Donnie Schmid

Your Miami HEAT have signed center Dewayne Dedmon.

Dedmon, a seven-year NBA veteran, appeared in 44 games (18 starts) last season between the Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks averaging 5.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 17.6 minutes while shooting 40 percent from the field and 83.3 percent from the foul line. He scored in double-figures 10 times, including a season-high 18 points at Philadelphia on November 27, 2019. He grabbed double-figure rebounds seven times while posting three double-doubles. Additionally, he posted 11 multi-block games and five multi-steal games.

Dedmon has appeared in 394 career NBA games (194 starts) and averaged 6.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 18.3 minutes while shooting 51.6 percent from the field. He holds single game career highs of 24 points (done twice), 17 rebounds (2/10/17), seven assists (1/11/19), four steals (done six times) and six blocks (done twice).

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Dewayne Dedmon Signs With HEAT

MIAMI, April 7 – The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed forward Yante Maten. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Maten, who was originally signed to a two-way contract by the HEAT on July 29, earned All-NBA G League Second Team and NBA G League All-Rookie Team honors after appearing in 30 games (all starts) with Miami’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, this season. He averaged a team-leading 23.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.03 blocks and 32.7 minutes while shooting 53.8 percent from the field. He earned G League Player of the Month for December and finished second on the team in rebounds (288), blocks (31), field goals made (248) and free throws made (174) while placing third on the team in points (705). Maten posted a team-high 14 double-doubles and recorded 10 30-point games, including a season-high 42 points while grabbing 14 rebounds and blocking three shots in a, 113-108, win against the Stockton Kings on December 2. Additionally, he was named to the Mid-Season All-NBA G League Western Conference Team.

Maten, the 2018 SEC Player of the Year, played four seasons at the University of Georgia appearing in 128 career collegiate games (97 starts). Among the school’s all-time lists, he finished second in points (1,886), third in blocks (198), fourth in rebounds (889) and free throws made (518), sixth in field goals made (655), 13th in free throw percentage (.755) and 15th in field goal percentage (.483). He scored the most points during a single season by a senior (636), including the fifth-most overall, in school history while appearing in 33 games (all starts) and averaging 19.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.48 blocks and 34.3 minutes while shooting 46.4 percent from the field last season. He also led the conference in scoring average, becoming just the fifth player in school history to accomplish the feat. Additionally, Maten became the first Bulldog in 25 years to earn three All-SEC honors in his career and just the sixth player in program history to achieve the feat.

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HEAT Signs Yante Maten

The Miami HEAT host the Atlanta Hawks Monday night at AmericanAirlines Arena. Get your tickets now! Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM, and television coverage is on FOX Sports Sun. You can also listen to the action live on 790 The Ticket.

1: What did you take away from Miami’s blowout win over the Brooklyn Nets?

Couper Moorhead: It was one of Miami’s most convincing victories since the calendar switched to 2019 and their third 20-point victory this season over a team currently in the playoff race. After struggling from three against the Nets for the past two seasons, the HEAT broke through and hit 14-of-34, including 6-of-10 shooting from Derrick Jones Jr. and Rodney McGruder.  Along with a season-high 36 assists, it was a complete showing top-to-bottom for the roster and it couldn’t have come at a better time as it pulled them within a half game of the No. 8 seed in the East, where Charlotte and Orlando are currently tied.

Joe Beguiristain: Above all else, it was good to see the HEAT maintain a big lead and earn a wire-to-wire victory over a solid Nets team. Now, Brooklyn was on a tough back-to-back, but that’s just the nature of the business.

In particular, Kelly Olynyk continued his offensive onslaught since becoming a starter, as he kept the Nets guessing all evening and racked up 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting, six boards and four assists. As a team, Miami recorded a season-high 36 assists, with Josh Richardson and Dion Waiters leading the way with seven apiece.

On the flip side of the ball, Bam Adebayo and KO fared quite well in the HEAT’s zone defense. In fact, Adebayo contested a game-high 18 shots, while Olynyk led all players with five deflections.

Long story short, Miami had it all going on.  

