Heat’s Vincent, Strus poised to cash in as free agents
After graduating with honors from the Heat’s development program, point guard Gabe Vincent and swingman Max Strus are now poised to strike it rich when NBA free agency begins Friday night.
The Heat has made Vincent a bigger priority than Strus, but it’s not guaranteed that the Heat will keep either because Miami is well above the luxury-tax line and could be outbid for both.
Both unrestricted free agents are expected to command deals at or close to the $12.3 million mid-level exception. Because they have Bird Rights, the Heat can offer them virtually any amount.
Vincent was scheduled to meet with Heat president Pat Riley in Southern California this week, and the Heat has conveyed how much they value him and want to keep him. But it’s unclear how much the Heat is willing to pay; an annual deal above, say, $12 million with another team could lure him from Miami.
Strus, meanwhile, understands there’s a good chance he will sign elsewhere, according to a source. Detroit and Cleveland are among the teams with interest.
“The amount of Max Strus buzz right now is ridiculous,” ESPN’s Zach Lowe said. “Max Strus is getting the mid-level exception . ... All those teams are scared that someone with cap room is gonna beat that offer.”
Keeping both Vincent and Strus at market value, instead of one of the two, would leave the Heat with a tax bill of well over $100 million with their current payroll.
The Heat can re-sign Kevin Love by offering him either the veteran’s minimum (expected to be $3.1 million) or as much as $3.8 million, but no more. It would not be surprising if he returns; both sides were happy with the relationship.
The Heat has decided to wait patiently for Portland’s Damian Lillard to ask for a trade, believing there’s a decent to good chance that will happen. Lillard has said that the Heat and Nets interest him.
“I don’t get a sense there are a bunch of teams in the NBA that are putting off their free agency plans, their potential trade deals expecting Damian Lillard is going to be on the market,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowksi said. “An organization like Miami, where you see the natural fit there... They are watching it closer.”
CHATTER
Dolphins cornerbacks coach Sam Madison’s early impressions of Jalen Ramsey? “Phenomenal player. Just listening to the way he’s conversing with these guys, he’s into it.”
Madison said Noah Igbinoghene has “grown a lot. The physical [part] is there.
He’s always in shape. Now he has to get in that playbook.”
But it’s difficult to see a path for Igbinoghene to make the team in a room with Xavien Howard, Ramsey, Kader Kohou, Nik Needham (off an Achilles injury), second-round rookie Cam Smith and ace special teams players Keion Crossen and Justin Bethel. Another job opens if Needham begins the season on the physically unable to perform list.
New Dolphins offensive line coach Butch Barry said he’s pleased how Liam Eichenberg has done at center in the offseason program; Eichenberg has been filling in for Connor Williams, who missed the mandatory minicamp as he seeks a new contract.
Presuming Williams returns (and he’s under contract), Eichenberg figures to return to left guard. “He’s done everything the right way to be the left guard also,” Barry said of Eichenberg.
Among the qualities that players like about Marlins manager Skip Schumaker: his level of communication.
“If you’re not playing that day, there’s a text every night before the lineups come out, with the reasoning behind it,” first baseman Garrett Cooper said. “There’s so much more communication that we didn’t have when I was here the last five years. The text gives you a great feeling, especially for a young guy. A young guy who’s not in the lineup two days in a row isn’t left wondering, ‘Did I do something wrong?’ They’re always keeping you in the loop.”
But it goes beyond that, Cooper said:
“Skip is just a really personable, good human being. Family-wise, he cares more so how you’re doing at home. In the old days, the manager stayed away from the players. Now he’s like another player. The whole coaching staff is like that. There’s much more contact worrying not only about baseball but more about your life — your wife, kids, girlfriend, anything they can relate to.
“When Skip [was hired by the Marlins], he called me on the phone the next day. You don’t see that in today’s game.”
Schumaker said the importance of being forthcoming with players — and explaining his rationale on decisions — became obvious to him playing for Tony La Russa. “Tony was very good at communicating,” Schumaker said. “I learned right away how big communication was.”
Nova Southeastern baseball coach Laz Gutierrez, a former UM pitcher and Boston Red Sox mental skills coordinator, has emerged as a top candidate to be pitching coach for new Hurricanes coach J.D. Arteaga.
At this point, only one of Lionel Messi’s MLS games with Inter Miami is scheduled to air on traditional TV, a game on FS1 on Sept. 24 against Orlando City. Apple TV+ is scheduled to carry the others in its exclusive streaming deal. But Fox has discussed adding Inter Miami games. Apple gets Messi’s first expected game for Miami, a non-league game against Cruz Azul, on July 21.
From what I’m hearing, freshman Mark Fletcher and Nebraska transfer Ajayi Allen
are the front-runners to eventually emerge as UM’s lead running back ahead of Henry Parrish, who’s pretty good but wore down with too heavy a workload last season, and Don Chaney Jr., who has had bad luck with injuries.
Freshman Chris Johnson
also is competing. The status of running back TreVonte’ Citizen, who missed his entire freshman season with a knee injury, remains undetermined; he wore a leg brace during UM’s spring game in April.