Club reaches 2-way deal with summer-league standout Garrett

The Miami Heat have signed summer-league standout Marcus Garrett to a two-way contract, the team announced Thursday.

The agreement allows Garrett to be on the team’s active roster for 50 of the season’s 82 games, while also allowing time for development with the G League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce.

The 6-foot-5 guard out of Dallas already has been in Miami working in the team’s offseason program.

Garrett, who went undrafted out of Kansas, lived up to his defensive pedigree in summer leagues in Sacramento and Las Vegas, moving the Heat to continue the relationship.

Garrett becomes the 16th player on the Heat’s roster, with teams allowed to carry up to 20 in the offseason, before a trim to a maximum of 15 plus two two-way players by the regular-season opener. He joins Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, P.J. Tucker, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Dewayne Dedmon, Markieff Morris, Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, Victor Oladipo, KZ Okpala, Udonis Haslem and D.J. Stewart, who also was invited to camp from the Heat’s summerleague roster.

The agreement with Garrett was delayed, with Garrett changing representation in the wake of summer league.

Garrett will have the advantage of potential court time with the Skyforce, which is resuming operation this season after being dormant last season due to the pandemic.

The Heat open training camp Sept 28 and the regular season on Oct. 21.

Garrett played four seasons at Kansas, averaging 7.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.40 steals in 27.4 minutes, shooting .444 from the field. He closed with 181 career steals, tying for 10th in program history.

A three-time Big 12 All-Defensive selection, he was named NCAA Naismith Defensive Player of the Year in 2020 and was a runner-up for the award this past season to No. 9 draft pick Davion Mitchell, the former Baylor guard who now is with the Sacramento Kings.

Then, during summer league, Garrett averaged 11.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.25 steals, 1.5 assists and a +9.3 plus/minus while shooting .654 percent from the field and .429 on 3-pointers, helping Miami to a 4-0 record before leaving his fifth game early due to an illness.