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Reaction: Heat lose to Bulls at Home

Photo credit: Heat.com

The Miami Heat season is officially back. But the season opener didn’t inspire any confidence. Despite missing Zach Lavine, the Chicago Bulls gave the Heat fits all night long, especially in the second half. The second half was where things went south for Miami. Demar Derozan got going with 19 points in the third period. He was able to get to his sweet spots with ease. Miami made a run in the fourth period to cut the lead the four. But then, the Bulls pulled away in the end and sealed the victory. Here are my takeaways from Wednesday’s loss to Chicago.

Replacing P.J. Tucker

Who’s going to be the Heat’s starting power forward? That was the question surrounding the team after P. J. Tucker’s departure. In the first game of the season, the Heat went with Caleb Martin. Like Herro, Martin started off very well. He provided early rim pressure and shooting. This was something we didn’t see much of last season. However, he was quiet the rest of the game. Martin finished with seven points and three rebounds. While Tucker wasn’t a great offensive player, his toughness was definitely missed. With Bam Adebayo and Dewayne Dedmon in foul trouble, the Heat did not have a player to fill in. Usually, Tucker served as the team’s small ball center in these moments.

Defense

The Heat pride themselves on being a great defensive team. They’re usually a team that plays hard and physical on that end. There were multiple times where the Heat’s defense would energize their offense. That wasn’t the case on Wednesday. Miami’s defense was a step slow, particularly in the second half. The Bulls were getting easy baskets at the rim, mostly off of simple back cuts. The defensive rotations weren’t as good as they normally are. Derozan tore the Heat defense apart multiple times in the third period. This was a game where Miami’s defense wasn’t felt from a physical standpoint. If they want to compete against the best, they’ll have to step it on that end of the floor.

Bam Struggles

Photo credit: Heat.com

Heading into the season there was a lot of talk about Miami needing an aggressive Adebayo. That’s exactly what they got on Wednesday. He took a team high 10 field goal attempts in the first half. Unfortunately, the shots were not falling down. Some of the shots he took looked flat and rushed. The shots Adebayo took were easy shots that he would normally make. It was a really frustrating night for the Heat big man. He picked up his fourth foul and sat out the majority of the third quarter. Adebayo didn’t have that usual fire that he usually has. Adebayo ended the night with 12 points and nine rebounds.

Herro Starts Hot

At the end of last season, Tyler Herro made it known that he was looking to start. This season, he’s got his wish. And he definitely got off to a hot start. Herro scored 11 of Miami’s first 16 points in the first period. He scored off of pull ups, floaters, and three pointers. Also, he was one of the Heat’s better players of the night. Like the playoffs, the Bulls sent doubles at him above the three-point line. Herro displayed great patience and was able to snake his way to the basket. He looked very confident against the blitzes. It’s going to be a very important part of his development. Herro finished the night with 23 points,

Next up: The Boston Celtics. Game tips off at 7:30pm eastern on Friday.

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Houston’s KJ Martin an option for Miami?

Photo by Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Heat are a week away from starting their regular season. They will finish their preseason games on Wednesday night. So far, there’s hasn’t been many answers on the Heat’s regular rotational players. Since the first few games, players have been in and out of the lineups. The only ones receiving major minutes have been the young players, led by Nikola Jovic and Jamal Cain. And Duncan Robinson has also played in every game of the preseason.

Still, the power forward spot remains a question. Are the Heat looking for outside help or do they believe they have the answer inside? If you ask Caleb Martin, he’ll tell you he’s the answer. The young Heat forward hasn’t been shy about his confidence of guarding bigger players. Omer Yurtseven has also said that he can play alongside Bam Adebayo, who will be the power forward if Yurtseven started. Former Heat power forward Jae Crowder remains an option through trade. However, Houston Rockets forward K.J. Martin‘s name has been linked to the Heat. According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Heat have interest in Martin.

Rockets forward K.J. Martin, another forward known to have interest in playing elsewhere, is one player the Suns have held ongoing talks about obtaining, sources said. Portland and Miami are two other known teams with interest in Martin.

Via Jake Fischer

Trading For Martin

Entering his third year, the 21-year-old forward is looking to play elsewhere for more playing time. The Rockets drafted two young forwards in Jabari Smith and Tari Eason this offseason in the draft. With those two forwards on the roster, playing time seemed challenging for KJ Martin. This preseason, Martin has been successful in getting minutes at the small forward spot. But it remains to be seen how long this arrangement lasts once Houston gets healthy. If he doesn’t, Martin will have suitors.

If he’s looking for a place to maximize his skills, Miami is a great spot for him. Despite being undersized, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra will find a way to get the most out of him. Martin is very athletic and is good off the ball defensively. He’s not a switchable defender but Miami can adjust to that. Yurtseven is not a switchable defender and they normally do drop coverages whenever he’s on the floor. Offensively, he’s a good shooter, shooting over 45 percent from the field last season. This will be an intriguing piece for Miami to acquire. We’ll see what happens.