Couper: While Miami couldn’t get much going offensively in their 24-point loss in Atlanta back in January – probably their worst shooting game of the season at 5-of-34 from deep – the other two losses were extremely close affairs. Miami didn’t have much trouble scoring the ball in those games, so it was on defense where issues cropped up. Similar to Brooklyn, Atlanta, when relatively healthy, has a deep stable of capable NBA players that they can mix-and-match to whoever they are playing that night, which includes the Bazemore-Prince-Bembry-Carter wing rotation that doesn’t usually feature all four playing well at once but one or two have had success in each of the wins over the HEAT. The Hawks also take a ton of threes which increases their game-to-game variance, so even though they aren’t an elite offense on paper they certainly have the capacity to explode on any given night. Couple those capable rotation players and high-volume shooting with a dynamic rookie point guard in Trae Young, who can both shoot off the dribble, hit floaters in the lane and find teammates no matter where they are, and that’s the profile of a team that’s beaten Miami three times this year.

Also like Brooklyn, the Hawks played Sunday afternoon in Chicago after playing a quadruple-overtime game on Friday, and have an extensive injury list at the moment. If they don’t have the legs for their shooting like the Nets didn’t, that should prove beneficial for the HEAT.

Joe: Generally speaking, it’s been their speed and ability to force turnovers.

The HEAT have averaged 17.3 turnovers and 102.83 possessions in the three games against the Hawks this season. But on the bright side, those numbers weren’t quite as high in the most recent meeting between the two on Jan. 6.

Despite its poor record, Atlanta is a team that can also put points on the board. All told, the Hawks have scored 114.8 points per 100 possessions over the past six games, which is sixth-best in the league over that span. As for how they’re doing it, look no further than Trae Young.

After struggling to score efficiently early on in his rookie campaign, Young started to pick things up in mid-January. And now that’s culminated in the best stretch of his career, as he’s averaging 32.0 points, 9.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds on 48.4 percent shooting, including 51.0 percent from beyond the arc, in his last six.

3: What about Miami’s recent offensive surge is going to be the most sustainable?

Couper: The HEAT are currently on the second-longest streak in franchise history of shooting 40 percent or better on at least 25 attempts from deep. If they make it to a fourth game, they’ll tie the longest streak. As has been the case almost all season, the rate at which those deep shots fall might be the most important overall indicator of the HEAT’s offensive health given that they generally consistently create the same quality of looks game-to-game. But shooting comes and goes. What’s been encouraging is that the HEAT have topped 28 assists in three of the last four games and their lineups with Kelly Olynyk at center of late have been as potent as expected on the scoring end while holding up the bargain on defense. Olynyk, for his part, hasn’t just been a floor spacer, either. He’s been taking advantage of mismatches when he gets them by sealing the defender and making himself available in the paint, and off the ball he’s been roaming the baseline like a classic dunk-target, dipping into the paint whenever the defense overplays another action. Having Goran Dragić back of course help any offense, but when Olynyk is playing like this, even if he isn’t scoring a ton every night, it can be relatively transformational for an offense that has struggled at times this year.

Joe: As I’ve mentioned previously in this space, the HEAT will always give themselves a chance to light it up from deep if they move the ball and stay true to their identity. That’s been the case over the past four games, as Miami has tallied the eighth-highest assist percentage (65.3) during that span.

Since returning to the lineup from left knee soreness, Justise Winslow has played a big role in keeping the HEAT’s offense sharp. Most of all, he’s shown great chemistry with Olynyk on pick-and-rolls and made some great feeds to the big fella. In 65 minutes on the floor together over the past three games, the Winslow/KO pairing is outscoring the opposition by 11.2 points per 100 possessions.

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Atlanta Hawks at Miami HEAT Game Preview

MIAMI, July 1 – The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed forward/guard Derrick Jones Jr. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Jones Jr., who was originally signed to a two-way contract by the HEAT on December 31, 2017, appeared in 14 games (eight starts) with Miami last season and averaged 3.7 points and 2.4 rebounds in 15.2 minutes of action. He spent 13 games with the HEAT’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, averaging 19.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.69 blocks, 1.46 steals and 29.1 minutes while shooting 51.2 percent from the field. Prior to signing a two-way contract with Miami, Jones Jr. spent time with the Phoenix Suns and their G League affiliate, the Northern Arizona Suns, earlier in the season where he totaled nine points, four rebounds, four blocks, three assists, a steal in 33 minutes of action during six games with Phoenix and averaged 15.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.81 blocks, 1.8 assists, 1.13 steals and 28.9 minutes in 16 games with Northern Arizona.

