovered from the neck injury he suffered when he was hit from behind by Nikola Jokic in November, but the way that situation played out still doesn’t sit well with head coach Erik Spoelstra, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “Markieff’s story has been probably frustrating,” Spoelstra said, “Something that shouldn’t have happened, and it’s only a one-game suspension for that, and he had to miss months of time. It makes no sense, but he’s handled that with great grace and class.”
Joe Vardon of The Athletic takes a look at the Heat’s “high-class” problem of having a roster so loaded with contributors that they pulled Duncan Robinson from their starting five and removed Morris and Victor Oladipo from the rotation entirely. Spoelstra still expects to lean on Morris and Oladipo at some point in the postseason, per Winderman. “You see how quickly things can change,” Spoelstra said, pointing to Caleb Martin‘s emergence in Game 2 vs. Atlanta. “All of sudden Caleb played and had really significant and important minutes in that second half. I anticipate the same thing will happen for Vic and Markieff.”

Heat Notes: Adebayo, Butler, Strus, Haslem, Oladipo

April 13th, 2022 at 11:10am CST by Luke Adams

More than three years before Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler led the Heat to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference this season, they were almost traded for one another, Adebayo said during a recent appearance on J.J. Redick’s Old Man and the Three podcast.

According to Adebayo, his name came up in trade talks in 2018 when the Heat were exploring the possibility of acquiring Butler from the Timberwolves.

“You heard the Minnesota situation,” Adebayo told Redick, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “And it’s crazy, because I almost got traded for Jimmy, to Minnesota. … (team president) Pat (Riley) wouldn’t trade me. Like he was, ‘Nah, I see something good in this kid.’ Yadda, yadda, yadda. And, at that point, I’m sweating bullets. Like, I’m not trying to be traded. I like it in Miami. It’s warm. I kind of got my feet wet. I’m familiar with the place.”

According to Winderman, the Heat’s offer to Minnesota in 2018 ended up revolving around Josh Richardson, Dion Waiters, and draft picks. The Wolves instead sent Butler to the Sixers, who flipped the veteran swingman to Miami less than a year later in a sign-and-trade deal involving Richardson.

Here’s more on the Heat:

In an interview with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Heat wing Max Strus discussed his recovery from a 2019 ACL tear, his experience in Miami, and his long-term career goals. Strus – who is under contract with the Heat for one more season before becoming eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2023 – said he’s taking things year by year but would “love to be here” long-term. “I think it’s been great for my career, and I think I’m a good fit for the Heat and what we do here,” he said. “I try not to get too caught up in that because you never know what’s going to happen.”
While the March 23 sideline spat involving Jimmy Butler, Udonis Haslem, and head coach Erik Spoelstra didn’t look good, the Heat were able to quickly move past that incident and have no regrets, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “I could have been a little more cool-headed,” Haslem said on Cari Champion’s podcast. “Jimmy could have been a little more cool-headed. But I don’t think neither one of us regret that situation. Because you look at the type of basketball we’re playing now. A couple of days later, we were back drinking wine together.”
After returning to the court last month following a long recovery from quad surgery, Victor Oladipo appeared in just eight of the Heat’s last 17 games and only played 20 or more minutes three times. However, he showed just how valuable he can be by averaging 30.5 points on 60.6% shooting in his final two games. As Winderman writes in another Sun Sentinel article, the Heat will face a tough decision on how and when to insert Oladipo into a crowded rotation for the postseason. “I don’t have no control with that,” the two-time All-Star said. “If my number is called, I’ll be ready.”

Heat Notes: Beal, Butler, Martin, Oladipo, Haslem

March 21st, 2022 at 2:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The belief around the NBA is that signing a new contract with the Wizards is the most likely offseason outcome for veteran guard Bradley Beal, writes Shams Charania of The Athletic. However, multiple sources tell Charania that the Heat are considered a “legitimate” suitor for Beal if he decides to seek a change of scenery in free agency.

Even if Beal were interested in going to Miami, it would be a challenge for the capped-out Heat to acquire him. As Charania writes, a sign-and-trade would almost certainly be necessary, and it’s a safe bet the Wizards would drive a hard bargain if they were sending their franchise player to a division rival. Reacting to the report, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald says he’d be surprised if the Heat were willing to move Tyler Herro in a sign-and-trade for Beal.

The entire scenario remains hypothetical for now. Although the Heat are one of several teams that have monitored Beal for years in case he asks to be dealt – Charania reports the Sixers also did plenty of work this season on a possible Beal trade before acquiring James Harden – the longtime Wizard has always remained committed to D.C. It sounds like there’s a good chance that trend will continue this summer.

