Miami Heat

Longtime Miami Heat power forward Udonis Haslem has reportedly agreed to play a 19th season with the organization.

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported Wednesday that Haslem, 41, is set to sign a one-year contract at the veteran's minimum of $2.6 million.

The Miami native served as a key part of the team's frontcourt rotation for much of his career, highlighted by NBA championships in 2006, 2012 and 2013, but he's transitioned to a mostly leadership role in recent years.

Haslem appeared in just one game during the 2020-21 season, a May win over the Philadelphia 76ers where he was ejected after just three minutes because of an altercation with Dwight Howard.

"That's my favorite moment of the season so far," head coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters at the time. "Just excessive passion, competitiveness and anger. Just love it. And that's why we roll with UD. Everybody in that locker room just has great respect and love for him."

The University of Florida product hasn't recorded more than 16 appearances in a season since 2015-16, tallying only 45 games played over the past five years.

He's remained an important part of the Heat's locker room dynamic in the role of captain, which he's filled for the past 14 seasons.

Haslem told reporters at the end of the 2020-21 campaign his position with the Heat extends into a year-round endeavor:

What people don't understand is [Spoelstra] doesn't praise me and these guys don't listen to me just because I show up every day. I roll up my sleeves and I'm in the trenches and I get it done every day. ... I don't have an offseason. I'm 40 years old. If I take an offseason, I might as well retire. So I don't have an offseason. Straight from the season, I'm going back into the gym, I'm calling Bam [Adebayo], his [expletive] is coming with me. I spend time with these guys' family. This is a 24-hour job. This is a lifestyle for me. It's earned. Everything Spo gives me, it's earned.

Haslem has averaged 7.6 points and 6.7 rebounds while shooting 49 percent from the field across 859 regular-season games, all with the Heat. He's also made 147 postseason appearances.

He's unlikely to see significant minutes next season unless Miami has a multitude of frontcourt injuries.

The NBA is reportedly investigating the sign-and-trade deals involving Lonzo Ball and Kyle Lowry for potential tampering, according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski.

Wojnarowski added that the "NBA is expected to examine early contact" regarding those trades that may have happened before free agency opened at 6 p.m. ET Monday.

The New Orleans Pelicans sent Ball to the Chicago Bulls as part of a sign-and-trade that netted guard Tomas Satoransky, wing Garrett Temple and a second-round pick. Ball signed a four-year, $85 million contract as part of the move.

Lowry signed a three-year, $90 million contract and was traded from the Toronto Raptors to the Miami Heat for forward Precious Achiuwa and guard Goran Dragic.

Since the Ball and Lowry transactions were reported shortly after free agency began, it led to speculation that early talks were held, in violation of league rules.

Per Wojnarowski, the NBA made several changes to its tampering rules two years ago, including raising the maximum fine to $10 million and allowing for the voiding of contracts, forfeiture of draft picks and suspension of executives.

In December, the NBA took away the Milwaukee Bucks' second-round pick in 2022 because of their sign-and-trade negotiation with the Sacramento Kings involving Bogdan Bogdanovic. The sign-and-trade fell through, and Bogdanovic went to the Atlanta Hawks instead.

Under tampering rules, the NBA can examine the phone call records, texts and emails of executives to determine if regulations were broken.

Assuming the Ball and Lowry deals still go through, they should help the Bulls and Heat in their attempts to vie for Eastern Conference supremacy.

The Bulls have not reached the playoffs since 2017, but with a potential starting lineup of Ball, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Patrick Williams and Nikola Vucevic, that drought could end in 2021-22.

Meanwhile, the Heat now have a Big Three of Lowry, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo and are just over one year removed from a trip to the NBA Finals, meaning they could once again be a top contender next season.

Jimmy Butler doesn't have the "general manager" title next to his name, though he might deserve it after helping the Miami Heat land one of the biggest free agents of the summer. 

Speaking to reporters Friday after a sign-and-trade for Goran Dragic and Prescious Achiuwa ended his stint with the Toronto Raptors, point guard Kyle Lowry explained it was Butler who convinced him to team up in South Beach. 

"Jimmy and I go back a ways," Lowry said. "Me and Jimmy, we talked about this for a long time now. He continued to chirp about it. He was really on me about coming to the Heat."

Lowry agreed to a three-year, $85 million deal to join Butler and Bam Adebayo as part of Miami's core.

The explanation of how he ended up in Miami may be why potential suitors seemed to pull back from trying to sign him when the free-agency moratorium period opened Monday. The Dallas Mavericks were considered a top option for the veteran before reportedly scrapping that plan. 

For years, it was Butler who was being traded and recruited elsewhere. After ascending with the Chicago Bulls, failed stints with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers gave way to the Marquette product landing in Miami through his own sign-and-trade in July 2019.

The 35-year-old Lowry isn't coming off his strongest season. Over 46 games in 2020-21, he averaged 17.2 points, 7.3 assists and 5.4 rebounds. He hasn't averaged more than 20 points per game since 2016-17.  But he shot a solid 43.6 percent from the field (the second-highest rate for his career) and 39.6 percent from beyond the arc (third-highest). 