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HEAT Signs Derrick Jones Jr.

MIAMI, FL March, 16 – The Miami HEAT announced today that Derrick Jones Jr. has re-joined the HEAT as part of his two-way contract.

Jones Jr. has appeared in 11 games (eight starts) with the HEAT this season averaging 3.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 18.0 minutes. He has appeared in 27 G League games (21 starts) this season between the Northern Arizona Suns (16 games) and the Skyforce (11 games) averaging 17.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.74 blocks, 1.22 steals and 29.0 minutes while shooting 49.6 percent from the field. In his last game with the Skyforce on March 12 against the Salt Lake City Stars, he scored a game-high 33 points while grabbing five rebounds, dishing out three assists, recording three steals and blocking a game-high three shots in a, 138-127, win.

Jones Jr. is expected to be active tonight for the HEAT’s game at the Los Angeles Lakers.

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JONES JR. RE-JOINS HEAT

MIAMI, Jan. 23 – The Miami HEAT announced today that guard Dion Waiters underwent successful surgery yesterday to repair instability in the left ankle. A preexisting navicular bone fracture was also repaired.

The procedure was performed by Dr. Richard Ferkel and observed by HEAT team physician Dr. Harlan Selesnick and HEAT Assistant Athletic Trainer &amp; Director of Rehabilitation Brandon Gilliam at Valley Presbyterian Hospital in Van Nuys, California. He will miss the remainder of the 2017-18 season.

Waiters has appeared in 30 games (all starts) with the HEAT this season averaging 14.3 points, 3.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 30.6 minutes of action.

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Dion Waiters Undergoes Surgery

MIAMI, FL December 31st – The Miami HEAT announced today that they have waived Matt Williams Jr. and signed forward/guard Derrick Jones Jr. to a two-way contract. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Jones Jr. appeared in 16 games (11 starts) with Phoenix’s G League affiliate, the Northern Arizona Suns, this season and averaged 15.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.88 blocks, 1.8 assists, 1.19 steals and 29.1 minutes while shooting 48.5 percent from the field. He has also appeared in six games with Phoenix this season totaling nine points, four rebounds, four blocks, three assists and a steal in 33 minutes of action while shooting 50 percent (2-of-4) from the field and 83.3 percent (5-of-6) from the foul line. 

Williams Jr. appeared in 16 games (all starts) with the Sioux Falls Skyforce this season and averaged 9.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 30.3 minutes while shooting 33.5 percent from the field, 33.9 percent from three-point range and 85.7 percent from the foul line. Additionally, he appeared in three games with the HEAT this season totaling five points and one rebound in 11 minutes of action.

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The Miami HEAT face the Atlanta Hawks Monday night at Philips Arena. The HEAT defeated the Hawks 104-93 in their last meeting on Oct. 23. Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM. Television coverage on FOX Sports Sun begins at 7:00 PM. You can also listen to the action live on 790 The Ticket.

1: Despite injuries on both sides, how were the HEAT able to pull out a close win over the Clippers on Saturday?

Couper Moorhead: Josh Richardson. That’s really all that needs to be said about this one. Richardson set a career high with 28 points, shooting 6-of-8 from three and making timely rim attacks, but he could have done all of that and still been the player of the game just because of his defense – he had three blocks, a steal and two deflections but that doesn’t nearly tell the entire story of his night as drive after drive was thwarted by either exceptional on-ball defense or recovery help. Statistically speaking, there’s a solid argument for Richardson being the most important player on the team thus far.

Joe Beguiristain: As Coup stated above, the night belonged to Josh Richardson. In addition to scoring a career-high 28 points on 10-of-16 shooting, the 24-year-old also got the job done on the defensive end. In fact, Richardson helped hold Lou Williams and Jawun Evans to just 7-of-23 shooting combined. With so many guys out for the Clippers, they really needed Williams’ offensive production from the perimeter. Richardson understood that, accepted the challenge and wound up with a career night.