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News: Jamal Cain signed to Two-Way Deal

© Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images

After a strong start to the preseason, Jamal Cain‘s contract has been converted to a two-way contract. The 6-foot-7 went undrafted out Oakland. He played five games with the Miami Heat‘s summer league team, averaging eight points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game. He was later signed to an Exhibit 10 contract in late July. With Miami only carrying 14 players because of tax reasons, Cain entered training competing for one of the two-way contract spots.

And boy has he earned it. Through the first three preseason games, Cain is averaging 12 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.3 steals on 44% shooting from three-point range. Cain has been one of the Heat’s most impressive players of the preseason. On Thursday, he defended Kevin Durant as well as anyone could. He’s been knocking down corner three-pointers. He’s also making hustle plays on both ends of the floor. His performance has even impressed Bam Adebayo, who endorsed the forward after his performance against the Nets.

Waiving Days

With the Heat’s two two-way contract spots already occupied, they cut Darius Days from his two-way deal to make room. After being cut from the roster, Days will be able to spend time with Miami’s G League Affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Unfortunately, other teams will be able to sign him to a standard or two-way contract. Cain now joins Marcus Garrett as the Heat’s two two-way contract players. These contracts do not count toward the Heat’s salary cap or luxury tax. Both players will be able to spend time with Miami for as many as 50 regular season games. However, those on two-way contracts are ineligible for the playoffs.

Now that Cain is officially on board, the Heat have another gem to develop in their system. Over the years, the Heat have had success developing players like Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, and Caleb Martin. Cain is on his way to becoming another developmental success story for Miami.

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Competition for Starting Spots Begin

© Photo by Heat.com/Getty Images

As the Miami Heat continue their training camp, there are only three spots in the starting lineup filled. Those three spots belong to Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry, and Jimmy Butler. The other two spots are open for competition and will be filled through training camp. Players like Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, Tyler Herro, and Victor Oladipo are competing for the guard spot alongside Lowry. As for the power forward spot, Caleb Martin seems to be the frontrunner, but Robinson has also spent minutes there before. And let’s not forget Haywood Highsmith and Omer Yurtseven as well.

Replacing P.J. Tucker

Finding P.J. Tucker‘s replacement at the power forward spot remains the biggest task. Tucker was a key piece in the Heat’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals. Unfortunately, he signed a three-year deal with Philadelphia 76ers this past summer. Additionally, the Heat didn’t offer the full mid-level exception because of their pursuit for Kevin Durant, who ended up staying with the Brooklyn Nets. Moreover, Miami also hasn’t had luck pursuing a replacement through trade or free agency. Phoenix Suns‘ Jae Crowder—who Tucker replaced last season—wants a trade and Miami is a possible destination. But for now, Martin seems to have the inside track on the position.

“We always find a way,” Bam Adebayo told reporters. “That’s the Miami Heat way. That’s our culture.” “PJ’s not with us no more, so we have to learn how to adapt to that.”

Source: Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel

Guard Competition

The stiffest competition will be the starting guard spot. Miami has plenty of guards on the roster with different specialties. Robinson and Strus are the elite shooters of the team. Herro is the best three-level scorer on the roster and has good pick-and-roll chemistry with Adebayo. Oladipo is a former all-star who’s working to regain his form. Now, he’s healthy and has publicly expressed his desire to prove doubters wrong. Whoever starts will have to be ready to adjust to not having the basketball as much in the starting lineup. Strus and Robinson have shown they don’t need the ball as much out of all the guards.

Photo Credit: Heat.com

Although Miami’s roster is largely intact, there’s still questions that remains to be answered during this training camp. Will Miami go small with Martin at the power forward spot? Or will they go big with Yurtseven? Who is the best option at shooting guard? In the end, it’s going to be interesting to see which direction the Heat goes with its starting lineup. The NBA regular season doesn’t start until late October so there’s still time.

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Jae Crowder back to Miami?

© Photo by Kim Klement/Getty Images

While four NBA teams are currently undergoing training, the rest of the league has to wait until Tuesday. Training camp is where all the NBA teams work to get in shape and work on chemistry. The NBA requires all players to attend unless given permission. Of course, there has been instances where a player will forgo training camp if unhappy. Sometimes players will do this is they’re requesting a trade. In a deleted tweet, Jae Crowder hinted that he might not attend the Phoenix Suns training camp. Shams Charania later reported that both the Suns and Crowder agreed that it was best for him to sit out.

