Y'all already got most of the latest gist. I don't agree with the Bam-Bryant spacing nightmare analysis.
Heat live blog: Lillard update, Zeller leaves, summer league notes. And Richardson, Bryant BY BARRY JACKSON AND ANTHONY CHIANG UPDATED JULY 02, 2023 6:18 PM
Miami Heat president Pat Riley looks on during the second half in game four of the 2023 NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets at Kaseya Center. JIM RASSOL Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports Welcome to Day 3 of the Miami Herald’s Miami Heat free agency live blog.
The Heat, this weekend, is continuing efforts to trade for Portland guard Damian Lillard, who has informed the Blazers that he wants to be traded specifically to Miami. The Blazers, reportedly, are not limiting their options only to Miami. They’re also exploring finding a third team that could help facilitate a Lillard trade to the Heat, with Brooklyn in play.
The purpose of exploring third team options is to determine if a deal involving Heat is viable in Portland’s eyes. As ESPN’s Bobby Marks said, there doesn’t seem a path to two team Blazers-Heat deal that appeases Portland. So there remains some drama and twists and turns to play out in this saga. Keep checking back for updates: 6 p.m. update: The Heat formally announced the Josh Richardson and Thomas Bryant signings; nobody was quoted in the press release. Richardson will make the minimum $2.9 million next season and has a player option at $3 million for 2024-25. Bryant will make the minimum $2.5 million next season and also has a player option, at $2.9 million, for 2024-25. (For more on both players, see below.) Minimum salaries vary depending on a player’s number of years of experience. 4 p.m.
update: Center Cody Zeller, who backed up Bam Adebayo after signing with Miami during last year’s All Star break, agreed to a one-year, $3.1 million contract with New Orleans, his agent told ESPN. Thomas Bryant is the Heat’s new backup center. (See below for more on Bryant.)
Of the Heat’s five veteran free agents aside from the retiring Udonis Haslem, Kevin Love was the only one to re-sign. Gabe Vincent (Lakers), Max Strus (Cavs), Zeller (New Orleans) and Omer Yurtseven (who’s unsigned) are all moving on. Vincent declined a four-year, $34 million offer from the Heat to take a three-year, $33 million deal with the Lakers. The Heat never countered the four-year, $64 million deal that Strus got from Cleveland. 3 p.m. update: Heat assistant coach Caron Butler, who is coaching the Heat’s summer league team, said first round pick Jaime Jaquez Jr. “has done a remarkable job” during practices in Sacramento the past few days.
Butler also mentioned undrafted Southern California forward Drew Peterson and Northwestern guard Chase Audige. The Heat added several skilled three-point shooters; Butler mentioned Peterson and Utah State forward Taylor Funk as players who have been “finding themselves open” and hitting shots. “Our player development has been off the charts the past couple days,” Butler said. ... Butler said Nikola Jovic “has added on a ton of muscle, look like he grew a little bit as well. Communication has been a point of emphasis with his growth. Nikola is probably not going to always be scoring, but his ability to make plays, especially with his high basketball IQ, is something you just can’t teach.”... Guard Dru Smith, who signed a two-way contract with the Heat on Saturday, joined the Heat’s summer league team in California. Miami opens play against the Lakers at 6 p.m. Monday, on ESPN2, at Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center. Noon update: The Portland Trail Blazers have not conveyed to Damian Lillard if they plan to honor his request to be traded specifically to the Heat, according to a source. Publicly, the Blazers have made no such promises. In fact, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Sunday that Portland is not trying to accommodate Lillard’s Heat request and thus “Miami does not have any advantage” over the rest of the league. The Blazers are “open for business everywhere in the league,” Woj said. But Lillard holds one big leverage card: Other potential suitors know that he wants to play in Miami. So would anyone make a serious offer knowing their team is not his preference, especially considering the money that Lillard is due (four years, $216 million)? That’s highly questionable. While Philadelphia could make an offer built around Tyrese Maxey, the 76ers are reportedly not inclined to do that. San Antonio and Utah have been floated as teams with interest, but both are in the midst of rebuilding projects and Lillard wants to be traded to a contender. The Clippers have been mentioned as a suitor but have limited draft inventory. And again, Lillard prefers Miami. Though Lillard told Brian Custer previously that the Heat and Nets would appeal to him, the Heat has emerged as Lillard’s clear preference of the two. The Nets and Blazers reportedly have spoken about Brooklyn helping facilitate a trade with Miami, Ian Begley reported. Tyler Herro’s names have come up in those discussions, according to a source. He would be a possibility to go to Brooklyn in a three-team Heat/Blazers/Nets trade, if those talks advance. 11:50 a.m.
