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The end of summer league usually marks the start of some time off for a lot of NBA executives, coaches and players. But this year is a little different with future Basketball Hall of Famer LeBron James\u2019 free agent decision still pending.<\/p>\n
So as the Heat wrapped up summer league on Friday night with a 101-87 victory over the Detroit Pistons in Las Vegas, there\u2019s still business to handle before any true time off begins. The Heat remains in pursuit of James in free agency, along with teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers.<\/p>\n
As for the Heat\u2019s summer league team, it closed the California Classic with a 2-1 record and Las Vegas Summer League with a 3-2 record.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had a really good group of guys, competitive, coachable, willing to learn, willing to grow, willing to work on their professionalism, so I appreciate them for that,\u201d Heat assistant coach and summer league head coach Wayne Ellington said. \u201cObviously we would have liked to win more games, but that\u2019s not all summer league is about. I like to walk away from this feeling like most of these guys got better and they learned a lot of things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Here are five things to know about the Heat\u2019s summer league run this year:<\/p>\n
The Heat was impressed by its second-round pick: Guard Ryan Conwell, who the Heat traded up to acquire with the 37th overall selection in the second round of last month\u2019s draft, played in four summer league games before Miami shut him down. Conwell\u2019s summer league didn\u2019t end early because of an injury. Instead, the Heat\u2019s staff had already seen what they needed to see from the rookie. Conwell (6-foot-3 and 220 pounds) impressed with his unwavering confidence, shot-making ability, perimeter defense and mature approach to the game. The 22-year-old Conwell played in three California Classic summer league games in San Francisco, averaging a team-high 21 points, five rebounds and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 40.9% from the field and 9 of 28 (32.1%) from three-point range. Conwell then played in only one Las Vegas Summer League game before the Heat shut him down. He totaled 19 points on 7-of-16 shooting from the field and 2-of-8 shooting on threes, one rebound and three assists in a win over the Milwaukee Bucks during that lone Las Vegas appearance.<\/p>\n
\u201cDefensively, he competes his butt off,\u201d Ellington said of Conwell. \u201cAnd then, obviously, offensively he\u2019s a force and he makes tough shots. He makes plays for others. He has a very strong offensive game and it\u2019s only going to continue to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n
Free agent guards Trevor Keels and Jahmir Young each had their moments in hopes of earning another contract from the Heat: Keels and Young are unrestricted free agents after ending last season with Miami. Keels closed last season on a two-way contract and Young ended last season on a standard deal with the Heat. But Keels and Young are now unsigned and remain unrestricted free agents despite putting together an impressive summer league. After averaging 16 points, 4.5 rebounds, three assists and two steals per game while shooting 43.5% from the field and 3 of 10 (30%) from three-point range in two appearances during the California Classic, the 22-year-old Keels averaged 23 points, 4.5 rebounds, three assists and two steals per game while shooting 60% from the field and 8 of 16 (50%) on threes during two appearances at Las Vegas Summer League. Keels\u2019 summer league in Las Vegas was cut short by a sprained knee. And after averaging 17.5 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals per game while shooting 50% from the field and 5 of 13 (38.5%) on threes in two California Classic appearances, the 25-year-old Young averaged 22 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.3 steals per game while shooting 42.1% from the field and 11 of 36 (30.6%) on threes during four appearances at Las Vegas Summer League. Keels and Young both finished among the top eight in scoring average in Las Vegas. With only two years of NBA service under their belts, Keels and Young are still eligible to return to the Heat on a two-way contract that does not count toward the team\u2019s salary cap or tax aprons.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose guys are professionals, they work their butts off and I\u2019m proud of them,\u201d Ellington said of Keels and Young.<\/p>\n
Center Vlad Goldin and guard Tre Donaldson came out of summer league with a two-way contract from the Heat: Goldin spent last season on a two-way contract with the Heat and is again on a two-way contract for next season after signing his qualifying offer a few days ago. Donaldson signed his first two-way contract with the Heat this offseason after going undrafted out of Miami in June. The 25-year-old Goldin brings size at 7-feet and 250 pounds, which the Heat needs since its standard roster doesn\u2019t have a traditional center on it. But Goldin, who went undrafted last year out of Michigan, was shaky in summer league this year. He averaged eight points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 41.9% from the field and 0 of 1 on threes during five appearances at Las Vegas Summer League. Donaldson was impressive, though, averaging 16.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 52.9% from the field and 7 of 16 (43.8%) from three-point range during four appearances in Las Vegas. Two-way contracts, which pay $678,882 (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 and do not come with NBA playoff eligibility. The Heat has one two-way contract slot still open, as NBA teams are allowed to have up to three players signed to two-way deals at any one time.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a big time competitor, he creates a lot of havoc on the defensive end of the floor, he makes plays on both ends,\u201d Ellington said of Donaldson. \u201cHe\u2019s a force, he really is a force. And as he continues to grow and develop in this league with us, with the Miami Heat, he has a very bright future ahead of him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Forward Myron Gardner didn\u2019t get a chance to play much in summer league: Gardner was sent back to Miami ahead of Las Vegas Summer League to continue treatment on a sprained left ankle that he sustained early in the Heat\u2019s summer league opener at the California Classic. Gardner, 25, exited the Heat\u2019s summer league opener after playing the first seven minutes because of his sprained ankle. Those are the only seven minutes that he ended up playing in summer league this year. Gardner has made a strong impression on Heat coaches over the last year with his relentless energy and hustle on both ends of the court, going from unsigned last summer to now holding a standard contract with the Heat. But Gardner still has more to prove, as he only has $500,000 of his $2.6 million salary for next season currently guaranteed. Gardner went undrafted in 2023 out of Little Rock.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s tough for him individually,\u201d Ellington said of Gardner\u2019s summer league setback. \u201cI felt like he was going to have a great summer league. He\u2019s been in the gym all offseason, working, grinding. So it\u2019s tough, but it\u2019s basketball. It\u2019s part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Undrafted forward Tre White stood out among the others for the Heat this summer league: White, who went undrafted this year out of Kansas, fits the mold of a potential NBA three-and-D wing at 6-foot-7 and 210 pounds. White, 23, averaged 12 points and four rebounds per game while shooting 50% from the field and 3 of 6 (50%) on threes in two California Classic appearances. He also averaged 17.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 43.8% from the field and 12 of 30 (40%) on threes across four Las Vegas appearances. The Heat currently has one of its three two-way contract slots open. Miami also still has three open spots on its 15-man standard roster. But White or any other developmental prospect would be more likely to get a two-way contract from the Heat. One option is to bring White to training camp on an Exhibit 10 contract, which represents an invitation to take part in training camp and the preseason to compete for a two-way deal.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s got all the intangibles,\u201d Ellington said of White. \u201cHe\u2019s got size. He\u2019s got the shooting ability. He\u2019s got the IQ. So, he\u2019s a guy that is going to continue to get better. He showed some flashes as well during the summer league, and I look forward to seeing what he can do in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
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