Report: Heat meet with Carmelo Anthony
Miami’s free-agency calm could end after former All-Star leaves Thunder.
According to a report, the Thunder granted Anthony permission to meet with prospective teams, including the Heat and Rockets.
It’s been a quiet offsea
MIAMI — son for the Heat ... so far.
The only moves Miami has made since free agency began on July 1 have been signing Derrick Jones Jr. to a standard NBA contract and reaching an agreement with Duncan Robinson on a two-way deal. But things could get busy soon, especially with a 10-time All-Star on the Heat’s radar.
Carmelo Anthony and Oklahoma City will part ways at some
point this offseason in order to help reduce a historic $310 million payroll and luxury tax bill.
The Thunder will facilitate Anthony’s exit either through a trade,
the NBA’s stretch provision or a combined buyout and stretch.
According to a Tuesday report from ESPN, the Thunder granted
Anthony permission to meet with prospective teams. That included meetings with the Heat and Rockets at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas in recent days.
The Rockets, Lakers and Heat have all been linked to Anthony since news surfaced that his short stay in Oklahoma City would end this offseason. The 34-yearold Anthony is coming off a year in which he averaged a career-low 16.2 points and shot a career-worst 40.4 percent from the field in his first — and looks like only — season with Oklahoma City.
Heat President Pat Riley, general manager Andy Elisburg and coach Erik Spoelstra are all in Las Vegas for summer league action. According to ESPN’s report, Spoelstra has been a “strong advocate” of signing Anthony, who could play as a power forward with the Heat and help an offense that ranked in the bottom half of the league in offensive rating last season.
Anthony’s agent, Leon Rose, also represents longtime Heat players Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem. Wade and Haslem remain unsigned free agents and both are expected to return to Miami if they decide against retirement.
What do the Heat have to offer him? Not much.
Excluding cap holds, the Heat have 11 players under contract for 2018-19 who are due about $120 million. That puts Miami way above the $101.9 million salary cap and very close to the $123.7 million luxury tax line.
That means the Heat only have a minimum contract or exception money (can’t use both the Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception and Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception in same season) to offer Anthony. Miami could use the $5.3 million Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception for Anthony, but that was thought to be reserved for Wade if he decides to return.
The Heat could shed other salary, but it’s unlikely they would be able to get rid of enough to create space under the $101.9 million cap to sign Anthony. However, shedding salary could be done to make it easier to use the $8.6 million Non-Taxpayer MidLevel Exception for Anthony, an exception that triggers a hard cap at the $129.8 million apron.
Robinson signs: Duncan Robinson still is trying to get a grasp on everything that has happened for him since leaving the University of Michigan.
“This whole process ever since I finished up at Michigan, has been a little bit of a whirlwind,” Robinson said. “I’ve just tried to enjoy it as much as possible, make the most of every day. I feel like in doing so, I put myself in good position.”
Good enough for the Heat to offer Robinson a two-way contract, which he signed Tuesday, a reward for his impressive summer league play.
Robinson, 6-foot-8 forward, agreed to play for the Heat’s summer league team after going undrafted last month. He has started all six Heat games, including Tuesday’s 98-90 victory over Utah in which he scored 12 points. Robinson is averaging 12.3 points on 54.3 percent shooting (25 of 46), including 58.3 percent (10 of 34) on threes.
“He’s really put in a lot of work,” Heat summer league coach Eric Glass said. “He’s earned that contract. Everyone in the organization is really happy and we’re excited about it.”
The Heat now have 12 players under contract for their preseason training camp, which starts in late September.
With each NBA team allowed to have up to two players under two-way contracts, teams can carry up to 17 players on their rosters during the regular season and up to 20 players before and during training camp and the preseason. The two-way contract does not count against the 15-man regular season roster.
Robinson showed his outside shooting prowess at Michigan, finishing his career with the fourth-most 3-pointers in Wolverines history. He hopes to get to Miami soon after summer league ends and said the next step is to improve his defense.
“Really improving my body, getting in really good shape, that way I can really defend at this level,” Robinson said. “I feel like I’m far from finished in that regard. I’m excited to put in the work.”