Here’s more on the Heat:

Caleb Martin (hyperextended left knee) said on Monday that he’ll play vs. Philadelphia tonight, and head coach Erik Spoelstra said that Jimmy Butler (right ankle sprain) will warm up with the intention of playing (Twitter links via Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald). Sixers center Joel Embiid, meanwhile, will sit on the second night of a back-to-back set due to back soreness, tweets ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.
Victor Oladipo didn’t travel to Philadelphia due to back spasms, but the Heat don’t seem concerned about the veteran guard, tweets Chiang. “He’s just rehabbing and trying to get ready for Wednesday,” Spoelstra said of Oladipo.
Heat big man Udonis Haslem remains interested in getting involved in the franchise’s ownership group after he retires, as Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald relays. “This is always the place I wanted to win. This is always the place I wanted to retire. This is always the place I felt I could make the biggest impact,” Haslem said, noting that he took discounts earlier in his career to stay with the Heat. “… You don’t give up $40, $50, $60 million dollars temporarily because it [isn’t] temporarily coming back. So everything I’ve done is to be part of this organization for the rest of my life.”

Southeast Notes: Oladipo, Bam, Collins, Bridges

March 20th, 2022 at 1:31pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Heat guard Victor Oladipo, who continues to work his way back from quadriceps tendon surgery, has played in just four games since returning to the hardwood for Miami on March 7, averaging 5.5 points on .450/.222/.667 shooting across 16.3 MPG. Oladipo has also struggled with lower back spasms in recent days.

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel writes that the Heat were never anticipating that Oladipo could be a starter this season playing major minutes. Winderman notes that the 6’4″ guard, a former two-time All-Star with the Pacers before being beset by injuries, could still be a valuable contributor for the East’s top-seeded club in spot minutes during the playoffs. The play of fellow reserve guards Max Strus and Gabe Vincent has made any help Oladipo provides a bit of a bonus.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

Heat center Bam Adebayo believes he deserves to be named Defensive Player of the Year this season, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Adebayo has been the anchor for one of the league’s staunchest defenses this year. As of this writing, the Heat rank fifth in defensive rating and fourth in points allowed per game. The 6’9″ big man has been no slouch when it comes to counting stats, either, averaging 19.0 PPG, 10.3 RPG and 3.5 APG this season for Miami. Though Adebayo has missed 25 games this season due to injury, missing some contests does not necessarily preclude a player from DPOY consideration. In the 2017/18 season, Jazz center Rudy Gobert won his first Defensive Player of the Year award after playing only 56 of 82 games for Utah.
Hawks head coach Nate McMillan sounds fairly skeptical that starting power forward John Collins will be available to return to the floor for Atlanta within the 10-to-14-day timeline initially provided by the team, per Sarah K. Spencer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter). “That’s when they will talk about his injury again,” McMillan said. “I don’t think we’re saying in two weeks he’ll be back. We will re-evaluate him in two weeks.”
Hornets power forward Miles Bridges, who should at least be a finalist for the 2022 Most Improved Player award thanks to his excellent play this year, is focused on reaching the playoffs with Charlotte following several past disappointments, per Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer. “I’ve been here before and all three years when we could’ve made the playoffs we didn’t finish like we wanted to,” Bridges said. “So I just want this year to be different.” Bridges is averaging 20.0 PPG, 7.1 RPG and 3.8 APG for the 36-35 Hornets, current occupants of the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte – currently 5.5 games ahead of the No. 11 Wizards with just 11 games left in its season – seems like a safe bet to at least qualify for the 2022 play-in tournament. Last year, the Hornets finished as the tenth seed with a 33-39 record, but lost to the Pacers in their first play-in game.

Injury Notes: Lakers, Jazz, Bulls, Heat

March 18th, 2022 at 9:53pm CST by Rory Maher

Lakers coach Frank Vogel said Anthony Davis is progressing each day as he inches closer to a return to action, as Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet tweets.

“Anthony has had a good week … He’s had a productive week,” Vogel said.

Davis continues to do spot shooting, which began on Monday. Davis originally suffered a right foot strain on February 16, so he’s a little more than four weeks into his four-to-six week recovery timetable.

Lakers reserves Carmelo Anthony and Wayne Ellington were both unable to play on Friday at Toronto due to non-COVID illnesses, Trudell relays (via Twitter).

Talen Horton-Tucker missed the game as well, per Blake Murphy of Sportsnet (Twitter link). Horton-Tucker has been battling a Grade 2 ankle sprain.

