With the Miami Heat losing Kyle Lowry, Max Strus, and Udonis Haslem to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, they have signed the Most Outstanding Player of the 2019 NCAA Tournament to a 10-day hardship deal.
One of the best players on the eventual champions, the University of Virginia, Kyle Guy comes to the Miami Heat right now after lighting things up a bit in the G-League.
The Miami Heat are signing free agent guard Kyle Guy on a 10-day hardship deal, source tells ESPN. He’s been playing with Cleveland’s G League team.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 29, 2021
Guy is currently playing for the Cleveland Charge, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ G-League affiliate. Currently, in his 11 games played for the Charge in the 2021 NBA G League Showcase Cup, he is averaging 21.8 points per game, 7.4 rebounds per game, and 4.9 assists per game across 35 minutes played per game.
He’s doing this while shooting 44.6 percent from the floor, 36.3 percent from behind the arc, and 75.9 percent from the free-throw line. Guy was drafted in the second round of the 2019 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, where he played a total of 34 games.
Over his two seasons with the Kings, he averaged a total of 2.7 points per game, 1.1 rebounds per game, 1.0 assists per game. He shot 33.3 percent from the floor and 26.5 percent from three during his time with the Kings.
The Miami Heat needed more bodies, so they grabbed a Guy. Pun intended as they brought in former UVA guard, Kyle Guy, on a hardship deal.
After the news broke on Christmas that Kyle Lowry had entered the health and safety protocols, along with the more recent news about Udonis Haslem and Max Strus also entering protocols, the Miami Heat are required to sign a replacement player or two to 10-day hardship contracts.
Sources: NBA teams will now be required to sign one replacement player when they have two positive tests on the roster. For three positive tests, two replacement signings are required. For four positive results or more, three hardship signings required. https://t.co/tOtwOLzyb4
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 20, 2021
With the latest signing of Kyle Guy, the Miami Heat now have two required players under the hardship contract with Zylan Cheatham being signed back on December 22.
Heat fans are eager to see what Cheatham can do on the floor but the Miami Heat still haven’t used his services in their last three games. It is only a matter of time before his contract expires.
With the Heat not using Cheatham, some Heat fans are questioning whether or not the Heat will use Guy. It’s a fair question.
With the win against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, the Miami Heat have now improved their record to 22 wins and 13 losses, good enough for fourth in the Eastern Conference standings. Winning eight of their last ten games, they are now on a four-game win streak.
The Miami Heat are still without the services of Victor Oladipo (quadriceps), Bam Adebayo (right thumb), Dewayne Dedmon (knee), Markieff Morris (neck), and P.J. Tucker (lower leg), all out with injuries.
Additionally and as mentioned, there are three Heat players under the NBA COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocol with Kyle Lowry, Udonis Haslem, and Max Strus. So, even if Guy doesn’t see the floor, he’s still a guy— and they need the body.