When will Iguodala be ready to play? Crowder, Hill speak. Plus, Butler injury update.
The last NBA game forward Andre Iguodala played in was Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals on June 13.
It has been almost eight months since Iguodala stepped on the court for game action, as he and the Grizzlies mutually agreed he would stay away from the team after Golden State traded him to Memphis this past summer.
Now that Iguodala has been traded to the Heat, how long will it take for him to be ready to play in games after an eight-month hiatus?
“Hopefully not too long,” Iguodala said in advance of Friday’s game between the Heat and Kings. “I know there’s that perception around the league about how Miami runs their ship. I feel like I fit in really well with that. The body fat and the weight thing. Today my body fat was right where it needs to be, and I’m ready to go.”
The Heat’s newly acquired trio of Iguodala, and forwards Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill were with the team for its Friday morning shootaround in Sacramento. Iguodala, Crowder and Hill did not participate in shootaround and they will not play in Sacramento.
For Iguodala, he said getting back to playing games is “just about getting some reps up and then seeing where I’m at.”
“I’m sure I can get out there right now,” Iguodala said. “But I want to be in the position where I’m not being a hindrance. I want to be a plus and a positive every step of the way. Just getting in line with everything that’s going on and the verbiage and the schemes and everything that the team is trying to do, picking up on it.”
During Iguodala’s brief NBA break, he stayed busy with off-court endeavors while also staying in shape. The time away helped his body, as he said “I surprised myself just taking the time off and seeing how bouncy my legs got to be.”
Iguodala, who turned 36 last week, is expected to be a consistent part of the Heat’s rotation as soon as he’s ready to play. And he’s expected to help solidify a Heat defense that entered Friday with the league’s 14th-best defensive rating, which is not considered good enough for an organization that has finished with a top-10 defense in four consecutive seasons.
“Andre obviously brings championship pedigree,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, “somebody who has played in so many big moments, that we really thought he would be a tremendous fit for what we have right now — the young players, to be able to add to the veteran leadership like Jimmy [Butler] and [Udonis Haslem] and Goran [Dragic]. That championship experience is invaluable, You can’t put a price on it.”
▪ Crowder and Hill hope to make their Heat debut Sunday against the Trail Blazers in Portland.
Of Crowder, who averaged 9.9 points on 36.8 percent shooting from the field and 29.3 percent shooting on threes in 45 games with the Grizzlies this season, Spoelstra said: “Jae is somebody the we’ve respected playing against us in the Eastern Conference quite a bit. A lot of playoff experience, as well as somebody that just his personality and style of play and competitiveness we think fits out values. We’ve been a fan of his for a while. I got a text from Dwyane [Wade], of course, saying, we got another Marquette guy. I think it’s a great fit.”
Crowder said he was excited when he heard the news that he was being traded to the Heat.
“I was very excited because these guys have been playing well all year long,” Crowder said. “You see them from a distance. We played these guys the first game of the season. It just feels like they’re having fun with it. They’re playing very hard, a very competitive group. I just want to add on to that. I’m a competitor. I like to win.
“The way they prepare for a game, the way coach prepares for a game, the way he expects his players to prepare. It’s right at home for me. It’s nothing different.”
Of Hill, who averaged 5.7 points on 41.2 percent shooting from the field and 38.1 percent shooting on threes, three rebounds and two assists in 48 games for the Grizzlies this season, Spoelstra said: “Solomon is somebody that we respected, too, before he went there. We’ve always kept on eye on him as somebody that has great defensively ability, good team guy, really has improved his three-point shooting. He gets into that 3-D type of role. His experience is really good too.”
Hill said: “Just want to come out and compete, do whatever coach asks of me. This is a great group of guys, a great mix of young and veteran leadership, hard-playing guys. And I just want to add to that mix however I can.”
▪ Of trading away James Johnson, Dion Waiters and Justise Winslow, Spoelstra said: “Obviously there is a business side and a human side to this. Three players go out that we developed strong relationships with. That doesn’t make it easy. That has been several years. And we invested in them. They invested in us. And hopefully we both came out better from that experience. We do wish all of them the best: J.J. in Minnesota; Justise, it’ll be a good opportunity for him in Memphis; and we’ll see where Dion ends up.”
JIMMY BUTLER INJURY UPDATE
While Butler will not play Friday against the Kings, there was good news regarding his strained right shoulder. An MRI on Butler’s injured shoulder came back clean.
“Right now, the next step is just treatment and rest, which he’s doing,” Spoelstra said. “And we’ll treat it day to day. We’ll see. We’re not sending him back [to Miami]. That doesn’t mean he’ll play necessarily [on the rest of the trip]. To me, those are always good signs.”
Heat rookie guard Tyler Herro was also ruled out of his second consecutive game Friday against the Kings due to right ankle soreness. Herro was still in a walking boot during Friday morning’s shootaround session.
With Butler, Herro, Meyers Leonard (sprained left ankle), Kyle Alexander (right knee), Iguodala, Crowder and Hill unavailable, the Heat has 10 available players against the Kings.
