Summer league championship run creates tough roster decisions for Heat. Where things stand

Summer league resulted in the Miami Heat’s first Las Vegas Summer League championship. Summer league also created some tough roster decisions for the Heat’s front office.

On the way to Monday night’s 120-118 overtime win against the Memphis Grizzlies in the Las Vegas Summer League championship game to cap its impressive summer league run with a title and an 8-1 overall summer league record, several players from the Heat’s summer roster made strong impressions.

“I would love to get each and every one of these guys a contract to continue to help them be successful,” Heat summer league head coach Dan Bisaccio said after the championship-clinching win.

The issue is the Heat’s roster for next season is full, at the moment.

With 14 players signed to standard contracts for next season, the Heat’s standard roster remains one short of the regular-season limit of 15 players. But the Heat is expected to open this upcoming regular season with 14 players on standard deals — which is permitted by NBA rules — because of its salary-cap crunch.

Unless a trade is made to change the salary cap math, the Heat does not have enough room under the punitive second apron to sign a 15th player to a standard contract.

In addition, Heat’s three two-way contract slots are currently filled with Keshad Johnson, Zyon Pullin and Dru Smith.

But those two-way contract spots on the roster come with more flexibility than standard spots because two-way salaries do not count toward the salary cap, luxury tax or apron. Two-way contracts can also be swapped out at any time with no salary-cap consequences, other than making the two-way contract player waived available for other NBA teams to sign.

Another option for the Heat is to bring in some players to training camp in early October for further evaluation on an Exhibit 10 contract, which is essentially an invite to training camp. Exhibit 10 contracts also protect players from being signed by another team, but force teams to move such players to a standard/two-way roster spot or waive them before the start of the regular season.

Isaiah Stevens, who went undrafted last month out of Colorado State, is the only player who the Heat currently has signed to an Exhibit 10 deal.

With 14 players signed to standard contracts, three players signed to two-way contracts and one player signed to an Exhibit 10 contract, the Heat currently has 18 players on its roster.

NBA teams are allowed to carry up to 21 players under contract in the offseason and preseason. Rosters must be cut to a maximum total of 18 players (15 on standard contracts and three on two-way contracts) by the start of the regular season.

“All of these guys are fighting for a couple different spots,” Bisaccio said. “So for them to put aside that goal and understand that it’s better served by working together is extremely impressive.”

Here’s where things stand with each player from the Heat’s championship-winning summer league team ...

CURRENTLY SIGNED BY HEAT

▪ Jaime Jaquez Jr., forward: Played in a team-high 75 regular-season games as a rookie this past season after being drafted by the Heat with the 18th overall pick last year, and he’s expected to again play a big role this upcoming season. Jaquez only played in the Heat’s first two Las Vegas Summer League games and was the best player on the court in both. He averaged 26 points, eight rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting an ultra-efficient 58.1 percent from the field and 3 of 7 (42.9 percent) from three-point range, Those two games were enough to earn Jaquez a spot on the All-Summer League Second Team.

▪ Keshad Johnson, forward: Committed to a two-way contract with the Heat shortly after going undrafted last month. He’s essentially a lock to keep his two-way contract and enter training camp on the Heat’s roster after a standout summer league. Johnson impressed with his motor, physicality and versatility on both ends of the court, averaging 11.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game in six summer league appearances for the Heat. Projected as a three-and-D forward at the NBA level, Johnson (6-6 and 225 pounds) shot 7 of 18 (38.9 percent) on threes and racked up nine steals and six blocks during his six summer league games. He missed the Heat’s final three summer league games with a sprained left ankle.

▪ Pelle Larsson, guard: Drafted by the Heat with the 44th overall pick in the second round of last month’s draft. With Larsson already signed to a three-year contract with a guaranteed salary of $1.2 million for next season, he will be on the Heat’s standard roster to start the season unless he’s traded before then. Larsson is coming off a strong finish to summer league after an uneven start. During the Heat’s last four games in Las Vegas, Larsson averaged 15.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 51.2 percent from the field and 6 of 13 (46.2 percent) on threes.

▪ Zyon Pullin, guard: Committed to a two-way contract with the Heat shortly after going undrafted out last month. But after a relatively quiet summer league, he’s not the lock that Johnson is to keep his two-way contract ahead of training camp. Pullin, 23, averaged 5.3 points, one rebound, 1.7 assists and 0.2 steals per game in six appearances during Las Vegas Summer League, but he made most of the shots he took to finish 11 of 17 (64.7 percent) from the field and 2 of 2 (100 percent) on threes. After beginning summer league as the Heat’s starting point guard, Isaiah Stevens started ahead of Pullin in the final four games in Las Vegas.

