NBA grants Heat $4.7M salary-cap exception for Leonard injury

The Miami Heat have been granted a $4.7 million disabled-player exception by the NBA for the season-ending shoulder surgery for center Meyers Leonard.

The exception can be used to add a player whose contract expires at the end of this season, either in a trade or in free agency, such as on the buyout market.

The exception expires on April 19, coming after an independent physician confirmed that Leonard will be sidelined for the balance of the season.

The exception cannot be combined with any of the Heat’s other cap exceptions to sign a player exceeding the $4.7 million, which is half of Leonard’s 2020-21 salary.

The Heat would have to clear a roster spot to add such a player, already at the NBA maximum of 17 on their roster. Leonard continues to count toward that 17-player limit.

Injury updates

Heat guards Goran Dragic and Tyler Herro both were listed Tuesday as questionable for Wednesday night’s game against the Toronto Raptors at AmericanAirlines Arena, creating hope for a depleted backcourt.

Dragic has missed the past nine games with a sprained left ankle sustained in the Feb. 5 home victory over the Washington Wizards. He did not accompany the team on the just-completed seven-game trip.

Herro sustained a bruised right hip in Saturday night’s victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, then missing the final stop of the trip, Monday night’s 108-94 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Heat also upgraded forward Chris Silva to questionable. Silva has missed the past 18 games with a left hip flexor stain. He last played Jan. 16.

The Heat remain without veteran guard Avery Bradley, who has been out since Feb. 5

Quite the race

While the Heat returned to South Florida from their sevengame trip in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, they also stood two games out of the No. 4 seed.

All part of the twists and turns of a most unique season, coach Erik Spoelstra said.

“I mean, it doesn’t surprise me to this point,” Spoelstra said. “Maybe if you asked me what it’d looked like at the beginning of December, maybe I would have thought it looked different.

“But that’s irrelevant. This is where we are right now. I mentioned it the other day, I see a lot of inconsistent teams in the East and we’re one of them.”

The Heat open their fourgame homestand Wednesday with victories in seven of their past 10.

“Anybody that can find some consistency and reliability quicker can find some separation in the standings,” Spoelstra said. “But right now, there is not separation. So what I see is opportunity.”

At 14-17, the Heat would have to go 5-0 in their remaining schedule to go into the All-Star break with a winning record.

Settling in

The Heat’s lone trip before the NBA’s midseason break will be the March 4 road game against the New Orleans Pelicans. That means the opportunity to settle in at home for nine days after 13 on the road.

“It’s good to be home, sleep in your own bed, drink Big Face Coffee every morning,” forward Jimmy Butler said, getting in a pitch for his personal brew. “It’s always good. Get back to my tennis lessons. A lot of things I’ve been missing, obviously family, my people.

“But I really miss my tennis game. Can’t nobody can beat me in tennis, man. Don’t you all think you can.”

Center Bam Adebayo had his priorities upon arrival in Miami.

“I want to see my little dog,” he said. “I’m tired of using Uber Eats. It’s adding up. I’m ready to get a home-cooked meal and get in my bed.”