Miami Heat executive updates development of 3 young prospects. And update on NBA season
If the NBA resumes its season this summer in Orlando — an increasingly likely scenario — Miami will return with a dozen veterans who can make a strong case to be part of an NBA rotation.
But during a national pandemic, there’s no assurance that even “12 strong” — plus Udonis Haslem as a bedrock 13th piece — would be enough for what the Heat hopes would be a significant playoff run.
With players expected to be regularly tested for COVID-19 if the season resumes, the Heat must prepare for all scenarios, and that includes prepping rookie forwards KZ Okpala and Chris Silva (who are both on the 15-man roster) for what could come next during unprecedented times for professional sports.
Though players on two-way contracts aren’t eligible for postseason, it’s possible the NBA could change that this year because of the pandemic. According to a source, that has been discussed inside the NBA Players union.
If that happens, Gabe Vincent and Kyle Alexander would suddenly become options if the Heat loses a handful of players when play resumes.
Okpala’s development was slowed in part because he didn’t play in games in summer league — a result of the NBA not permitting players traded on draft night to be immediately eligible to play — and in part because he missed the first 19 games of the season with a strained left Achilles’ tendon.
But in the weeks before the season was halted, the Heat was encouraged by what it saw from Okpala, who played 20 games for the Heat’s G League team in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and five games for the Heat.
“You think about the first month when he started playing in Sioux Falls in December, he was trying to get his rhythm and into a flow and get caught up,” Adam Simon, the Heat’s vice president/basketball operations and assistant general manager, said in a phone conversation this week.
“Once mid-January came around, we saw the strides. He was feeling more comfortable with the ball in his hands. The game was slowing down for him. The greatest things he was doing were on the defensive end, making an impact guarding multiple positions. At times, he was switched onto [centers], guarding both forward positions, being versatile, doing a great job on the glass. All those things were positives.”
Of his five appearances in Heat games, the only one in which he played longer than 1:28 was a 21:27 stint on Feb. 7 in Sacramento, when he had seven points, a blocked shot, two steals, four rebounds and an assist.
That appearance was representative of his work in Sioux Falls, where he averaged 11.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks and 28.6 minutes per game in 20 games. He shot 36.8 percent from the field and 28.2 percent on threes, but Simon said his shooting improved before the G League season was suspended.
Simon said Okpala’s defense is NBA ready, and the offensive game is progressing.
Besides running the floor well, “he’s a good midrange shooter,” Simon said. “He’s extending out to three-point shooting [range] and has been getting better at that. He’s being more selective. What he’s good at is understanding mismatches. He’s got a good handle; if he’s defended by a slower player, he can use his handle to defeat them off the dribble. Against smaller defenders, he can use his size to shoot over guys. That’s his best strength offensively — he’s good attacking and getting in position to shoot over guys.”
Heat president Pat Riley has said the Heat rated Okpala in its top 15 on its draft board last June, and Miami jumped at the chance to trade three second-round picks to Phoenix to select Okpala at No. 32.
“You are looking for multipositional defenders,” Simon said. “His agility for someone that is 6-9 [is a strength]. He can handle and move his feet and has great size. The combination of all those give him a chance.”
The Heat’s two players signed to two-way contracts dealt with knee injuries before the G-League season was shortened; Simon said Vincent is “good to go.”
There’s less certainty with Alexander, but the Heat also expects he would be available if the NBA resumes play in late July or August - and, of course, if the NBA allows two-way players to be game-eligible in postseason.
Before the Heat signed him to a two-way deal on Jan. 8, Vincent was averaging 23.4 points for the G League team in Stockton, California, while shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 42.1 percent on three-pointers, with a G League-leading 88 threes in 20 games.
Because of injuries to wing players, the Heat used the 6-3 combo guard for six games and 42 minutes this season, and he scored 12 points and shot 4 for 16 on threes in those games.
At Sioux Falls, he averaged 16.4 points in 11 games and shot 17 for 38 on threes (37.3 percent), while dealing with a knee injury.