▪ Isaiah Stevens, guard: Based on summer league, Stevens is a lock to at least keep his Exhibit 10 deal with the Heat. Stevens was one of Miami’s summer league revelations, averaging 8.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game while shooting 59.4 percent from the field and 7 of 11 (63.6 percent) from three-point range in six Las Vegas Summer League games. Stevens totaled 46 assists to 16 turnovers in his final six summer league appearances, bringing the skill set of a true point guard albeit an undersized one at 6 feet and 185 pounds. Considering Stevens is already locked into an Exhibit 10 contract, the Heat could choose to slow play things with him and wait until the preseason to decide whether it wants to move him to a two-way deal.

▪ Kel’el Ware, center: Drafted by the Heat with the 15th overall pick in the first round of last month’s draft. He’s entering the first season of his rookie-scale contract and will be on the Heat’s standard roster this upcoming season unless he’s traded in the coming months. Ware, 20, Ware flashed the intriguing potential during summer league, averaging 18.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 58.4 percent shooting from the field in eight games. Ware recorded double-doubles in five of those eight appearances on his way to earning a spot on the All-Summer League First Team.

TOP CANDIDATES TO BE ADDED TO HEAT’S ROSTER

▪ Josh Christopher, guard: One of the Heat’s summer league standouts who impressed with his scoring ability and individual defense. Christopher averaged 19.3 points, three rebounds, 1.8 assists and two steals per game while shooting 54.1 percent from the field, 21 of 40 (52.5 percent) on threes and 15 of 15 (100 percent) from the foul line in six Las Vegas appearances, also earning the Las Vegas Summer League championship game MVP honor. As a first-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft who is still 22 years old, Christopher (6-4 and 215 pounds) is an intriguing prospect with upside. Considering Christopher might get two-way contract opportunities from other NBA teams after his strong summer league, an Exhibit 10 offer from the Heat might not be enough to keep him around. As an unrestricted free agent, Christopher is eligible to sign a two-way or standard contract with any NBA team.

▪ Caleb Daniels, guard: Averaged only 5.4 points per game in five appearances during Las Vegas Summer League, but he provided solid defense with 1.2 steals per game. In Monday’s championship game, Daniels contributed two points, two rebounds, six assists and two steals in 23 minutes off the Heat’s bench. He also totaled three steals and one block in two games during the California Classic. After spending last season with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Daniels, 25, can remain in the development system by rejoining the Heat’s G League affiliate next season as a returning rights player. Or the Heat could make sure that he’s not signed away by another NBA team by locking him into an Exhibit 10 deal to continue developing him into training camp.

▪ Cole Swider, forward: Spent last season on a two-way contract with the Heat, but Swider is currently an unrestricted free agent after Miami withdrew its qualifying offer to him earlier this month. He still made the most of his summer league opportunity, though, showcasing his NBA skill of quality three-point shooting. Swider shot 26 of 53 (49.1 percent) from three-point range in seven summer league appearances this year. Swider was hoping to get the first standard NBA contract of his career this offseason, but he might again end up on a two-way deal. Will that two-way contract again come with the Heat? That remains to be seen, as Swider is free to sign a two-way or standard contract with any NBA team.

▪ Alondes Williams, guard: Averaged 12 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 12 of 25 (48 percent) on threes in five Las Vegas appearances. Like Swider, Williams ended last season on a two-way deal with the Heat but is now an unrestricted free agent after Miami withdrew its qualifying offer to him earlier this month. Williams is known for his scoring, but the Heat has spent the last year working to develop other areas of his game. Does the Heat want to continue investing in Williams enough to offer him a two-way contract or will he be signed by another team? Williams is free to sign a two-way or standard contract with any NBA team.

THE OTHERS

▪ Gabe Brown, forward: After playing in Italy last season, Brown totaled three points on 1-of-10 shooting from the field in two appearances during the California Classic. He left the Heat’s summer league team before the Las Vegas schedule began.

▪ JC Butler, forward: The son of current Heat assistant coach and former Heat first-round pick Caron Butler logged limited minutes in summer league, totaling six points in 29 minutes during the Heat’s nine-game summer league schedule. After spending time with the Skyforce last season, Butler is a candidate to return to the Heat’s G League affiliate this upcoming season as a returning rights player.

▪ Neal Sako, center: The 25-year-old who played in France last season played in just two of the Heat’s six games in Las Vegas. Considering Sako already signed a new contract with a French club this summer, it’s more likely he spends next season overseas than in the Heat’s development system.

▪ Bryson Warren, guard: Barely played in summer league, appearing in just three of the Heat’s nine games over the last few weeks. At 19 years old, he could return to the Heat’s G League affiliate this upcoming season as a returning rights player.

▪ Warren Washington, center: After going undrafted out of Texas Tech this year, the 7-footer appeared in six of the Heat’s nine summer league games. Washington averaged 1.5 rebounds and 0.5 blocks per game in limited playing time in his four Las Vegas appearances.