Catching up with Heat’s Nunn, Maten and Robinson. What they’ve been working on, and more
Aside from first-round pick Tyler Herro, there are three other players on the Heat’s summer-league roster with standard NBA contracts.
Guard Kendrick Nunn, and forwards Yante Maten and Duncan Robinson each hold standard NBA deals they signed toward the end of this past season. Nunn is on a non-guaranteed contract that becomes partially guaranteed if he’s not waived by Monday, and Maten and Robinson are each on partially guaranteed contracts.
With the Heat holding three days of summer-league practices in Sacramento (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) before beginning summer-league play Monday in the California Classic at Golden 1 Center, here’s the latest on the three Heat players who are hoping to have their contracts become fully guaranteed.
▪ Nunn, 23, sign a non-guaranteed $1.4 million contract for 2019-20 on the final day of the 2018-19 regular season. The two-year deal guarantees Nunn $50,000 if he is not waived by July 1 and he’ll receive an additional $100,000 if not waived by Aug. 1. The rest is guaranteed if Nunn remains on the Heat’s roster after several trigger dates during the offseason.
In workouts at AmericanAirlines Arena this offseason, the 6-3 guard said he’s “just getting familiar with the organization and system, the offense. Obviously, they love the type of player that I am and what I bring to the game. So I’ve just continued to work on all aspects of my game to continue to develop.”
Nunn averaged 19.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 49 games while shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three-point range for the Santa Cruz Warriors, the Warriors’ G League affiliate, last season. Nunn went undrafted out of Oakland University last year, but he was an elite scorer on the college level.
Nunn averaged 25.9 points as a redshirt senior, finishing as the runner-up to then-Oklahoma and now Hawks guard Trae Young for the NCAA scoring title in 2017-18. Nunn also led the country in threes made per game at 4.5.
“Tough guard. I’m from Chicago, so I have a lot of grit,” Nunn said when asked about his playing style. “I love playing defense. I’m a two-way player, I play both ends of the floor. Bucket getter. I’m someone that my teammates love to play with. I know how to play the game.”
Nunn said he’s received “all positive feedback” from the Heat since signing with the organization in April.
“Continuing to just sharpen little things in my game, little tweaks and things like that,” Nunn said of the Heat’s message to him. “They just want me to be who I am and to challenge me to be even better.”
▪ Maten, 22, played under a two-way contract with the Heat for most of this past season, averaging 23.5 points on 53.9 percent shooting from the field and 32.7 percent shooting on threes and 9.6 rebounds for the G League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce. He logged just 13 total minutes of playing time over two games with the Heat on the NBA level.
But Maten begins his second summer-league stint with the Heat with a partially guaranteed $1.4 million standard contract for 2019-20. The two-year deal includes $100,000 guaranteed for next season and that will increase to $150,000 if he is not waived by Aug. 1. The rest is guaranteed if Maten remains on the Heat’s roster after several other dates during the offseason.
What has the 6-8 forward been working on this offseason after a standout year in the G League?
“Definitely communication. Being active and talking, especially defensively,” Maten said. “I’ve been trying to make a lot of defensive strides. Trying to further my offensive game while shooting from distance and getting my form a lot better and smoother. Those are the big things.”
One of the things Maten has focused on since signing with the Heat as an undrafted free agent last year is his body. He said he’s cut about 3 percent body fat and 10 pounds since last summer.
“It’s all a grind no matter where you are because you’re competing,” Maten said of playing under a standard NBA contract this summer. “You’re just trying to make sure you’re staying alive. I don’t think my mentality has changed any. I still have that dog mentality that you got to fight for everything.”
▪ Like Maten, Robinson played under a two-way contract with the Heat for most of this past season. The 25-year-old sweet-shooting forward averaged 21.4 points on 51.4 percent shooting from the field and 48.3 percent shooting on threes, 4.3 rebounds and three assists in 33 games for the Skyforce.
Robinson holds a partially guaranteed $1.4 million contract for 2019-20. The two-year deal includes $250,000 guaranteed for next season and that will increase to $1 million if he is not waived by July 15. The rest is guaranteed if Robinson remains on the Heat’s roster after several other dates during the offseason.
As Robinson enters his second summer league with the Heat, he feels different than he did as a newcomer last year.
“Just a lot more comfortable. Everything is moving a lot slower, which is nice,” Robinson said. “But your role changes from trying to pick things up to now trying to help guys pick things up and teach and lead, which is a good challenge.”
Robinson, 25, impressed during summer-league action last year, which helped him earn his two-way contract with the Heat. He also logged 161 minutes of playing time over 15 games with the Heat on the NBA level this past season, averaging 3.3 points on 18-of-46 shooting from the field and 10-of-35 shooting on threes.
Robinson has been focused on improving certain areas of his game this offseason.
“Defense and my body and just being aggressive on offense, probably those three things,” he said. “Learning where my shot should come from and how I can be effective on the other end of the floor.”
One of the ways Robinson is going to be more effective on the defensive end is by getting stronger. He’s added 14 pounds since last summer and is now at 210.
