Getting to know the Miami Heat’s summer league roster
By Wes Goldberg
The Miami Heat will have a lot of new faces on this year’s summer league roster. Here’s what each player brings to the table.
First round pick Bam Adebayo will be the player most Miami Heat fans are watching during summer league play, but who else should they keep an eye on?
The team will participate in both Orlando and Las Vegas summer leagues between July 1 and July 17. Assistant coach Chris Quinn will be the team’s head coach. The Heat announced its summer league roster earlier this week. Let’s take a look at who will be playing.
Bam Adebayo
Adebayo was the Heat’s first round selection with the 14th pick in the draft. It was a surprise pick at the time, but reports and scouting video indicate that Adebayo is more than a traditional center, and that he could offer potential both offensive and defensively on the perimeter. His outside shot and ability to switch on to wings will be the keys to watch for during summer league play.
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Zach Auguste
A 6-foot-10, 240 pound rookie out of Notre Dame, Auguste is a tweener between forward and center. He’s a skilled post scorer and rebounder, but isn’t a developed shooter and struggles defensively. He’s also 24 years old.
Gian Clavell
The Mountain West Player of the Year, Clavell averaged 20.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game as a junior at Colorado State. He also shot 38.6 percent on 7.5 3-point attempts per game.
Zak Irvin
A four-year player at Michigan, Irvin played a key role in the team’s NCAA tournament run last season. Strongly built at 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, he averaged 13 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 0.9 steals per game. He does many things well, but is a master of none.
Eric Mika
A 6-foot-10, 230 pound power forward, Mika was extremely productive in two years at BYU. He averaged 20.3 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game last season. His 76 percent free throw percentage could indicate some perimeter shooting potential. Not the most skilled player, but by accounts he’s a hard worker.
Lamond Murray Jr.
A productive four-year guard out of Pepperdine who averaged 21.4 points in his final season. Solid size at 6-5, 200 pounds, with a 6-8 wingspan.
Jake Odum
A 6-foot-4 guard who played four years at Indiana State and since 2014 has played overseas, spending time in Germany last season.
Norvel Pelle
One of just two players who also played on Miami’s summer league team last year, Pelle has spent the last several years playing overseas. A 24-year-old, 6-11 center, he averaged 2.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 9.4 minutes in two games last summer.
London Perrantes
If you watched any Virginia basketball last season, Perrantes was the guy with the hair. He’s an undersized point guard at 6-foot-2, and led Virginia’s ball movement offense last season. In his final two years, he made 42.8 percent of his 334 3-point attempts. He’s a guy who tries hard on both ends of the court, though his lack of size limits his upside.
Justin Robinson
There is something called the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, and Justin Robinson is the two-time player of the year for the league, helping lead Monmouth to the conference’s regular season championship. Robinson, a 5-8 guard, averaged 19.7 points and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 40 percent on seven 3-point attempts per game.
Sebastian Saiz
Saiz has tremendous size, measuring at 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-5 wingspan. He didn’t shoot particularly well at Ole Miss (28.8 percent on 2.0 3-pointers per game), but his 74.4 percent conversion rate on free throws could indicate some potential as a stretch 4. His length gives him an advantage on the glass, and he averaged 11.4 rebounds per game as a senior last season.
Shavon Shields (Las Vegas only)
After four years at Nebraska, the 6-foot-7, 220 pound guard played in Italy last season. He appeared in 18 games, and averaged 10.1 points, 2.4 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 28.7 minutes per game.
Okaro White
White is the lone player from last season’s regular season roster. He appeared in 35 games and was a useful, versatile front court player who averaged 2.8 points and 2.4 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per contest. He’ll have a leadership role as the only non-NBA rookie on the team.
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Matt Williams
Williams played five seasons at UCF, with his final year being his most productive by far. He averaged 15.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 36.5 minutes per game. He was also prolific from 3-point range, draining 38.4 percent of his 9.1 attempts from beyond the arc per game. At 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, Williams has shades of Wayne Ellington.