Jimmy Butler out vs. Hornets. Also, what surprised Omer Yurtseven at start of Heat practices
Update at 5:40 p.m.: The Heat ruled out star wing Jimmy Butler for Monday’s preseason game against the Hornets at FTX Arena because of a cold-like symptoms. Forward KZ Okpala (right Achilles inflammation) and guard Victor Oladipo (right knee surgery rehabilatation) also are unavailable for the Heat.
The Hornets will be without forward Gordon Hayward (health and safety protocols), wing Kelly Oubre Jr. (right ankle sprain), center Mason Plumlee (health and safety protocols) and guard Terry Rozier (left ankle sprain).
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It didn’t take long for Miami Heat center Omer Yurtseven to realize that summer league was over.
“It was definitely more intense with the group that we have,” Yurtseven said to the Miami Herald of transitioning to Heat training camp in late September. “This is the level above, obviously. This is where everybody is trying to make it. So it was definitely harder in terms of the intensity.”
The pace of practices with stars Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry leading the way caught Yurtseven, 23, a bit off guard.
“It was nonstop for those four days, and I was definitely feeling it on Day 2 and then recovering the next day,” Yurtseven said in advance of the Heat’s preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night at FTX Arena. “It was just that intensity of not stopping. We went for like two hours nonstop and they didn’t stop. I guess they were adjusted to that pace, where they weren’t too fazed by it. But the newcomers, we definitely needed that hit and push.”
While Yurtseven is still adjusting to the NBA level, he has still found ways to produce solid numbers during his preseason playing time. In the Heat’s first three exhibition games, he averaged 8.7 points while shooting 63.2 percent from the field and 2 of 4 (50 percent) on threes, 7.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 0.7 blocks in 17.1 minutes.
Yurtseven’s minutes were limited in the Heat’s first two exhibition games, but he logged a preseason-high 23 minutes in Friday’s road win over the San Antonio Spurs. With Miami sitting most of its rotation regulars in San Antonio, the 7-footer totaled preseason-highs in points (14), rebounds (11), assists (four), steals (two), blocks (two) and minutes (23).
“He’s getting better, and I think he played his best basketball in camp in the San Antonio game,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “But I also think it’s important for young players, in their development is managing adversity and managing not playing as well as you want to. He’s had some good moments in camp and he’s had some tough moments in camp. Welcome to being a young player in this league.
“But he comes in every day with the right approach, and that’s just to get better, do things with more intention, more force, more physically, more force of energy. He’s definitely making progress.”
Yurtseven shined in summer league in August, averaging 22.4 points on 50.6 percent shooting from the field and 8-of-22 (36.4 percent) shooting from three-point range, 11.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in five games with the Heat’s summer team. He impressed enough to earn a guaranteed standard NBA contract from the Heat to become a member of the 15-man roster for the upcoming season.
Since Yurtseven returned from summer league, he said Heat coaches have been “touching up on everything” regarding his overall game.
“It has been overall pretty much everything in terms of defensive rebounding and offensive rebounding, and crashing the glass every time and being able to guard the 2-on-2 pick-and-roll and not letting your guy behind you,” Yurtseven said. “But also being able to stay consistent at the three-point line and around the rim. ... Once they see a little detail that I’m missing out on, they just come and fix it and get it right and move on to the next one.”
With Dewayne Dedmon entering the season as Adebayo’s backup at center and forwards P.J. Tucker and Markieff Morris also providing experienced frontcourt options, playing time could be scarce for Yurtseven early. It’s still unclear whether the Heat would consider moving Yurtseven to the G League for a stretch to continue his development with consistent game reps.
“I already played in the G League,” said Yurtseven, who spent time with the Oklahoma City Blue last season after going undrafted in 2020. “But whatever they want me to do. At this point, I think can be very supportive coming off the bench after Bam or Dedmon. So I think I can help out the team out here. But it’s not my decision to make.”
Whatever decision the Heat makes, one thing is for sure: This will be a season of continued development for Yurtseven. He has yet to play in an NBA regular-season or playoff game.
“Summer league is different,” said Heat wing Max Strus, who played with Yurtseven in summer league this year. “But Omer is coming along. It’s still a learning process. We all are still learning. He’s improving every day. He works, so he’s going to keep getting better. I’m excited for his development.”
‘FULLY VACCINATED’ HEAT
The Heat has declined to say whether it has a fully vaccinated roster. But the team does not expect to have any issues with the league when it comes to player vaccinations, according to a league source.
That might be because the roster is actually fully vaccinated.
“We’re a fully vaccinated team, so we can do different things than last year,” Heat guard Tyler Herro said Monday when asked about the team’s first preseason road trip. “It was a little different. Getting on the road was really good for us. Just being on the road and experiencing that for the first time together was good.”
The NBA finalized COVID-19-protocols for the 2021-22 season last week, which included: “If all players on a team are fully vaccinated and the team’s practice facility and arena are located in a county (or counties) that has “moderate” or “low” transmission of COVID-19, players will not be required under these Protocols to wear facemasks when at a team practice and training facility or when on the road at the team hotel.”
Unvaccinated players will be able to play in games this season, but they face stricter health and safety protocols.
THE JAX CELEBRITY ROAST
Heat television host and new radio play-by-play voice Jason Jackson held his fourth annual Jax Celebrity Roast on Saturday at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood. This year’s event roasted Dan Le Batard, with the list of previous roastees including retired Heat star Dwyane Wade and Miami Dolphins Hall of Famer Jason Taylor.
The event benefited the Ron Magill Endowment and the Jax Fam Foundation, which was established in 2016 to “support, empower and fund raise for organizations that are positively impacting the health, education and/or social welfare of underrepresented and under resourced individuals.”
“The Jax Celebrity Roast really is a twofold event. No. 1, we want to try to find a luminary in our town that impacts this place in a positive way,” Jackson said. “... But we do raise a lot of money, impact a lot of kids and families in the community. That’s a great thing and that’s why the Jax Fam Foundation loves to do the Jax Celebrity Roast.”
This story was originally published October 11, 2021 at 12:52 PM.
