What was trade deadline day like for Heat players? And how Riley believes Oladipo can help
At the start of trade deadline day, a chunk of the Miami Heat’s roster didn’t know where the next few hours would take them.
The Heat was involved in trade discussions for Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry, and the list of players linked to Miami was long as the deadline approached.
“My whole thing is like trying to get their mind off of it,” said center Bam Adebayo, who was one of the few Heat players not involved in trade rumors as its 23-year-old max player. “Walk up to them and talk to them like about a random movie or something.”
It’s unclear whether Adebayo’s attempt to distract teammates from Thursday’s 3 p.m. deadline worked, but it is clear that players, coaches and even executives are relieved the trade deadline is in the past. The Heat acquired two-time All-Star guard Victor Oladipo and veteran forward Nemanja Bjelica from the Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings in separate deals on Thursday in exchange for Kelly Olynyk, Avery Bradley, Moe Harkless, Chris Silva and a 2022 first-round pick swap with the Rockets.
“I get neurotic during this time,” team president Pat Riley said during a video media session late Thursday before the Heat embarked on a three-game trip that begins Friday night against the Charlotte Hornets. “[Coach Erik Spoelstra] does, the players all get neurotic. You can’t blame them. Really back in the day prior to social media day ... I mean you could talk until you’re blue in the face about trades and nothing would ever get out. So the players would just keep playing even though they knew there was a date.
“But what happens today is really over the top. When there’s that much conjecture out there about what might happen and the creation of trades by people and names pop up left and right. Yeah, it has an impact. It really has an impact on the psyche of players. Not as much veterans, but young guys it could.”
Heat sharpshooter Duncan Robinson, 26, was at the center of speculation surrounding the Heat’s pursuit of Lowry. That made for an interesting day leading up to Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline.
But by Thursday night, Lowry was still on the Raptors’ roster and Robinson was on the court in a Heat uniform. Robinson, who entered on a 10-of-35 (28.6 percent) three-point shooting slump, finished Thursday’s 125-122 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers with 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting from deep.
“It’s the nature of the business,” Robinson said of his deadline experience. “We’re very privileged to be professional basketball players and it comes with the territory. You know, interesting day. Really my first experience really counting the clock down to the deadline. But I was just thinking about it. There are more than a handful of players that go through it every single year. ... This time around, obviously it happened to me and a few others. But regardless of what happens, I’m happy to be here in Miami. I want to keep helping this team try to win.”
Second-year guard Tyler Herro, who was also mentioned in trade speculation, snapped out of a shooting slump just hours after the trade deadline, too. The 21-year-old finished Thursday’s loss with 29 points on 9-of-19 shooting from the field and 5-of-9 shooting on threes, and he entered shooting just 28.8 percent from the field and 12.5 percent on threes in his previous five games.
“Just been a lot going on in general. Not even really just trades,” Herro said. “My agent told me I was good either way, so I wasn’t really worried about a trade. There’s a lot going on either way, with injuries, being in and out of the rotation. But I’m just continuing to stick with the grind. It’s a long season and I feel like big games are played in the playoffs, so just going to continue to stay with it and stick to the grind. I’m just continuing to improve and preparing myself for the playoffs.”
The Heat said Friday that teams asked for rookie Precious Achiuwa, Herro and Robinson in various trade discussions leading up to the deadline, but the three were never included in a formal offer.
Whether Herro and Robinson’s slump-busting nights were a result of the relief that comes with an expired deadline, it’s hard to know. But it certainly didn’t hurt.
“I can’t speak to how people are feeling,” Spoelstra said when asked about the anxiety that comes with the trade deadline. “I just know that there’s a human side to it, and that’s natural. And that’s OK to have whatever emotions that you feel and are going through it. But it’s behind us now and now everybody can focus on the task at hand.”
HEAT NEWCOMERS
It’s still unclear when Bjelica and Oladipo will make their Heat debuts. But there’s a possibility it could come Monday against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
“I think he’s a flat-out scorer,” Riley said of Oladipo on Thursday night. “... If you look at all the things he did prior to his injury, the guy can be a catch-and-shoot 38 percent three-point shooter as well as being a slasher, cutter, defender. He can add a tremendous amount to our team. We’re very happy to have him. Over the next two or three months, we’ll see what happens. We add a slashing scorer to our team. We don’t have to always depend on making threes to win games.”
Of Bjelica, Spoelstra said: “He’s a big shooter. Jimmy [Butler] has played with him in Minnesota. With K.O. not being here, he’s not the same player and we’re not trying to compare him, but he brings the three-point shooting, the spacing and the size at that position for sure. Goran [Dragic] is very familiar with him. We think he’ll fit into our system pretty well.”
▪ While the Heat is considered a front-runner to sign center/power forward LaMarcus Aldridge via the buyout market, Chris Haynes from Yahoo Sports reported Aldridge plans to meet with the Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets before deciding on his new team.
▪ Butler, who missed Thursday’s loss because of a stomach illness, traveled with the Heat to Charlotte for Friday’s game against the Hornets. He’s listed as questionable for the contest.
Dragic, who will miss his fourth straight game on Friday because of lower back spasms, did not travel to Charlotte. But there remains a chance that he could join the team at some point during its three-game trip.
Forwards Udonis Haslem and KZ Okapala both remain out because of health and safety protocols.
This story was originally published March 26, 2021 at 11:46 AM.