Here are more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

The Jazz are dealing with a plethora of maladies at the moment. Six players were listed as out for Friday’s game against the Clippers, the team announced (Twitter link): Donovan Mitchell (right calf contusion), Bojan Bogdanovic (left calf strain), Danuel House (left knee bone bruise), Hassan Whiteside (non-COVID illness), Trent Forrest (right wrist sprain), and Udoka Azubuike (right ankle sprain).
Bulls coach Billy Donovan says Lonzo Ball has been experiencing discomfort in his rehab, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “He has not responded,” Donovan said. “There’s no setbacks. It’s still the same thing. He has not been able to do anything full speed. And anytime we get him close to that, there’s discomfort. So I think they’re going to probably at least look at, you know, ‘Do you back off and let him rest for a little bit and see if that helps?’” Johnson notes that Friday marked seven weeks since Ball underwent surgery to repair the torn meniscus in his left knee, and given his lack of progress, it seems highly unlikely he’ll return in the six-to-eight week recovery timetable Chicago originally provided. Donovan said there’s been no talk of Ball missing the remainder of the season, but the team is still determining the next steps in his recovery process.
On a more positive note, Donovan said Patrick Williams has been a full participant in G League practices with the Windy City Bulls, with no setbacks. He also said there was a “very real” possibility that Williams could return to action versus Toronto on Monday or Milwaukee on Tuesday, Johnson tweets. Williams has been targeting a return next week; he’s been out since October due to wrist surgery.
Jimmy Butler (sprained right ankle) and Victor Oladipo (back spasms) both missed the Heat‘s 120-108 win over the Thunder on Friday, Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald writes. It’s the third time Butler has sprained his right ankle this season, Chiang notes, which is definitely a concerning trend. However, the injury isn’t considered serious. On the bright side, Caleb Martin (hyperextended left knee) and P.J. Tucker (left knee irritation) were both able to play after being listed as questionable. Martin had missed the past three games for the 47-24 Heat, who hold the No. 1 seed in the East.

Southeast Notes: Collins, Oladipo, Mosley

March 14th, 2022 at 8:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

John Collins‘ right ring finger injury won’t improve much if he continues to play this season, an orthopedic specialist told The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner.

The specialist, Deepak Chona, said the proper treatment requires the finger to be immobilized in a splint for the tissue to heal. The best-case scenario if Collins continues playing would be partial healing in two or three weeks and moderate improvement in his shooting as the Hawks forward becoming used to his shooting hand being compromised.

Collins is averaging 9.3 PPG on 35.9% shooting in four March games. Collins, who is unsure whether he should continue playing, will sit out against Portland on Monday.

“I want to rest. I want to feel right,” he said. “But I know in an 82-game season, it’s not always going to be the case to feel 100 percent.”

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Victor Oladipo didn’t play in the second game of a back-to-back on Saturday and Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said they don’t want to push him too much physically, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel writes. “This is just a matter of I’m not going to try to fast track this,” Spoelstra said “This is going to be about us tempering the expectations.” Miami plays Detroit on Tuesday.
Oladipo is averaging 6.7 PPG and 3.0 APG in 16.7 MPG since returning from his quad injury. The former All-Star admitted to The Athletic’s Joe Vardon that it’s been a humbling experience. “It did affect me, going through all of those things,” said Oladipo, who will be a free agent again this summer. “Feeling like people kind of wrote me off, and feeling like people are kind of being weird, moving weird around me as a person. It was just weird, and I didn’t help myself either. I had to change the people I was around, who I was letting represent me. I had to change who I was letting manage my life. I had to change a whole bunch of stuff.”
Jamahl Mosley has put his stamp on the Magic in his first year as head coach and the Orlando Sentinel’s Khobi Price takes a closer look at Mosley’s early impact on the franchise.

Heat Rumors: Herro, Robinson, Oladipo, Martin, Offseason

March 11th, 2022 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

Heat guard Tyler Herro is the frontrunner to win the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award in 2022, having averaged 20.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 3.9 APG in 32.7 MPG this season while coming off the bench in 44 of his 54 appearances. Herro is having his breakout year at the right time — he’ll be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason.

According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, some rival executives and agents believe Herro’s next deal could approach the maximum salary. Others believe it’ll be a step below that and have used Jaylen Brown‘s four-year extension with Boston – which had a base value of $103MM, plus $12MM in incentives – as a point of comparison. Recent four-year, $85MM contracts for the likes of Fred VanVleet and Lonzo Ball have also set a potential baseline for Herro, Fischer observes.

There are still people around the NBA who believe Herro could be the “odd man out” if the Heat try to land another star, Fischer writes. “We all know Miami goes big-fish hunting,” one general manager told Bleacher Report. Still, until an obvious big-name target emerges, it seems likely that Herro’s future will be in Miami, where he’s highly valued.

Here’s more on the Heat from Fischer:

Assuming Miami is unable to add a star player this offseason, the team’s biggest summer move could involve sharpshooter Duncan Robinson. Fischer says league personnel view Robinson as the Heat’s most logical trade chip, and sources tell Bleacher Report that the club gauged his value prior to February’s trade deadline, though no discussions ever got serious. The Heat would love to add another impact player in the frontcourt and have shown interest in Rockets big man Christian Wood and Hornets forward P.J. Washington, among others, Fischer adds.
Victor Oladipo and Caleb Martin, both of whom will be free agents after the season, have strong interest in remaining with the Heat, sources tell Fischer.
People around the NBA believe last month’s KZ Okpala trade that freed up Miami’s 2023 first-round pick to be dealt could be a precursor to a potential offseason move, says Fischer. “They are the best in the league at lining up for a big move,” a Western Conference executive said. Another source suggested to Fischer that Miami always has “plans for every actuality,” so the team isn’t necessarily zeroed in one specific target.