Heat live blog: Lillard update, Zeller leaves, summer league notes. And Richardson, Bryant BY BARRY JACKSON AND ANTHONY CHIANG UPDATED JULY 02, 2023 6:18 PM
Miami Heat president Pat Riley looks on during the second half in game four of the 2023 NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets at Kaseya Center. JIM RASSOL Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports Welcome to Day 3 of the Miami Herald’s Miami Heat free agency live blog.
The Heat, this weekend, is continuing efforts to trade for Portland guard Damian Lillard, who has informed the Blazers that he wants to be traded specifically to Miami. The Blazers, reportedly, are not limiting their options only to Miami. They’re also exploring finding a third team that could help facilitate a Lillard trade to the Heat, with Brooklyn in play.
The purpose of exploring third team options is to determine if a deal involving Heat is viable in Portland’s eyes. As ESPN’s Bobby Marks said, there doesn’t seem a path to two team Blazers-Heat deal that appeases Portland. So there remains some drama and twists and turns to play out in this saga. Keep checking back for updates: 6 p.m. update: The Heat formally announced the Josh Richardson and Thomas Bryant signings; nobody was quoted in the press release. Richardson will make the minimum $2.9 million next season and has a player option at $3 million for 2024-25. Bryant will make the minimum $2.5 million next season and also has a player option, at $2.9 million, for 2024-25. (For more on both players, see below.) Minimum salaries vary depending on a player’s number of years of experience. 4 p.m.
update: Center Cody Zeller, who backed up Bam Adebayo after signing with Miami during last year’s All Star break, agreed to a one-year, $3.1 million contract with New Orleans, his agent told ESPN. Thomas Bryant is the Heat’s new backup center. (See below for more on Bryant.)
Of the Heat’s five veteran free agents aside from the retiring Udonis Haslem, Kevin Love was the only one to re-sign. Gabe Vincent (Lakers), Max Strus (Cavs), Zeller (New Orleans) and Omer Yurtseven (who’s unsigned) are all moving on. Vincent declined a four-year, $34 million offer from the Heat to take a three-year, $33 million deal with the Lakers. The Heat never countered the four-year, $64 million deal that Strus got from Cleveland. 3 p.m. update: Heat assistant coach Caron Butler, who is coaching the Heat’s summer league team, said first round pick Jaime Jaquez Jr. “has done a remarkable job” during practices in Sacramento the past few days.
Butler also mentioned undrafted Southern California forward Drew Peterson and Northwestern guard Chase Audige. The Heat added several skilled three-point shooters; Butler mentioned Peterson and Utah State forward Taylor Funk as players who have been “finding themselves open” and hitting shots. “Our player development has been off the charts the past couple days,” Butler said. ... Butler said Nikola Jovic “has added on a ton of muscle, look like he grew a little bit as well. Communication has been a point of emphasis with his growth. Nikola is probably not going to always be scoring, but his ability to make plays, especially with his high basketball IQ, is something you just can’t teach.”... Guard Dru Smith, who signed a two-way contract with the Heat on Saturday, joined the Heat’s summer league team in California. Miami opens play against the Lakers at 6 p.m. Monday, on ESPN2, at Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center. Noon update: The Portland Trail Blazers have not conveyed to Damian Lillard if they plan to honor his request to be traded specifically to the Heat, according to a source. Publicly, the Blazers have made no such promises. In fact, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Sunday that Portland is not trying to accommodate Lillard’s Heat request and thus “Miami does not have any advantage” over the rest of the league. The Blazers are “open for business everywhere in the league,” Woj said. But Lillard holds one big leverage card: Other potential suitors know that he wants to play in Miami. So would anyone make a serious offer knowing their team is not his preference, especially considering the money that Lillard is due (four years, $216 million)? That’s highly questionable. While Philadelphia could make an offer built around Tyrese Maxey, the 76ers are reportedly not inclined to do that. San Antonio and Utah have been floated as teams with interest, but both are in the midst of rebuilding projects and Lillard wants to be traded to a contender. The Clippers have been mentioned as a suitor but have limited draft inventory. And again, Lillard prefers Miami. Though Lillard told Brian Custer previously that the Heat and Nets would appeal to him, the Heat has emerged as Lillard’s clear preference of the two. The Nets and Blazers reportedly have spoken about Brooklyn helping facilitate a trade with Miami, Ian Begley reported. Tyler Herro’s names have come up in those discussions, according to a source. He would be a possibility to go to Brooklyn in a three-team Heat/Blazers/Nets trade, if those talks advance. 11:50 a.m.