While the former Tennessee Volunteer balled out, Kelly Olynyk also came up big in the victory. Thanks to some deliberate and patient actions with the ball in his hands, Olynyk scored nine points in the fourth quarter on 3-of-4 shooting. 

As a whole, the HEAT’s execution on both ends of the floor could have been better, but the bottom line is they took care of business against a team they were supposed to beat.

2: How has Atlanta’s season been going and where are they a specific threat to the HEAT?

Couper: The Hawks are a bit of a conundrum this season. They lost Paul Millsap and Tim Hardaway Jr. in the offseason, they are certainly geared toward playing big given their flexible rotation and are exceptionally well coached, but with injuries taking their total they’re just carving out an average offense with a below-average defense on their way to a 6-23 record.

That said, the Hawks are a bit like the HEAT in the sense that they both have effective and true shooting percentages that exceed their offensive rankings, but are brought down by their overall turnover percentages and low free-throw rates. In that sense, the Hawks are deadlier than they seem as in any given game they’re liable to have an elite shooting night behind Dennis Schroeder’s penetration.

Joe: The Hawks have struggled mightily this season, as they’ve dropped four straight and are just 6-23 on the year. The reason why Atlanta has had such a rough start is due to its poor defense. Here’s all you need to know: the Hawks give up 108.4 points per 100 possessions, which ranks them 28th in the league.

Now, that has obviously hindered the team tremendously, but their offense helps keep them afloat at times. Thanks to Dennis Schröder, Atlanta is actually one of the best passing teams in the NBA. Of course, Head Coach Mike Budenholzer also plays a role in that.

Although Schröder hasn’t shot the ball too well over the past five games, Ersan Ilyasova has averaged 17.0 points per game on 62.3 percent shooting from the field during that span. With Ilyasova and the dynamic John Collins at the power forward spot, Miami’s bigs will be tested. Fortunately enough, Jordan Mickey has shown the ability to move laterally with ease on the defensive end.

3: With Miami’s current injuries, how do you expect Spoelstra’s lineups to change?

Couper: As James Johnson was diagnosed with ankle bursitis and it appears he will miss 7-10 days of action, in conjunction with Justise Winslow and Hassan Whiteside it appears the HEAT will remain shorthanded for the immediate future. That being said, Johnson’s absence means the most at the moment as he’s been starting recently alongside Kelly Olynyk in the frontcourt. If both he and Winslow can’t play then it means the HEAT will likely look toward a lineup they have yet to use much this season with either Bam Adebayo or Jordan Mickey starting at the four spot. It might not matter as much against an Atlanta team that generally plays small, especially with Dewyane Dedmon and Mike Muscala missing time, but if the games roll on with the same limitations it will be interesting to see if the HEAT opt to play super-small and/or how teams adjust to them. 

Joe: It’ll certainly be tough without a major contributor and starter in James Johnson. Not only is Johnson’s versatility key for the HEAT, but also his leadership qualities both on and off the floor. That said, injuries are part of the game and they affect every team at some point or another.

If Justise Winslow can give it a go on Monday night, I expect Erik Spoelstra to roll with him at the four and Olynyk at the five. While Winslow has missed the past two games due to a left knee strain, it’s encouraging that he did travel with the team to Atlanta (Johnson and Hassan Whiteside will be in Miami for the duration of the road trip). If Winslow can’t play however, I think Mickey will get the start at power forward. Either way, we'll likely see Bam Adebayo and Mickey on the floor together once again. On Saturday, the duo had a cool sequence in which Mickey ran the break and hit Adebayo for a jumper in transition.

We’ll see what Coach Spo decides to do.

INJURY UPDATE: Dion Waiters (illness) &amp; Goran Dragić (elbow) are both listed as questionable. Winslow (knee) is doubtful.

Donnie Schmid

Dewayne Dedmon Signs With HEAT

HEAT Signs Yante Maten

Atlanta Hawks at Miami HEAT Game Preview

HEAT Signs Derrick Jones Jr.

JONES JR. RE-JOINS HEAT

Dion Waiters Undergoes Surgery

HEAT Signs Derrick Jones Jr.

Miami HEAT at Atlanta Hawks Game Preview