Weber receives camp invitation
The Miami Heat again have offered an NBA opportunity to guard Briante Weber, this time with a partially guaranteed invitation to training camp.
Despite appearing in only one regular-season game with the Heat, an April 10, 2016 two-point performance in a victory over the Orlando Magic, as well as two playoff cameos that season, Weber has had three separate stints with the Heat's developmental-league affiliate, the G League Sioux Falls Skyforce, including last season.
The type of defensive-minded point guard that the Heat lack, Weber nonetheless faces long odds in a Heat backcourt that already features Goran Dragic, Dion Waiters, Tyler Johnson, Wayne Ellington, Rodney McGruder and undrafted Kansas guard Malik Newman, with the Heat still awaiting a decision on whether Dwyane Wade will return for a 16th NBA season.
Weber, 25, who has appeared in 40 NBA games with the Memphis Grizzlies, Heat, Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets and Houston Rockets, has long been a favorite of the Heat's developmental staff. He recently has been participating in pro-am games in Miami with current Heat players Hassan Whiteside, Derrick Jones Jr. and other members of the roster.
The addition of Weber, whose agreement was reported by Yahoo Sports, gives the Heat 16 players under contract, four shy of the NBA offseason maximum. Teams are allowed to carry a maximum of 15 players during the regular season, in addition to up to two two-way players.
Training camp opens late next month, with the Heat's first preseason game on Sept. 30 and their regular-season opener on Oct. 17.
A three-time Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year (2013, 2014, 2015) at Virginia Commonwealth, Weber has averaged 3.0 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists in an average of 12.3 minutes over his NBA career after going unselected in the 2015 NBA draft following a devastating knee injury during his senior season. He was a member of the 2016 NBA G League-champion Skyforce, when he played under current Heat assistant coach Dan Craig, and began last season under a twoway contract with the Rockets.
Weber recently participated in the $2 million winner-take-all The Basketball Tournament with a Virginia Commonwealth team that lost in the quarterfinals.