Orlando Robinson on journey to two-way contract with Heat and how he has improved
After going undrafted out of Fresno State in June, center Orlando Robinson committed to the Miami Heat’s summer league team in hopes of earning a two-way contract.
Robinson didn’t immediately get what he wanted even after joining the Heat for training camp, as Miami waived him before the start of the regular season.
But just about a month after Robinson was released, he got what he was hoping for when he joined the Heat’s summer league team in late June. Miami released guard Dru Smith from his two-way contract to create room to sign Robinson to a two-way deal on Sunday to add much-needed frontcourt depth, with Heat center Omer Yurtseven expected to miss a large chunk of the season because of an ankle injury.
“It feels great. I’m grateful for the opportunity,” Robinson said after signing his new contract and arriving to Miami in time for Monday night’s matchup against the Phoenix Suns at FTX Arena. “I’m going to make the most of it. As a basketball player, you got to be ready for these type of moments — anything can happen — and I am.”
The plan is for Yurtseven to undergo surgery on his left ankle this week, which is expected to sideline him for up to three months.
With Yurtseven out, Robinson (6-10 and 235 pounds) knows he’s one injury or a few quick fouls from potentially logging meaningful minutes as one of three healthy centers on the Heat’s roster behind starter Bam Adebayo and backup Dewayne Dedmon.
“After I analyzed the fact that I’m here and I looked at the roster and everything, I saw I have the potential to actually play a little bit,” Robinson said. “Just knowing that, I’m going to just be ready when my time is called just like everybody else and make the most of my opportunity.”
Robinson, 22, remained within the Heat’s developmental program even after he was waived last month. He joined the organization’s G League affiliate upon his release, averaging 20 points on 54.1 percent shooting from the field, 9.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 steals and one block in four games with the Sioux Falls Skyforce this season.
In fact, Robinson learned about his two-way contract with the Heat shortly after recording 16 points and nine rebounds Saturday to lead the Skyforce to a road win over the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
“I was all hyped and everything and [Skyforce coach Kasib Powell] pulled me to the side at the hotel and he told me what it was, and I was pretty excited,” Robinson said. “I didn’t go to sleep.”
Robinson put together an impressive stat line as a junior at Fresno State last season, averaging 19.4 points on 48.4 percent shooting from the field and 71.6 percent shooting from the foul line, 8.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.2 blocks per game. He became one of two players (the other being Frank Kaminsky for Wisconsin in 2014-15) in NCAA history to accumulate at least 700 points, 300 rebounds and 100 assists in a single season.
But concerns regarding Robinson’s perceived lack of athleticism led to him going undrafted. He had the worst standing vertical leap (23 inches), second-worst max vertical leap (27.5 inches) and slowest three-quarter sprint (3.55 seconds) at this year’s combine.
“I’ve grown a lot,” Robinson said. “I got to play in Sioux Falls, I got to play around that team and that environment at a high level. I was doing good. So now moving on to this next level, the highest level in the NBA, just going out there confident in my abilities to do what I need to do as a basketball player.”
Among the areas that Robinson has worked on since joining the Heat’s program this past summer are his off-ball game on offense and his pick-and-roll defense on the other end.
“Just being able to adjust to obviously not being in college anymore and just being more of a role player and I feel like I’ve grown in that aspect because I know where to be, how to move without the ball,” Robinson said. “It’s something that I needed to work on because in college I dominated the ball. So now that I’m off the ball, I’ve kind of tried to master that in a sense.
“I also think I’ve grown in the pick and roll, especially in my drop coverage. I’ll be able to do more, blitz and switch and stuff like that, as I have experience in doing it. I feel like I’ve grown a lot protecting the basket without fouling. Got a long way to go, but I feel like I’m improving.”
Two-way deals allow for players to be on their NBA team’s active list for as many as 50 regular-season games, with Robinson eligible to be on the Heat’s active list for the prorated amount of 43 regular-season games since he was signed nearly four weeks into the season. Undrafted rookie forward Jamal Cain is Miami’s other two-way contract player.
Robinson believes he’ll be sent back to the G League eventually as part of his two-way contract. He just doesn’t know when that will be with the Heat in need of the frontcourt depth he provides.
“I have zero clue,” Robinson said when asked if he has been told when he’ll head back to the Skyforce.
INJURY REPORT
Tyler Herro missed his fourth straight game Monday with a high ankle sprain. The Heat originally listed the guard as questionable, along with Dewayne Dedmon.
The center was available to play despite left foot plantar fasciitis. The Heat previously ruled out wing Victor Oladipo due to left knee tendinosis and Yurtseven with a left ankle impingement.
Although Herro’s injury is lingering, Erik Spoelstra isn’t concerned because ankle sprains, he said, are unpredictable.
“You just never know with ankle sprains,” the coach said. “They’re never on necessarily your timeline, so he just doesn’t have the mobility yet, but he’s getting better. He’s making progress.”
For Phoenix, star point guard Chris Paul will not play because of right heel soreness. The Suns also ruled out forwards Jae Crowder and Cameron Johnson, and shooting guard Landry Shamet.
This story was originally published November 14, 2022 at 12:25 PM.