While the Raptors missed the playoffs last season, that doesn't mean leaving Toronto was an easy decision. Along with Kawhi Leonard, Lowry won the 2018-19 championship there. He's also made all six of his All-Star appearances as a Raptor and spent nine seasons with the franchise.

Now the Lowry and Butler—along with Adebayo—will get to work to prove they can become a force in the Eastern Conference a year after the Heat were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Milwaukee Bucks. 

The Miami Heat continued their impressive start to the NBA Summer League in Sacramento, California, with a 94-87 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.

Miami is now 2-0 with wins over the Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers, while Golden State fell to 1-1 following its win against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.

Omer Yurtseven was under the spotlight after he won the Lakers game with two clutch free throws in the final moments on his way to 27 points and 19 rebounds, and the Georgetown product did not disappoint.

He poured in 15 points in the first quarter alone and finished with 25 points, eight boards and three blocks to help spearhead the winning effort. It was far from a solo effort, though, as Max Strus caught fire from deep with five three-pointers and tallied 27 points and five rebounds.

On the other side, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody were the main storyline for the Warriors.

Golden State took them with the Nos. 7 and 14 picks of the 2021 NBA draft, respectively, and they both looked the part of future playmakers for stretches even in defeat.

Kuminga posted 18 points to help make up for six turnovers, while Moody notched 19 points and seven rebounds.

Kyle Lowry thanked a number of parties Wednesday as his time with the Toronto Raptors reportedly draws to a close.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the six-time All-Star agreed to a three-year, $90 million deal with the Miami Heat as part of a sign-and-trade.

Lowry said on Instagram he was "a 26 year old still trying to find his way" when he joined the Raptors in 2012. He added that "the ups and downs have been well worth it."

"Toronto will forever be my 2nd home and I will always be tied to the franchise, the city and the country of Canada which makes me so happy to say," he wrote.

Lowry proceeded to thank Raptors officials and staffers, former teammate DeMar DeRozan, members of the 2018-19 championship squad and music star Drake.

Lowry said he "legit gave blood , sweat, and tears and everything I've could !!!"

The 35-year-old is arguably the greatest player in Raptors history. He's first in assists (4,277) and steals (873) and second in points (10,540) behind DeRozan, whom Lowry called his "best friend." According to Basketball Reference, his 74.5 win shares are some distance ahead of the 61.8 of Chris Bosh, who is in second place.

Toronto's title triumph helped lift Lowry over the top when it comes to the city's sports legends.

Toronto Mayor John Tory wrote that Lowry's impact went beyond what he accomplished on the court:

"Kyle Lowry showed us how to win, but also how to treat our friends, elevate our teammates, celebrate our children and the joy they bring us," he said. "He stood up for what's right and called out injustice and Anti-Black racism. He was a role model for many and an inspiration to all of us."

There's no question Lowry will one day have his No. 7 jersey retired by the Raptors, a distinction the team hasn't granted to any player.

Tory went a step further and said he believes the city of Toronto will also honor the veteran playmaker with a statue.

Victor Oladipo played just four games for the Miami Heat in 2020-21, but he is coming back for more.

Miami re-signed the guard to a new contract Wednesday, according to The Athletic and Stadium's Shams Charania.

Terms were not immediately available.

The biggest concern with Oladipo is health, as he underwent a second surgery in 28 months on his right quadriceps tendon in May.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported at the time that orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jonathan Glashow believed the Indiana product would be ready to play while raising concern about the January 2019 procedure he did not perform:

"I repaired the quad tendon and did it a little differently than [he had] it done before. The quad wasn't really hooked up. It was torn, and I reattached it. I was amazed he was playing with what he had. I'm very optimistic that I could clear him in six months, by November. I think he's going to play really well again.

"[The surgery] went extremely well, and it's healing beautifully. I'm confident he'll play next year."

That is welcome news for the Heat, who'll look to return to the NBA Finals for the second time in a three-year stretch and could use a productive Oladipo.

He was once among the best two-way players in the NBA as a two-time All-Star who led the league with 2.4 steals per game in 2017-18. He won the NBA's Most Improved Player Award that year and was an All-NBA third-team and All-Defensive first-team selection.

His Indiana Pacers pushed LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games during the playoffs that season as well.

Oladipo entered the league as the No. 2 overall pick of the 2013 NBA draft. He played three seasons with the Orlando Magic, one with the Oklahoma City Thunder and three-plus seasons with the Pacers before they traded him to the Houston Rockets in January 2021.

Houston traded him to the Heat two months later, and it appeared he would have an opportunity to help a contender compete for a championship as he worked his way back to form from his 2019 surgery.

However, he played just four games for Miami before another setback.

He averaged 19.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.4 steals per night while shooting 40.8 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from deep across 33 games in 2020-21. While he wasn't the same player as in his prime, he flashed some of the explosiveness he was known for.

The question is how quickly Oladipo will return to 100 percent, although he is still just 29 years old as he starts his latest comeback on a new deal.

Veteran power forward Markieff Morris is finalizing a one-year deal to sign with the Miami Heat this offseason, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Lakers originally signed Morris in February 2020 before bringing him back on a one-year, $2.3 million contract for the 2020-21 season. He would not get a third contract in as many years as the Kansas alum moves on from the team he won the 2020 NBA title with.