“He was fighting through it, wanted to show he’s ready and an NBA player,” Simon said of Vincent’s time so far with the Heat. “He was determined to not use it as an excuse. He has the qualities we looked for — being a real gym rat, a real hard working kid with great character, well liked wherever he’s been, good teammate, unselfish.
“He was averaging 24 a game for Stockton but also is willing to make good passes and good decisions. It wasn’t like he was just looking for the basket; he was looking for that in the flow of the game. He’s a very good three-point shooter, but if he’s getting guarded and defenders are closing out, he can put the ball on the floor and dribble and make a play. He’s made so much progress in a year-and-a-half.”
Simon said the Heat liked how Vincent accepted a bench role in Stockton because “that’s the role [G League call-ups] are going to be in the NBA. If they are able to play in that role in the G League, the transition will be smooth.”
He came off the bench in his 11 games in Sioux Falls and 17 of his 20 games in Stockton.
Alexander, the 6-11 undrafted rookie from Tennessee who impressed the Heat with his defensive activity around the basket in summer league last July, didn’t appear in an NBA game after getting a Heat two-way contract on Jan. 16, partly because of the knee injury.
He averaged 10.6 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.2 blocks and 25.1 minutes in 23 games, including 21 starts, for Sioux Falls, while shooting 69.2 percent from the field, much of that coming in the basket area.
“He’s got 7-foot body and he’s a late-blooming big,” Simon said. “Depending on how much strides he makes, he’s got the ability to contribute at an NBA level. It’s just understanding the defensive rotations and being able to contribute defensively, understanding when to block a shot and understanding I might not be able to block a shot so go get in position to rebound.
“The speed of the game slowed down for him. His midrange shooting has improved and he’s setting good screens. His pick-and-roll, pick-and-pop [skills] certainly got developed. He’s been rehabbing the injury, is back in the gym.”
The Heat has rights to both Vincent and Alexander this summer. Miami can convert their two-way deals into regular contracts or offer them another two-way deal during the offseason or preseason.
The hope is that each will join the long list of Heat development success stories, including Udonis Haslem, Ike Austin, Voshon Lenard, Duncan Robinson, Kendrick Nunn and others.
Ideally, Okpala and Silva — and Vincent and Alexander if two-way players are eligible to play in Orlando — would be able to observe in postseason.
But the Heat always makes sure the entire roster is ready, and that’s particularly important if the NBA resumes play during a pandemic.
NBA RESUMPTION DATE
During a conference call on Friday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver and the league office informed the Board of Governors that July 31 is a target date for the resumption of the season, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
That report indicated the NBA has discussed four scenarios to restart the season at the Wide World of Sports complex near Orlando:
1) Going directly to the playoffs with 16 teams;
2) Bringing 20 teams to Disney and holding group/stage play before the playoffs;
3) Bringing 22 teams to Disney and having a play-in tournament for the final playoff spots;
4) Bringing all 30 teams back, with a 72-game regular season and a play-in tournament. That would leave each team needing to play 5 to 10 regular season games.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowksi, a Board of Governors vote to re-start the season will be held next Thursday and “owners are largely planning to pledge support for Silver’s final recommendation on a plan, which teams expect to include invitations for 20-to-22 teams to resume the season.”
The Associated Press’ Tim Reynolds reported that “the idea of bringing back 20 teams — possibly a few more, but not all 30 — continues to resonate as the most likely scenario, as of now.”
That AP report also said the NBA on Friday discussed bringing any team within six games of a playoff spot back for the resumption of the season, a scenario that would result in the inclusion of 13 teams in the Western Conference and nine in the East.
Here’s my Friday Dolphins piece with insight from the Senior Bowl director on a half dozen of Miami’s draft picks.
Here’s my Friday piece with part 5 of my 5-part series on Marlins prospects.
This story was originally published May 29, 2020 at 5:38 PM.
