Heat signs three undrafted rookies. They’re expected to battle for a two-way contract
.JPG "Miami Heat guard Javonte Smart (50) and Utah Jazz guard Matt Mooney, right, battle for the ball during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game Friday, Aug. 13, 2021, in Las Vegas.")
The Miami Heat invited three undrafted rookies to training camp on Friday, giving each a potential opportunity to compete for the second of a pair of two-way contracts.
Former LSU guard Javonte Smart, former Wisconsin center Micah Potter and ex-Missouri guard Dru Smith all signed Exhibit 10 contracts, which includes a training camp invitation. All three players were members of the Heat’s summer league team that competed in Sacramento and Las Vegas in July.
Their addition leaves the Heat with 19 players under contract, one below the maximum that a team can carry during training camp.
Of those 19, 14 are signed to standard contracts. Another - former Kansas guard Marcus Garrett - signed a two-way deal, which will allow him to be available to play in 50 of the Heat’s 82 games this season.
Another player - former Mississippi State guard D.J. Stewart - signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Heat on Aug. 17.
Stewart, Smart, Potter and Smith likely will be given the chance to compete for a two-way contract, unless the Heat unexpectedly gives a two-way contract to a player signed to the 20th and final camp roster spot.
The contracts also give the Heat the right to send all four of those players to their G-League affiliate in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
The Heat traditionally has allowed several young players to compete for the second two-way deal in training camp.
The Heat might open the season with only 14 players signed to standard contracts - instead of the maximum permitted 15 - because signing a 15th player now would push the Heat over the luxury tax threshold.
Because the Heat acquired Kyle Lowry through a sign-and-trade, Miami is operating under a $143 million hard cap this season -- which is $6 million above the luxury tax threshold. The Heat can surpass the tax line but is not permitted to exceed the hard cap at any time before the conclusion of this coming season.
As for the three players signed on Friday, all shot the ball well from three-point range in college last season.
Smart, a 6-4 guard, averaged 16 points and 4.2 assists and shot 40.2 percent on three-pointers last season at LSU and was named second-team All Southeastern Conference. That three-point percentage led the SEC.
He struggled with his shot during the Heat’s summer program -- averaging 5.5 points in six summer league games - but Miami was impressed by his college tape.
Smith, a 6-3 guard, averaged 14.3 points and 3.8 assists and shot 39.8 percent on three-pointers at Missouri last season. Smith was named to the All-SEC First Team last year and became the first player in school history to be named to the SEC All-Defensive Team after leading the conference in steals for the second consecutive season.
He was SEC Player of the Year three times, most of any player in the conference in 2020-21. Smith played two years at Evansville and then two at Missouri.
In six summer league games, Smith averaged 8.0 points, 2.5 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals while shooting 46.7 percent from the field.
Potter, a 6-10 center, averaged 12.5 points and 5.9 rebounds and shot 38.6 percent on three-pointers at Wisconsin last season, his second season for the Badgers after playing two seasons at Ohio State. He shot 46.9 percent on three-pointers in Big 10 games last season.
In six summer league games, Potter averaged 7.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks and shot 55.9 percent from the field.
Teams can sign as many as eight players to Exhibit 10 deals, allowing Miami to cycle through four more Exhibit 10 players - if it chooses - during training camp, provided Miami never exceeds 20 players in training camp at one time.
The Heat begins training camp Sept. 28 and opens the preseason Oct. 4 against Atlanta.
This story was originally published September 10, 2021 at 5:30 PM.