Southeast Notes: Kuzma, Oladipo, Spoelstra, Hampton

March 8th, 2022 at 9:45pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Versatile Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma is enjoying his new opportunity as Washington’s highest-usage player following a trade from the only NBA team he had ever known, the Lakers, during the 2021 offseason, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Kuzma won a title as a key rotation player for Los Angeles in 2020.

“I’ve referred to him on a number of occasions as our Swiss Army knife,” Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. “Whatever we need in that moment, he’s capable of doing.”

The 6’9″ Kuzma is averaging 17.2 PPG, 8.7 RPG and 3.4 APG in 60 games for Washington, with shooting splits of .456/.342/.725.

“It’s been a great change of pace for me, a change of scenery,” the 26-year-old said of his new club. “I did as much as I (could) to maximize (myself) when I was with my former team, with changing my role every single year for the betterment of the team and trying to fit in with great players.

“But here, it’s been a lot different, because I don’t necessarily have to do that. My role has changed here. If you think about the first 25 games, I was in a different type of role than I am now: more scoring and just doing more things with the ball. It’s just great to be in a situation where I can just be myself and do what I do, and not dummy myself down.”

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

Heat reserve guard Victor Oladipo returned to the court with Miami for the first time this season on Monday. He logged 11 points while shooting 4-for-7 from the floor in a 123-106 win over Oladipo’s former team, the Rockets. Oladipo called his return from a right knee quadriceps tendon surgery “everything I wanted and more,” per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald. A former two-time All-Star and 2o18 All-Defensive First Team honoree for the Pacers, Oladipo returned with a 15-minute cap. He has appeared in just 53 contests since the beginning of the 2019/20 NBA season due to a variety of injuries. When asked about when the guard would exceed his current strict on-court time limit, head coach Erik Spoelstra was quick to establish that the club is taking a longer-term approach. “I’m going to temper those expectations,” Spoelstra said. “He’s been out a year. Three years of injuries. Fifteen minutes, that feel amazing to him and to everybody in the locker room. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves on anything else.”
Now that Oladipo is back as a contributor on the hardwood for the Heat, Spoelstra looks forward to having to make some roster adjustments with his perimeter players, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. Miami guards Max Strus and Gabe Vincent rode the bench, until the game was well out of reach in the fourth, to accommodate Oladipo’s return. “Big shout out to Max and Gabe, who have been playing really well,” Oladipo said after the contest. “For them to sacrifice their minutes tonight, I know that’s not easy.” Spoelstra acknowledged the roster crunch but appeared to dismiss it as being an issue for team chemistry. “That’s for amateurs,” Spoelstra said. “Guys understand the opportunity with this group. It’s not all going to be perfect. Everybody is not always going to be happy, but we have a really mature group in this locker room… We have a bunch of guys who can fit in and impact the game. Max and Gabe didn’t play much, but they can come in and do the same thing.”
With rookie Magic guard Jalen Suggs missing Orlando’s last two games due to a right ankle sprain, second-year guard R.J. Hampton has been tasked with bigger-ticket defensive assignments, writes Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel. The 6’4″ guard may still be struggling on offense, as he is averaging 7.3 PPG on 38.4% field goal shooting this season, but he has exhibited plenty of promise on the other side of the floor.

Victor Oladipo To Make Season Debut Tonight

March 7th, 2022 at 5:16pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Victor Oladipo will make his season debut for the Heat tonight, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel tweets. Oladipo’s court time will be limited to approximately 15 minutes, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald tweets.

“This is more about just celebrating that he’s healthy,” coach Erik Spoelstra told the assembled media prior to the home game against the Rockets.

It was reported on Thursday that Oladipo would likely return to action tonight.

Oladipo, who has been rehabbing from quad tendon surgery, has only played four games with Miami since being acquired last March from the Rockets. He recently participated in three practices with the G League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Oladipo, who will likely play backup at point guard behind Kyle Lowry, was signed to a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal last offseason and will re-enter the free agent market this summer. He’ll now get a chance to re-establish his value after a lengthy absence.

Oladipo played 33 games last season with Indiana, Houston and Miami, averaging 19.8 points on 41% shooting. His last healthy season was the 2017/18 campaign, when he averaged a career-high 23.1 points and 2.4 steals in 75 games (34.0 MPG). He also shot 47.7% from the floor and 37.1% from deep that season.

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