The Miami Heat's Summer League Kicks Off Tomorrow

The Miami Heat's 2021 Summer League starts tomorrow in Sacramento with a game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

August 2, 2021

Image: These two guys won't play Summer League ball this season.

These two guys won't play Summer League ball this season. Photo by Michael Reaves / Getty

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In the NBA, there really is no true offseason—just a few days in the middle of the summer when official games are scheduled, then, a flurry of draft news, free agency, and finally, Summer League games before the NBA is right back at it.

For the Miami Heat, the final stage of their offseason takes place this week with the beginning of their Summer League schedule in Sacramento.

Miami will participate in two different Summer League locations: Sacramento and Las Vegas. This Tuesday night the Heat debut in Sacramento with a game against the Los Angeles Lakers, then on Sunday, they'll debut a team out in Vegas.

The full schedule can be found below:

As if this summer hasn't been hot enough already... 🔥🏀#SummerHEAT pic.twitter.com/fxyScW37EY
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) July 28, 2021

Summer League's normally a time where a mix of drafted rookies, second-year players, and journeymen get a lot of playing time. The Heat have had a lot of success in turning undrafted players into NBA commodities, most recently, Kendrick Nunn and Duncan Robinson, both guys who are about to make millions this offseason in free agency just a few years after the Heat plucked them off the streets.

Below is the Heat's Summer League roster:

(ICYMI) Heat's summer-league roster:
Precious Achiuwa
KZ Okpala
Omer Yurtseven
Gabe Vincent
Max Strus
Marcus Garrett
DeJon Jarreau
Javonte Smart
R.J. Nembhard
D.J. Stewart
A.J. Lawson
Micah Potter
Dru Smith
Justin Smith
Tyson Carter
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) July 31, 2021

Of these players, Precious, KZ, Vincent, and Max Strus are most likely to be with the big team come the regular season. It's entirely possible one or two more players on the Heat's summer team, or someone else's, also join that group, as Miami only has five players currently under contract and could be making some big moves in the coming months.

Brady Hawk of Five Reasons Sports broke down in great detail what some of the newest members of the Heat's Summer League team bring to the table, and what might make them more, or less, likely to make the team.

Full 7 in 1 Breakdown on Miami Heat Undrafted Signings

If you want to see the strengths and weaknesses of the Heat’s undrafted pick-ups, I break it down here

⁦@5ReasonsSports⁩ https://t.co/7bahUIjpSy
— Brady Hawk (@BradyHawk305) July 31, 2021

So, there you have it. The Miami Heat are back. Sort of. Kinda. We'll take it!

Ryan Yousefi, a sports journalist and MBA holder in business healthcare management, has been a dedicated weekly contributor to the Miami New Times since 2013. Beyond his sports journalism career, he's held leadership roles in web3 gaming companies. He enjoys southeast Asia travel, pho, and whiskey, but most of all, being Lincoln's dad.

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