Heat opens Vegas Summer League, but Giannis trade and LeBron storylines steal show
The Miami Heat opened Las Vegas Summer League with a 119-86 blowout win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday afternoon, but the attention wasn’t all on the on-court action.
With the Heat beginning the Las Vegas circuit with a matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks’ summer roster, all the players involved in this offseason’s blockbuster trade between the Heat and Bucks that landed two-time NBA Giannis Antetokounmpo in Miami (except for Antetokounmpo) were at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center for Friday’s summer league contest.
All four players — Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis and Kel’el Ware — who the Heat traded to the Bucks were in attendance. Herro, Jaquez and Ware sat courtside across from the Bucks’ bench, and Jakucionis made his summer league debut for the Bucks after spending time with the Lithuanian national team.
Meanwhile, newly-acquired Heat forward Bobby Portis sat courtside next to Heat coaches Erik Spoelstra, Chris Quinn, Malik Allen, Eric Glass and Octavio De La Grana for Friday’s summer league game. The Heat acquired Antetokounmpo and Portis from the Bucks in a deal that was agreed to in late June and finalized on Monday.
“It’s all love in Miami,” Herro said during an appearance on Prime during Friday’s game. “I’ve seen a couple of the guys, coaching staff. Chris Quinn, Spo. We’re all good in Miami, and an opportunity for both sides to reset and get a fresh start. We’re both super happy for this.
“I mean, it’s part of the business. A place like in Miami, and organization like Miami, they wanted championships, they play for championships, and it’s part of the business. I know how good I am, and what I’m capable of. And I just got to continue to keep working and try to stay healthy and just represent this new team how I’m supposed to.”
Herro did not comment on an ESPN report from Shams Charania that Herro got into a physical altercation in Las Vegas on Friday.
Charania reported: “The altercation occurred at a practice court in a Las Vegas hotel this morning, sources said -- starting when Adebayo approached Herro about comments the guard made critiquing the center on social media after their seven-year run in Miami ended.
The Heat is aware of the incident, but is declining comment on it.
Then there’s the ongoing LeBron James watch, with the Heat among the teams that the future Basketball Hall of Famer is considering in free agency this summer.
James’ agent Rich Paul appeared on ESPN just a few minutes before the start Friday’s summer league matchup between the Heat and Bucks to discuss James’ impending free agent decision.
“We are taking this thing very seriously,” Paul said during his ESPN appearance. “Bt at the same time, we’re having fun. I think it’s great for the fans. It’s his decision and he has earned the right to make any decision he wants. Just like you guys, we are all waiting.”
Paul again made clear there’s no timetable for James’ decision, saying: “I don’t put a timetable on things.” NBA free agency opened on June 30.
“It’s his decision,” Paul said. “I’m just waiting on his decision. We’ve been around this league long enough — it’s his 24th season — we understand how things work, we understand how teams operate. He trusts me. But ultimately, I’m working to help him make the best decision for himself and his family.”
Paul also again downplayed the money factor as part of James’ decision, instead emphasizing the fact that James wants “to be competitive” and “have the opportunity come late April or early May to give yourself best opportunity of winning.” The Heat has about $6.5 million left of its midlevel exception or a minimum contract to offer James since it is hard-capped at the first apron because of the mechanisms used in the Antetokounmpo trade.
“It’s not a game or something that’s a gimmick or trying to lead people on,” Paul said. “Take the money out of it.
“Most times, you’re saying where is the most financially respectful opportunity. In this case, you throw that out that window. You can actually evaluate it and make the best decision for yourself. This is unchartered territory for an athlete.”
While Paul didn’t identify any of the teams in the running for James, he said on ESPN that there are a “handful” of teams in the mix. Paul added that there’s “a communication from players directly to” James in trying to recruit him.
James, who is entering his 24th NBA season, has a history with the Heat.
James spent four seasons with the Heat from 2010 to 2014, winning NBA championships with the organization in 2012 and 2013 in four NBA Finals appearances. He also was selected as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player two times while with the Heat.
James left the Heat as a free agent in 2014 to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team he left to join the Heat in 2010.
The relationship between the Heat and James initially was frosty after their breakup, but is now strong. The Heat would welcome a return by James, a source has said.
Even at 41, James remains a very effective player. He averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game while shooting 51.5% from the field and 31.7% on threes in 60 appearances for the Lakers last season.
“He will make the best decision for himself,” Paul said. “He has earned the right.”
Here are other things to know from Friday’s Heat summer league opener ...
▪ Jakucionis struggled to make shots in his Bucks summer league debut against his former team, finishing with 11 points on 2-of-10 shooting from the field and 2-of-3 shoooting from three-point range, three rebounds and six assists in 22 minuts.
The Heat selected Jakuconis with the 20th overall pick in last year’s NBA Draft. Miami was reluctant to include the 20-year-old Jakucionis in its trade offer to the Bucks before ultimately deciding to add him to the trade package later in the process to help complete the deal.
▪ The Heat’s summer league team went with a starting lineup of Tre Donaldson, Ryan Conwell, Trevor Keels, J’Vonne Hadley and Vlad Goldin on Friday.
▪ Conwell, who the Heat acquired in the second round of this year’s draft, totaled 19 points in his first Las Vegas Summer League game.
▪ Donaldson, who the Heat signed to a two-way contract immediately after he went undrafted in June, recorded 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field and 2-of-2 shooting on threes and six assists.
▪ Along with a chunk of the Heat’s coaching staff, Heat general manager Andy Elisburg and assistant general manager Adam Simon were in attendance for Friday’s game in Las Vegas.
▪ The Heat will play its second of at least five Las Vegas Summer League games on Saturday against the Orlando Magic at UNLV’s Pavilion (3:30 p.m. on WPLG Local 10 and Prime). Only the two teams that make the championship game playing a sixth game.
