Why ex-Michigan coach did a double take on Duncan Robinson. And update on Waiters’ bonus
While Cavaliers coach John Beilein studied game film of an upcoming opponent earlier this season, a player on the team he wasn’t really focused on at the time caught his eye.
Forward Duncan Robinson was on the court late in the game when the Heat’s defense needed a stop. Beilein, who was Robinson’s head coach at the University of Michigan from 2015 to 2018, remembers when some inside the program referred to Robinson as “Uncan” because there was no “D” in his game.
“I was watching a clip early in the season, the Heat played somebody we were going to play,” Beilein said in advance of Wednesday’s game between the Cavaliers and Heat at AmericanAirlines Arena. “There were seven seconds to go in the game and they had to get a stop, and [Robinson] was in the lineup. That struck me. I texted him right afterwards. I said, ‘What a long way, man. They got you in the end of the game for defensive purposes.’”
Robinson’s growth has been one of the many story lines surrounding the Heat’s strong start to the season.
From starting his college career at Division III Williams College before transferring to the Michigan, to going undrafted before signing a two-way contract with the Heat in the summer of 2018, to starting in seven of the Heat’s first 12 games this season entering Wednesday.
“What he lacked was quickness and athleticism,” Beilein said of Robinson, who averaged 9.7 points while shooting 40.6 percent on threes over the Heat’s first 12 games. “He has maximized whatever he can get out of his body by eating right, training right, doing the things you need to do to increase your athleticism and quickness.”
Robinson noted that he developed a close relationship with Beilein during their time together at Michigan. The two grabbed dinner together this past summer while in Las Vegas for summer league action and caught up during halftime of last week’s Heat-Cavaliers game in Cleveland.
So, that’s why Robinson wasn’t necessarily surprised when Beilein made the jump to the NBA in May to coach the Cavaliers.
“I could kind of tell that he was starting to get the itch a little bit,” Robinson said. “I think it was just going to take the right situation. Clearly, he felt like he found that in Cleveland. It was funny the other night being against him, seeing him on the sideline. A lot of the calls are the same, so I was in on their calls and stuff.”
Juwan Howard connection
Juwan Howard left his position as a Heat assistant coach in May to take over for Beilein at Michigan. The Wolverines have begun the season 3-0.
“He came to see me a little bit ago,” Beilein said of Howard. “We just talked a little bit about the environment of college basketball, the environment at Michigan. He’s off to a 3-0 start, so it’s great. We had some attrition, but we also left him some pretty good kids. But he also lost three guys that I wish were still there sometimes. But they’re all in the NBA, so that’s the way it goes, too.”
▪ With Dion Waiters missing his 13th game of the season Wednesday as he continues to serve his 10-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team, it makes him ineligible for the $1.2 million bonus in his contract for appearing in at least 70 of Miami’s 82 games.
Although the possibility of Waiters achieving the bonus has been ruled out, the Heat will not receive $1.2 million in cap relief under the hard cap. Bonuses are not calculated until the end of the season even if the requirements are not met during the season.
▪ Along with Waiters, the Heat ruled out forwards Justise Winslow (concussion), Derrick Jones Jr. (strained left hip) and KZ Okpala (strained left Achilles) for Wednesday’s game against the Cavaliers.
This story was originally published November 20, 2019 at 1:11 PM.
