The Miami Heat have lost a couple of key pieces and are looking at the three potential players on their Summer League roster who could get minutes.
The NBA Summer League is a very useful time for the young talent in the NBA. The highest picks in the draft get their first opportunity to play against NBA-level talent on a consistent basis. The young guys who didn't get much playing time the season prior, have the opportunity to showcase their talent and experience they gained from the NBA.
The Miami Heat are one of the best teams in the league at finding raw talent. In their 2023 playoff run they had a total of nine undrafted players and seven that saw regular minutes in the playoffs. On top of that, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Kevin Love are the only players to be selected in the lottery that are on the Heat's roster.
With the loss of a couple of key pieces this offseason, and with a potential Damian Lillard trade, the Heat are going to need a couple of these summer league guys to step up. Here are three sleepers who could earn minutes for the Heat this season.
3 Heat sleepers who could earn minutes this season: Orlando Robinson
Orlando Robinson played 31 games for the Heat last season averaging 3.7 points on 52.8 percent shooting. Even though he did play some minutes for Miami last season, his Summer League has been too good to be overlooked.
In his four Summer League games, Robinson has been one of the Heat's best scorers averaging 17.8 points on 51 percent shooting from the field. What has been the most impressive part of Robinson's play is that he's shooting 55 percent from three.
In the 2023 regular season Robinson attempted six threes and missed all of them but, so far this Summer League he's averaging roughly three attempts per game and making 55 percent of them.
If Robinson is able to consistently make 3s at a high percentage, he will see his minutes and playing time increase from last season. We're in a league where every team needs shooters from all five positions. Last season the Heat lacked floor spacing from their center spot.
Not only could he create more floor spacing for the Heat, it could also create a new dynamic for the Heat on playing big. Bam Adeabyo is 6-foot-9 which isn't that big and can be a liability when he has to guard guys like Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, or Anthony Davis. Adding a 7-foot guy who can play alongside Bam will help the Heat in when they have to go up against great big men.
Orlando Robinson is playing his way into a potential role on the Heat's roster.
3 Heat sleepers who could earn minutes this season: Jamal Cain
Jamal Cain is another player who saw minimal playing time last season for the Heat but is slowly playing a huge role for them in the Summer League. So far Cain is averaging 15 points per game and 5.3 rebounds on 56 percent shooting and 44 percent shooting from behind the arc.
What Cain is doing in the Summer League is the ideal role for him in Miami's rotation should he receive minutes this season — providing gritty physical defense and giving solid outside shooting.
The Heat lost Gabe Vincent, Max Strus, and Victor Oladipo, all of which were key players throughout the season. If Miami do end up getting Damian Lillard, they are going to lose a few more solid players, and Cain could easily get minutes for this team.
What Cain has in common with guys like Vincent and Strus is that they're made from the same mold. All of them were undrafted so they had to fight to survive in this league. Cain is proving his way into that role this season.
At 6-foot-7, Cain is a player who can play three different positions for Miami if need be. He is tall and long enough to play either forward spot, but he's also fully capable of playing the two-guard and defend the bigger perimeter players out there.
In the Finals, the Heat lacked size against the Nuggets as their starting front court of Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, and Nikola Jokic was simply too big for them. Cain could be the perfect guy in a situation like this. If the Heat need to play big, they can do so.
3 Heat sleepers who could earn minutes this season: Dru Smith
Dru Smith is going to have the best sleeper story of the offseason if he is able to gain minutes for the Heat. Smith has already signed five different contracts with Miami since September of 2021 and has been waived within less than 2 months every single time.
Smith, who is currently on his third two-way contract with the Heat, has been one of the starting guards this Summer League. He is averaging 11.3 points and 4.5 assists on 45 percent from the field and 40 percent from three.
The Heat has lost two important guards in free agency and may lose more in a Damian Lillard trade. With more guard slots opening up on the roster, Dru Smith could finally get his opportunity.
Smith is also built from the same mold as a Gabe Vincent or Max Strus and he has constantly been overlooked his whole career.
Smith would be the perfect replacement for Gabe Vincent. He provides great perimeter defense, good 3-point shooting and can be a playmaker every once in a while. If the Heat do acquire Damian Lillard, he is also the perfect complementary guard. We have already seen him play some two-guard this Summer League and he performed well.
Pat Riley cannot pass up on this man again and should take note of what he has been doing in the Summer League.
