Former Heat guard and current free agent deserves a contract somewhere

Most of the dust has settled on the biggest offseason moves but with training camp less than a month away teams will start filling out the edges of the roster soon. 

Plenty of talented players remain free agents. Players like Markelle Fultz and Dennis Smith Jr., with real NBA experience, could be looking for any opportunity to keep their careers alive. But the realities of the new salary cap structure have led to some penny-pinching across the league. 

That could be good for a young player like Alondes Williams, who wouldn’t command as high a salary as players with several years of NBA experience. 

Alondes Williams was a standout on a two-way contract with the Miami Heat last season, and he deserves a chance to compete for an NBA roster spot, even if only with a training camp invite.

The Heat seem to have moved on. They rescinded Williams’ restricted free agent rights earlier this summer and have filled their three two-way spots with Dru Smith, Keshad Johnson and Josh Christopher. Perhaps they can invite Williams back for training camp and give him an opportunity to compete for one of those two-way spots.

Williams played a leadership role on the Heat’s Summer League championship team. He was one of the G League’s most prolific scorers last season, when he averaged 21.7 points on 52% shooting, along with 7.2 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game.

Although Williams has only played in eight NBA games, there’s enough talent there for a team to give him a chance with a training camp invite or a two-way contract.

There haven’t been any rumblings about potential suitors. The Celtics recently signed guard Lonnie Walker IV to an Exhibit 10 contract and the Lakers did the same with guard Jordan Goodwin. Teams are starting to fill out their training camp rosters. 

With so much talent competing for 540 NBA roster spots, good players are bound to be forced out. When a capable scorer like Williams still doesn’t have a contract, it underscores how the league’s fringes can be unforgiving.