From a Las Vegas Summer League title to NBA contracts, Heat’s summer league five endures
After the Miami Heat won the Las Vegas Summer League championship in July, most from that summer roster went their separate ways.
But five players from that summer league team are on the Heat’s current roster: Josh Christopher, Keshad Johnson, Pelle Larsson, Isaiah Stevens and Kel’el Ware.
“It’s not random why we won [the Las Vegas Summer League title],” Heat guard Pelle Larsson said. “We had really good players and really good characters.”
All five players from this year’s summer league roster who are currently with the Heat were in uniform and active for the same NBA regular-season game for the first time in Thursday night’s 89-88 win over the Orlando Magic at Kia Center.
This came just hours after the Heat promoted Johnson from a two-way contract to a standard contract on Thursday morning.
With the Dec. 15 trade of center Thomas Bryant leaving the Heat with 13 players on standard deals, the Heat had until Sunday to add a 14th player and Johnson’s promotion fulfills that NBA requirement.
Johnson, who signed a two-year standard contract with the Heat, will be on a salary of $724,883 for the rest of the season but will count $1.3 million toward the luxury tax and aprons this season. Johnson’s new contract includes a $2 million team option for next season.
“All the guys that came up from being undrafted or overlooked in college and everything, Miami really made dreams come true here in Miami,” said Johnson, who went undrafted this year out of Arizona. “So I’m just one of the products of the organization.”
Stevens now steps into the two-way contract slot left open by Johnson’s move to a standard deal.
Two-way contracts do not count toward the salary cap, luxury tax or aprons and do not come with playoff eligibility. As part of Stevens’ two-way contract, he’s eligible to be on the Heat’s active roster for 30 games during the remainder of the regular season and the rest of his playing time must come in the G League.
With the Heat signing Stevens to a two-way contract, he now can’t be signed away by another NBA team.
“It’s definitely a blessing, not necessarily satisfied,” said Stevens, who went undrafted this year out of Colorado State. “There’s still more work to be done. Just want to continue to improve and get better and try to help in any way I can. So whether that is here in Miami or in Sioux Falls, just trying to do whatever they ask of me and just continue to get better.”
Johnson, 23, and Stevens, 24, signed their new contracts on Thursday after impressing with the Heat’s G League affiliate this season.
Johnson has averaged 21.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 54.9 percent from the field and 39.6 percent from three-point range in 13 games for the Sioux Falls Skyforce this season.
“K.J. has been playing a lot of different roles for us there,” Spoelstra said of Johnson’s work in Sioux Falls. “Playing at the four, playing as a speed five, he’s switching, he’s also playing base coverages. He’s doing things in a role that also can be transferable to our team. So we feel really good about his development and making this move to continue this relationship.”
Stevens has averaged 13.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 10.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 30.8 percent from three-point range in 17 games for the Skyforce this season. His 10.8 assists per game lead the G League.
“Isaiah, he always stood out to me from the beginning of training camp,” Heat guard Tyler Herro said. “I thought he was always a really good point guard who can really make plays, get the team organized. So I’m excited for him to be here.”
Both Johnson and Stevens have also contributed to winning with the Skyforce, which is one of the top things that the Heat’s coaching staff looks for in evaluating G League play.
With the Skyforce sitting at 12-5 this season, Johnson has posted a plus/minus of plus 135 and Stevens has produced a plus/minus of plus 151 in the G League this season.
“It started this summer just in terms of making us watch them and their ability to impact winning,” Spoelstra said of Johnson and Stevens. “Then when we brought them back, their work ethic and you start to get to know people’s character outside of just those three weeks from summer league. You can see that they have the makeup of guys who have succeeded for us going through that route, they’ve had similar makeups. It’s well earned, we’re really happy for them.”
The Heat’s summer league five of Christopher, Johnson, Larsson, Stevens and Ware are all in different situations in terms of their roles and individual development. Christopher, Johnson and Stevens have spent most of this season in the G League, while Larsson and Ware have been vying for consistent minutes with the Heat.
But all five were together in Orlando for Thursday’s game against the Magic, with the Skyforce in the middle of a break before resuming its schedule on Monday. Whether they will all be with the Heat for Saturday’s matchup against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena (3 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network Sun and NBA TV) remains to be seen.
One thing is for sure: The bond between them, which began in summer league and grew stronger during Heat training camp and the preseason, endures.
“Guys have definitely put the time in all the way from summer league, all the way through the preseason,” Stevens said. “Up in Sioux Falls we’ve definitely taken the time that has been required to get this opportunity. And it’s just the beginning right now. So I don’t think anybody’s just running around, patting themselves on the back. But it’s definitely a great opportunity and we’re thankful for it.”
