The Miami Heat's summer league squad had better results in Orlando than in Las Vegas, but the team has impressed in both locales. One name in particular that's buzzed around the gyms is Greg Whittington. He wasn't great in Orlando before coming through on the slightly larger stage in Las Vegas, leading the Heat in most statistical categories.
Joshua Smith (not to be confused with the newest Los Angeles Clipper, naturally) has been impressive as well. Might either player -- or anyone else on the Heat roster -- be worthy of a contract with the big squad next season?
Not quite, writes the Sun Sentinel's Ira Winderman, but that's not to say that Whittington or Smith won't be involved in Miami's basketball program:
"I think they take the approach they did last year, where they entice two or three D-League candidates to camp with small partial guarantees and then move them through the system directly to their D-League affiliate, which I again expect to be the Sioux Falls Skyforce. The risk with such an approach is that once waived by the Heat during or after camp, those players could then be claimed or signed by any other NBA team."
If the Heat go that way, then, they might have competition down the line if one of their young players were to develop into a true NBA prospect. But Miami needs to keep youth on the team to replenish the roster among the big contracts for its star veterans. A camp invite for two or three summer league players could be resources and risk worth the Heat's while.
(h/t Sun Sentinel)
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