This has been an odd offseason for the Suns and Crowder. Since signing with the Suns in 2020, Crowder has helped the team reach another level. His ability to play as a small-ball four has made him a seamless fit for the team. However, the two sides have drifted apart from each other. There’s been speculation that the Suns wanting to start Cam Johnson as a reason for Crowder’s unhappiness with the team. Cowder has one year remaining on his three-year deal and will hit free agency after this season.

As a result, the Suns have reportedly been shopping Crowder. One potential destination is the Miami Heat, a destination Crowder would love to join. He’s publicly been expressing an interest in returning to Miami through social media. Crowder was a huge piece for the Heat’s run to the 2020 NBA Finals. After P.J. Tucker departing, the team is missing a quality starting power forward. Crowder would be a good replacement but a trade to Miami will be tricky.

Why? Well, the Suns are unlikely to have interest in taking on Duncan Robinson‘s long-term contract. Additionally, Robinson has been unplayable at times because of his bad defense. The Heat’s other players who could be matching salary pieces cannot be traded until December or January. It’ll also be surprising if Miami decided to include a first rounder or young piece for an expiring contract like Crowder. Miami and Phoenix could seek out a third team but that may require Miami moving a first rounder.

It’s clear that Crowder wants out. And the Suns are open to finding him a new home. With training camp opening up in two days, this will be an interesting storyline to watch.

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 14: Head coach Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat reacts from the sideline during the second half of a NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 14, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kim Klement - Pool/Getty Images)
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Heat Training Camp: Three Things To look out for

(Photo by Kim Klement – Pool/Getty Images)

Can you believe the NBA Season is almost here? Just a few months ago, the Miami Heat finished the regular season with the top seed in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, they sent the Atlanta Hawks and the Philadelphia 76ers in the opening two rounds of the playoffs. From there, they reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the second time in three seasons. Unfortunately, they fell to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Despite a monster postseason from Jimmy Butler, the Heat was unable to clinch an NBA Finals berth.

There were plenty of questions for Miami heading into the offseason. The most important one was whether or not they can acquire another star talent to pair alongside Butler. Despite Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell being on the market, the Heat ended up missing out on both. Durant rescinded his trade request and Mitchell was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Additionally, Miami went through the offseason without making marginal changes. While its competition has made improvements, Miami remained the same. If asked the team about their changes, they remained confident about title chances. But still, there’s questions surrounding the team as training camp approaches.

Will the Heat sign Tyler Herro to an extension?

When Durant and Mitchell were available, there was no question Tyler Herro was being dangled in those talks. The Heat was willing to move anyone outside of Bam Adebayo and Butler for the two stars. Unfortunately, Miami did not have the draft capital to make a competitive offer. It’s been weeks since both stars have been removed from the market and Herro has yet to be signed to an extension. Signing Herro to an extension before the mid-October deadline would make him untradeable for a year. It would essentially keep him out of talks between now and the February trade deadline. Putting the extension talks on hold for a while could keep Miami in the game for star players that ask out. However, it could also affect the relationship between Herro and the organization. Is the Heat willing to take that gamble? We will see.

Duncan Robinson: Trade Piece or Rotation Player?

Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images

After re-signing with Miami on a bigger contract, Duncan Robinson began the season in the Heat starting lineup. He continued to be one of the better three-point shooters in the league, tied for seventh in the league in made threes (232). For the year, he shot 37.2 percent from downtown. Unfortunately, he took a step back in three-point percentage after shooting over 40 percent the previous two seasons. As the season went along, Robinson’s role with the team decreased because of his defense. He was replaced in the starting lineup by Max Strus and had to come off the bench. In the playoffs, Robinson often found himself out of the rotation, only receiving minutes due to injuries to teammates.

This offseason, his name has been in a lot of trade talks. He’s been used as a salary filler in blockbuster trade talks and as a piece to move for a rotational player. Robinson will make over $54.4 million over the next four years of his contract, with the last year being an early termination option. The Heat are in need of another frontcourt player as Tucker insurance. When he’s shooting well and playing adequate defense, he can really help this team. The gravity he provides on the offensive end helps Miami’s stars. In the end, this will be a situation to watch over the next couple of months.

Will the Old Victor Oladipo return?

The Heat’s biggest wildcard this season is Victor Oladipo. He returned to the team last season and worked his way up to the rotation. Despite being inconsistent offensively, his defense kept him on the floor for the most part. At times, there were flashes of the old Oladipo. Especially in Game 5 of the first-round series matchup with the Hawks. When healthy, Oladipo provides needed rim pressure, creating opportunities for his teammates. This offseason he’s been on a “revenge tour”, as Oladipo calls it. Miami is banking on him being a key contributor this season. A healthy Oladipo could be the jumpstart the Heat need to remain in title contention.

We’re only a few days away from Miami opening it’s training camp. A lot of familiar faces will be available for them. However, there still will be questions as well. The conference is even stronger now with teams improving all across the board. It’s going to be interesting to see how all of this plays out.

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