Heat expected to sign Zylan Cheatham as COVID-19 replacement. And a P.J. Tucker update
Dealing with a long list of injuries and one player in the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the Miami Heat is using the NBA’s new hardship rule amid the evolving COVID-19 pandemic to add reinforcement.
The Heat is planning to sign forward Zylan Cheatham to a 10-day contract as a COVID-19 replacement for two-way contract guard Caleb Martin, league sources confirmed to the Miami Herald. Since Martin remains in the health and safety protocols, the Heat is eligible to sign a replacement player to a 10-day deal without it counting toward a team’s salary cap or potential luxury tax payment.
With Bam Adebayo (thumb surgery), Jimmy Butler (tail bone contusion), Martin (protocols), Markieff Morris (whiplash), Victor Oladipo (right knee injury recovery) and P.J. Tucker (lower left leg nerve inflammation) ruled out for Tuesday’s home game against the Indiana Pacers, the Heat is down to 10 available players.
Cheatham, 26, was not available to play against the Pacers. He has yet to sign his contract with the Heat, but is expected to on Wednesday.
This expected signing comes after the NBA and National Basketball Players Association came to an agreement Sunday night on rules allowing teams to sign a replacement player to a 10-day contract for each positive COVID-19 case it has on its roster without it impacting teams’ salary cap. According to a memo shared with teams, these rules will remain in place until Jan. 19, when the league will offer further guidance on the hardship rules for the remainder of the season.
Teams have to sign at least one replacement player if they have two positive COVID-19 cases, at least two replacement players if they have three positive COVID-19 cases, and at least three replacement players if they have four or more positive COVID-19 cases to help the league avoid further game postponements because of health and safety protocols.
But the Heat is not being forced to sign Cheatham since it still had just one player who tested positive for COVID-19, as of Tuesday afternoon.
Once Martin is out of protocols and is cleared to resume basketball activities, Cheatham’s contract with the Heat will be terminated even if it’s before his 10-day clock has expired.
In this case, the Heat is only permitted to sign a replacement player with three or fewer years of NBA service since Martin is signed to a two-way contract.
Cheatham, who went undrafted out of Arizona State in 2019, has appeared in four NBA games — all during the 2019-20 season with the New Orleans Pelicans. He totaled 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field and 0-of-1 shooting on threes, nine rebounds and three assists.
Beginning this season in the G League, Cheatham (6-5, 220) averaged 14.2 points on 49.1 percent shooting from the field and 42.9 percent shooting on threes, 10.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.6 blocks in 13 games with the Birmingham Squadron.
Cheatham has averaged 14.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 34 percent on 2.5 three-point attempts per game in 62 appearances during his three seasons in the G League.
Because of the NBA’s amended hardship rules in response to COVID-19, the Heat is able to add Cheatham while still maintaining its position below the punitive NBA luxury tax threshold.
TUCKER INJURY UPDATE
An MRI conducted Monday on Tucker’s injured left knee revealed no structural damage, according to a league source. That’s positive news for the Heat and Tucker.
The Heat listed Tucker’s injury as lower left leg nerve inflammation. He was seen walking out of the team’s locker room at FTX Arena on Tuesday afternoon with only a slight limp and no brace on the knee.
Tucker injured his left knee in the third quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons when he left his feet to challenge an Isaiah Stewart shot around the rim and landed hard on the court. He has already been ruled out for Tuesday’s matchup against the Pacers.
TUCKER’S MISSION
Tucker has called Miami home for a just a few months after signing with the Heat in August.
But the veteran forward is already working to leave his mark in the community, partnering with Foot Locker to host a Kicks and Community Toy Giveaway on Monday afternoon at Gwen Cherry Park in Miami.
“It’s where you’re at. It’s where you’re eating, it’s where you’re staying,” Tucker said of why he has tried to immerse himself in Miami. “I live here, so I gotta leave my footprint somehow, someway. I feel like it’s a disservice to just come and play basketball. You got to do everything you can to try to give back to where ever you’re at. If I’m in Miami, I’m in Miami.”
Of course, shoes were a part of Tucker’s event on Monday. Known as the NBA’s Sneaker King, he handed out toys and sneakers to children just a few days before Christmas.
“Shoes have been a part of my life my entire life,” Tucker said. “So it’s something that always will be a part of anything I do. Shoes will probably be involved in it somehow, someway. So that’s why it’s always good to be able to team up with Foot Locker because them being able to provide shoes and do stuff for kids is unbelievable.”
This story was originally published December 21, 2021 at 12:14 PM.
