Before enlisting any senior assistance the Miami Heat allegedly wants to give young players a chance to compete for the team’s last roster places.
Miami is looking to put the finishing touches on its roster after missing out on Damian Lillard, and it has players like Jamal Cain, R.J. Hampton and Dru Smith that could earn jobs (they are currently on two-way deals).
Other players competing for jobs include Cole Swider, Justin Champagnie, Drew Peterson, Cheick Diallo and Alondes Williams.
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, “The Heat believes the only way it will know if any of the eight young players without guaranteed contracts can play is to give them an opportunity to compete in training camp and preseason, without another veteran muddying the picture.”
“Of those eight guys, three, four, or five might be hired. Three have two-way contracts (Dru Smith, R.J. Hampton, and Jamal Cain are attempting to hold onto their two-way contracts or earn standard deals), and it’s possible that one or, less likely, two more players will sign standard deals after the preseason.
The Heat currently has 13 players under contract, and by opening night, when Detroit comes the Kaseya Center on October 25, they must have 14 players.
“The Heat hasn’t decided yet
Strus and Vincent moved on this offseason in free agency, so the Heat could use some help replacing them in the rotation.
Miami will also likely get a chance to look at last year’s first-round pick Nikola Jovic and this year’s first-round pick Jaime Jaquez Jr. during training camp and the preseason. If those two players were to carve out roles for the Heat, it would be beneficial since they are under contract for multiple seasons.
Pat Riley and the Heat have been able to find players that fit the franchise’s culture time and time again, and it appears that they want to give the current group of youngsters chances to prove themselves before the 2023-24 regular season.
If the Heat feel that they don’t currently have a piece that can help them this season, they can always attempt to add a veteran with more NBA experience through free agency or the trade market.
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