Morris, 31, spent the past two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, averaging 6.4 points and 4.1 rebounds in 18.7 minutes per game in a bench role during that time. He also shot a disappointing 31.5 percent from three during his two years in L.A.

It's possible that Morris could push for a starting spot at power forward in Miami, depending on how the rest of the roster shakes out.

Following stints with the Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Washington Wizards, Oklahoma City Thunder and Detroit Pistons, Morris is moving onto his sixth NBA franchise as his journeyman career rolls along.

It comes as part of a roster restructuring in Miami that has also included the high-profile acquisition of Kyle Lowry and the re-signing of Duncan Robinson, among other transactions.

The Miami Heat rescinded Kendrick Nunn's qualifying on Tuesday, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, making the guard an unrestricted free agent.

The decision comes one day after Miami made some big splashes in free agency. Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry agreed to a three-year deal with the Heat worth approximately $90 million. Duncan Robinson also agreed to a new five-year, $90 million contract to remain in South Beach. 

Nunn, 26, spent his first two NBA seasons with the Heat and was set to be a restricted free agent under the qualifying offer after yet another productive year in 2020-21.

After not getting selected in the 2018 draft despite a standout collegiate career at Illinois and Oakland, Nunn starred for the G League's Santa Cruz Warriors in 2018-19. That led to him signing a contract with the Heat.

Nunn was among the biggest surprises of the 2019-20 campaign, as he averaged 15.3 points, 3.3 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 2.0 three-pointers per game while starting all 67 games he appeared in. Nunn also shot 43.9 percent from the field and 35.0 percent from beyond the arc for a Heat team that reached the NBA Finals.

Proving he was no flash in the pan, Nunn followed up that rookie breakout with another highly productive season in 2020-21.

His scoring dropped slightly to 14.6 points per game, but he also averaged 3.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.2 three-pointers made. Nunn became a far more efficient offensive player as well, making 48.5 percent of his attempts from the floor and 38.1 percent from deep.

With Nunn posting two strong seasons in a row, he undoubtedly earned himself a significant raise on the open market.

The Miami Heat and forward P.J. Tucker agreed to a two-year, $15 million deal Monday, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

The 36-year-old joined the Milwaukee Bucks midway through the 2020-21 season as they attempted to add defensive toughness and versatility. But he noticeably showed signs of age last season, averaging just 2.6 points and 2.8 rebounds while not providing as much defensive impact as expected.

Milwaukee limited Tucker to 29.6 minutes per game during its postseason run. Still, he averaged 4.3 points and 4.8 rebounds while knocking down some critical corner threes during the Bucks' postseason run to the NBA title.

Despite not being quite an All-Defensive-level selection, the Texas product can still be a role player for 15-20 minutes per night who knows where he's going on defense and can knock down the occasional corner three. Veterans like him are the type of players who can help put a team over on the margins.

Given the relatively low cost, Tucker heading to Miami makes a good amount of sense as the Heat attempt to battle the top squads in the Eastern Conference in 2021-22.

The Miami Heat wasted little time making an impression this offseason with a flurry of Monday moves.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, point guard Kyle Lowry agreed to a three-year deal worth approximately $90 million with Miami. Wojnarowski also reported Duncan Robinson agreed to a five-year, $90 million deal to remain with the only NBA team he has ever known.

The Robinson contract features an early termination option after the fourth year.

What's more, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Jimmy Butler agreed to a maximum contract extension of four years and more than $184 million.

As for the salary cap information, Spotrac provided an early breakdown for 2021-22 and lists Lowry at $28.6 million and Robinson at $15.5 million under pending transactions. The active roster cap number is listed at $133.7 million.

There will be plenty of marquee names in Miami's starting lineup for the 2021-22 campaign, and there may still be future moves this offseason that can bolster the unit.

Given the current roster makeup, here is a projected lineup as of Monday:

• PG: Kyle Lowry

• SG: Duncan Robinson

• F: Jimmy Butler

• F: KZ Okpala

• C: Bam Adebayo

While Butler will likely still be the go-to option, Lowry provides a veteran leader at the point guard position who can look to facilitate and find open looks for his talented teammates. Bam Adebayo is one of the best young big men in the league, and Robinson is a sharp-shooter who can take advantage of the spacing created by the defensive attention Lowry, Butler and Adebayo attract.

Tyler Herro is also capable of either starting in smaller lineups or providing an immediate spark off the bench as someone who has proven himself in the playoffs during the team's run to the 2020 NBA Finals.

The goal is closing the gap on the defending-champion Milwaukee Bucks and battling the likes of the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets in what figures to be a tightly contested Eastern Conference battle.

Miami doesn't have the individual star power of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kyrie Irving or Joel Embiid, but it has a collective of impressive pieces and is just one season removed from its NBA Finals appearance.

Lowry also has the 2019 championship on his resume from his time with the Toronto Raptors and is no stranger to postseason pressure.

It would not be a surprise to see the Heat competing late into the playoffs during the upcoming season.