Heat extend two-way deal to Dru Smith, waiving Garrett, Bouyea, Robinson, Mulder
For the second time in a week, the Miami Heat have elevated an undrafted training-camp prospect to a two-way contract, this time making the move with point guard Dru Smith, who went undrafted out of Missouri in 2021.
Smith replaces Marcus Garrett on the second of the Heat’s two allowable two-way contracts, with the team on Tuesday having announced that Garrett is sidelined with a wrist fracture.
Garrett, the defensive stopper who went undrafted out of Kansas in 2021, will continue his rehab assignment at FTX Arena, as he did after a similar wrist injury last season, now again off the team’s roster.
The Heat earlier in the week awarded their other two-way contract to undrafted wing Jamal Cain.
The move with Smith was part of a flurry of roster adjustments following Wednesday night’s victory over the visiting New Orleans Pelicans in the team’s exhibition finale.
In addition to the move with Smith, the Heat waived camp prospects Orlando Robinson, Jamaree Bouyea and Mychal Mulder. Those three are expected to take assignments to the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, while remaining free to sign with any NBA team.
Robinson, Bouyea and Mulder all had Exhibit 10 contracts for camp, guaranteeing them a $50,000 bonus if they spend time with the Skyforce. Garrett does not have such an agreement, nor would he be available for the start of Sioux Falls’ season.
The Heat’s goal at the start of camp was to get down to two two-way contacts and 14 players on standard deals, one below the NBA maximum. By going with 14, the Heat remain below the NBA luxury tax.
The 14 players under standard contract to the Heat are Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, Dewayne Dedmon, Udonis Haslem, Tyler Herro, Haywood Highsmith, Kyle Lowry, Nikola Jovic, Caleb Martin, Victor Oladipo, Max Strus, Duncan Robinson, Gabe Vincent and Omer Yurtseven.
Teams have until Monday to finalize regular-season rosters, with the Heat to open their regular season Wednesday night against the visiting Chicago Bulls.
For Smith, who was with the Heat last year in both summer league and training camp, the two-way contract, which allows for up to 50 NBA appearances this season, culminates a climb to his first NBA contract. Two-way contracts pay half the salary of the NBA minimum scale.
“I got the chance to be here. I was able to learn and grow. I felt like I was able to become a better player,” Smith told the Sun Sentinel of his work with the team this past month.
Having for two preseasons attempted to make a breakthrough, Smith said he didn’t look at it as banging his head against a wall.
“I think my attitude is just trying to become the best player that I can,” he said. “I just try not to worry about the outside things, just trying to control what I can control in practices and games and things like that.
“I think when you get caught up in all the stuff, it’s easy to get distracted, it’s easy to do the wrong thing. So just trying to control what I can control and be the best I can be.”
The respect from the coaching staff during the preseason was tangible.
“I think it’s definitely encouraging just to be out there on the floor and just have those opportunities,” he said, “so I’m definitely appreciative of that.”
A knee injury last season with the Skyforce was a setback, as Smith was late to join the Heat in July at summer league.
“Basically that’s just when they asked me to come in,” he said. “I had been at home, rehabbing for a while, but that was just when they asked me to come.
“I had meniscus surgery. I had meniscus surgery there, went home and then once I got to summer league, that was the first time I had played since then.”
Teams can sub out two-way contracts at any time during a season. In addition to Martin’s two-way contact last season, the Heat also carried Garrett, Kyle Guy, Javonte Smart on two-way contracts in 2021-22.
()