Barry Jackson: Sad news: Longtime former Heat trainer Ron Culp has died. In 2000-2001, Culp became just the second trainer in league history to work 30 seasons in the NBA.
Miami Heat Rumors
The 2020-21 NBA All-Defensive Second Team consists of Miami Heat forward Bam Adebayo (111 points) and guard Jimmy Butler (111), 76ers center Joel Embiid (87) and guard Matisse Thybulle (63), and LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (43).
Rudy Gobert, Ben Simmons headline 2020-21 All-Defense Teams
Shams Charania: 2020-21 NBA All-Defensive teams: First team: Rudy Gobert, Ben Simmons, Draymond Green, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday Second team: Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, Joel Embiid, Matisse Thybulle, Kawhi Leonard
If the Heat declines Dragic’s option for next season, he will become an unrestricted free agent but Miami will still retain his Bird rights and can exceed the salary cap to re-sign him up to his maximum salary. This would probably only be done by the Heat to bring back Dragic at a lower salary than the $19.4 million option in his contract. “At times, it haunts me. I don’t know, I see the Lakers and I just remember,” Dragic said of injuring his foot early in last year’s championship series as the Heat fell two wins short of a title. “It’s one of those situations that it’s still painful. But it is what it is. I accepted it. I dealt with it. It’s in the past, so let’s move on.”
Dragic, who turned 35 in May, missed a total of 22 games this past season mainly because of injuries. The longest stretch of consecutive games that he played in was 11. “It was not easy,” Dragic said just days before the Heat’s season ended last month in a first-round playoff sweep. “I opened the season with an injury. Basically I didn’t have no training camp, no basketball activities until [team practices began]. I think I opened the season pretty well. I played well. Then just nagging injuries, a couple of injuries, COVID protocols, players in and out of the lineup. Sometimes you’re starting, sometimes not. It’s tough to catch a rhythm like that when you play two or three games and then you’re out for nine. “But no excuses. It is what it is. It has been tough. But for me, I was talking to the coaching staff. The most important thing for me was just to get through this season because we didn’t have no break, and just try to be healthy for the playoffs.”
Heat, Spurs and Knicks interested in Kelly Oubre
According to league sources, Miami, San Antonio and the New York Knicks are among the teams interested in Oubre in free agency, and it’s easy to see him at his best, fitting into those places.
