![\"Trevor](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2284564164.jpg\" "\\"Trevor")
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Trevor Keels #8 of the Miami Heat drives to the basket on Miles Kelly #36 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first half in the California Classic a NBA Summer League game at Chase Center on July 03, 2026 in San Francisco.<\/p>\n
Thearon W. Henderson<\/p>\n
Getty Images<\/p>\n
LAS VEGAS<\/p>\n
The Miami Heat took a chance on guard Trevor Keels midway through last season because of his three-point shooting ability. But for the Heat to bring back Keels this season, he needs to prove he can be more than just a quality three-point shooter.<\/p>\n
So far, Heat coaches have been encouraged by what they\u2019ve seen from Keels this offseason.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, yeah, he\u2019s a very good shooter,\u201d Heat assistant coach and summer league head coach Wayne Ellington said. \u201cHe\u2019ll continue to develop the rest of his game. Defensively, he has taken a leap. He\u2019s gotten better in terms of his weak-side defense. He\u2019s gotten better there. He\u2019s going to continue to grow in that area like he has. He has shown flashes already this summer, and then his on-ball [defense] has gotten a lot better as well. I think it\u2019s just his attention to detail on the defensive end has grown.\u201d<\/p>\n
Keels, who turns 23 on Aug. 26, has been trying to prove he deserves to stick in the NBA since the New York Knicks selected him with the 42nd overall pick in the second round of the 2022 draft. He has yet to sign an NBA standard contract after being drafted, joining the Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Heat on either an Exhibit 10 tryout deal, 10-day contract or a two-way contract during the first four years of his professional career.<\/p>\n
Keels, who has played in just 11 NBA regular-season games during his career, now finds himself working for his next contract as an unrestricted free agent this summer. He signed a two-way contract with the Heat in February and ended last season on a two-way deal with the Heat, but Miami allowed him to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason when it declined to extend him a qualifying offer last month.<\/p>\n
Despite not getting a qualifying offer from the Heat, Keels still decided to play for Miami\u2019s summer league team this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t take it to heart. It\u2019s the business,\u201d said Keels, who\u2019s eligible for a two-way contract for just one more NBA season. \u201cI know what I got. I know what I can do. I\u2019m happy they gave me an opportunity to play in the summer league. The last couple of summer leagues, I didn\u2019t really get the opportunity to play. I was just kind of on the bench, so now that I get to play, I\u2019m just going to show them what I can do. And I\u2019m going to earn a two-way back or earn a contract back. I don\u2019t look into it as this team did me this way, did me that way. I love the organization. They do a good job of communicating, and I\u2019m all in. They know I\u2019m all in, and I\u2019m going to do whatever it takes to get a contract or a two-way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Keels made a strong case for a contract during the Heat\u2019s 93-88 summer league loss to the Orlando Magic on Saturday, a result that dropped Miami to 1-1 in Las Vegas Summer League.<\/p>\n
With guards Ryan Conwell and Tre Donaldson given the day off, Keels stepped into a bigger role to total a game-high 32 points on 12-of-19 shooting from the field and 6-of-10 shooting from three-point range, four rebounds, two assists and one steal in Saturday\u2019s defeat.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust showing them that I\u2019m progressing this summer, that I got better,\u201d Keels said of what he wants to show the Heat during summer league. \u201cJust showing them I can play defense, I can rebound. [Heat coach Erik Spoelstra] and the guys know I can shoot the ball. Now it\u2019s just doing other things. Playing that Miami Heat defense, that tenacity, just getting under guys, just being a pest. I think that\u2019s what I\u2019m showing out here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Keels, a big guard at 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, believes he\u2019s grown enough in the Heat\u2019s developmental program that he \u201ccan guard one through five.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust showing them I have an all-around game, versatility, and it\u2019s on offense and defense,\u201d Keels continued on what he wants to show the Heat this summer. \u201cNot just offense. I think just continuing to show them I can guard one through five. I can guard anybody. I can be on the help side. Just showing them everything they want to see. I think that\u2019s what\u2019s going to help me.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Heat, which will play its third of at least five Las Vegas Summer League games on Monday against the Cleveland Cavaliers at UNLV\u2019s Pavilion (8 p.m. on WPLG Local 10 and Prime Video), currently has two open two-way contract roster spots and three open standard roster spots.<\/p>\n
Two-way contracts, which pay half the NBA rookie minimum and do not count toward the salary cap or luxury tax, allow for players to be on their NBA team\u2019s active list for as many as 50 regular-season games with other game action having to come in the G League. Two-way deals can be swapped out at any time<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just showing what I worked on out there,\u201d said Keels, who shot 40.2% on 8.3 three-point attempts per game with the Heat\u2019s G League affiliate (the Sioux Falls Skyforce) last season. \u201cI hope I\u2019m making the coaches proud with my work.\u201d<\/p>\n
Keels made headlines with the Skyforce last season, finishing a win with 46 points on 16-of-18 shooting from the field and 12-of-12 shooting from three-point range. The performance set a new NBA G League single-game record for the most three-pointers made without a miss and tied the Skyforce franchise record for made three-pointers in a game.<\/p>\n
But Keels is working this offseason to show there\u2019s more to his game than just outside shooting.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen a lot of improvement,\u201d Ellington said of Keels, \u201cand I know he\u2019s going to continue to improve.\u201d<\/p>\n
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