Why Pat Riley called Johnson, Waiters in for meeting. And Winslow out again, Butler fined.
James Johnson didn’t know quite what to expect when he and teammate Dion Waiters recently were summoned to Pat Riley’s AmericanAirlines Arena office.
But Johnson and Waiters soon realized that the Heat’s president would not be admonishing them, but instead delivering an upbeat message offering something of a fresh start.
The Heat is not permitting Waiters to speak to reporters until he appears in a game this season, but Johnson confirmed the meeting — which was first reported by The Athletic — and said Riley essentially spoke of reintegrating both players with the team.
“It was just the three of us,” Johnson said. “It was heartfelt, all encouragement. He’s got our back. That meeting was one of our new leaf-turners. It was an eye opener but also a relief.”
What Riley could not promise was playing time, because that’s coach Erik Spoelstra’s decision, and Riley doesn’t intervene in such matters.
And in that regard, both remain something of outsiders, with Waiters yet to appear in a game this season — he was inactive for Wednesday’s game — and Johnson appearing in just seven games all season and only one game since Nov. 27, heading into Friday’s game at Brooklyn.
“It’s not up to him to assure minutes,” Johnson said of Riley. “He reassured that we’re a part of this team, and that feels good.”
Waiters has been suspended three different times (and 17 games) this season for an assortment of violation of team rules. But according to a source, the team — unable to trade him — decided not to pursue a voiding of his contract, which assuredly would have been vigorously challenged by the players union.
And an associate of Waiters indicated Waiters had no interest in giving up a lot of guaranteed money in a buyout. So there is no realistic path to a divorce at this point, and the sides are trying to make the best of it.
Johnson, meanwhile, wasn’t suspended this season but was told on Oct. 1 not to accompany the team to training camp because he did not meet the team’s stringent conditioning requirements. He returned Oct. 11 and has kept himself in good shape, according to Spoelstra.
In October conversations with Johnson and Waiters, Riley made clear that he had made a commitment to them with lucrative four-year contracts in the summer of 2017 and expected them to do what was expected of them.
Johnson said even in being kept away from training camp and called into Riley’s office, he appreciates how the Heat’s president has handled matters.
“Great respect for Pat, always,” Johnson said. “I always feel like he gave me my shot, him and Spo gave me my real chance in this NBA. I will always be grateful for that. He wants the best for me and the rest of the guys.
“I wouldn’t say he’s GM because not a lot of GMs care this much. He really cares. He really holds you to your word, and to me, that’s greater than a paycheck, greater than anything a regular GM could really do to hold players accountable. [With the conditioning], he held me accountable to the extent it really raised my bar as a man, not as a basketball player, but as a man.”
What Riley essentially did, Johnson said, was “he punished me for not being tough enough on myself. He’s been in my corner this whole process and wanting the best for me. He sees something in me I wasn’t seeing at first. I’m not blind as much now.”
The Heat owes Johnson $15.3 million this season and $16 million next season, presuming he exercises the player option on the final year of his contract this summer. As for Waiters, the Heat owes him $10.7 million this season (factoring in $1.4 million forfeited to suspensions) and $12.7 million next season in the final year of his contract.
Waiters does not appear to be moping; he and Johnson were engaged in an upbeat chat in the visitor’s locker room at BankersLife Fieldhouse in Indiana on Wednesday evening. And Johnson said he isn’t bemoaning the lack of playing time after appearing in 76, 73 and 55 games in his first three seasons with the Heat.
“It’s not that tough,” Johnson said. “It could be a lot worse. I could be in a locker room, not playing, with a whole bunch of guys I don’t like. I’ve been in every situation, 11 years in this league, and this is one of my favorite teams right now. I like these guys. When we’re winning, I’m excited. I’m happy. I feel like I’m a part of it.”
WINSLOW OUT
▪ Heat swingman Justise Winslow’s back did not respond as favorably as hoped after Wednesday’s game — his first appearance after 15 consecutive missed games — and Spoelstra ruled him out for Friday’s game at Brooklyn and Sunday’s game at the Knicks.
“It didn’t respond the way we would have liked, so we’re going to take a step back,” Spoelstra said, not offering a timetable for a return. “We don’t feel comfortable, he doesn’t feel comfortable about [playing on Friday].”
Or Sunday, for that matter.
Winslow remained with the team on Friday, and Spoelstra said he would be re-evaluated after the team returns to Miami on Sunday night.
“When we get back to Miami, we will re-evaluate everything, put together a plan and I’ll be able to give you more details,” Spoelstra said.
Spoelstra said the injury was not a new one, but the same bone bruise issue with his lower back that had sidelined him for those 15 games.
Winslow wasn’t made available for comment on Friday but said after playing in Wednesday’s game in Indiana that he felt a “little bit” of discomfort. And Spoelstra said he also felt discomfort on Friday as well.
Winslow has played in just 11 games this season.
Derrick Jones Jr., who was listed as questionable with a thigh bruise, will be available for the Nets game.
▪ Heat forward Chris Silva met with NBA commissioner Adam Silver on Thursday to thank him for his role in helping fly his mother to Miami from Gabon, a nation in central Africa. Silva and his mom had not seen each other in three years; she recently returned home but Silva said he will see her again this summer.
“That was always a dream to shake his hand,” Silva said of Silver. “We talked about me and my mom, how I teared up because I was shocked to see her. He said that’s normal to show emotions.” Silva said he plans to get involved in the league’s NBA Africa initiative.
Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro also had a chance to shake hands with Silver on Thursday, Spoelstra said.
BUTLER FINED
The NBA fined the Heat’s Jimmy Butler and Indiana’s TJ Warren for their role in two different altercations on Wednesday, and in Butler’s case, the aftermath.
Butler was fined $35,000 “for engaging in an altercation and escalating the incident on social media postgame.”
Butler circled the teams’ next meeting, March 20, in an Instagram post, and delivered this message to Warren on that post: “Don’t be mad you can’t guard me. We will see what you about in March.”
Warren, who was ejected from the game, was fined $25,000 “for engaging in an altercation and making an obscene gesture following his ejection.”
This story was originally published January 10, 2020 at 12:11 PM.
