Miami Heat: Beno Udrih signing could mean the end for Briante Weber
By Wes Goldberg
Who is the odd man out now that the Miami Heat have signed yet another guard?
As long expected they would, the Miami Heat have brought back guard Beno Udrih, which could mean that the chances of guys like Rodney McGruder, Okaro White, Stefan Jankovic and Briante Weber making the roster are slim.
According to The Vertical’s Shams Charina, who was first to report the agreement, Udrih’s deal will be for one year, guaranteed.
Udrih becomes Miami’s 19th player. Teams can carry up to 20 players before having to cut to the maximum 15 for the regular season.
Udrih is a solid point guard who the Heat acquired last season in the trade that sent Mario Chalmers to the Memphis Grizzlies. Udrih played well as Goran Dragic’s backup before a torn plantar plate in his right foot sidelined him for the rest of season.
He was later waived via a buyout so that the Heat could sign Joe Johnson while also staying under the luxury tax.
Before signing Udrih, the Heat’s only true point guard was Dragic, with Tyler Johnson, Josh Richardson and Weber slated to get some time facilitating when Dragic was getting rest.
With Udrih, Miami has a true backup point guard they can trust to run the offense while Dragic is out.
What does this mean for Briante Weber?
The fact that Udrih’s deal is guaranteed means the Heat clearly believe he will be one of their reserve point guards. For the likes of McGruder, White and Jankovic, the odds of them making the team were already slim.
For Weber, though, his status seemed safe unless Udrih signed with the Heat. The Heat like Weber, and are clearly somewhat invested in him after signing him to the roster before last season’s playoff run.
During summer league, they put Weber to the test, giving him the reigns to the offense. Weber is a promising, dogged defender who doesn’t take any crap.
On offense, however, he can be erratic. He can rush things, and his lack of a true jumper limits his play-making ability.
Still, Weber is a promising young player with a good attitude. Udrih’s signing doesn’t mean he’s off the team for sure, but now he’ll have to beat out the likes of Wayne Ellington and Luke Babbitt for a roster spot. More likely than not, this means another year in the D-League for Weber.