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The Miami Heat made yet another last-minute swap out when it came to their two-way contracts on Wednesday, October 12. While the spot was initially given to guard Marcus Garrett, after he suffered a hand fracture that will keep him in a cast for four weeks, the Heat waived the 23-year-old Kansas alum.
Taking over Garrett’s spot is guard Dru Smith, a 6-foot-3, 203-pound guard. The Athletic’s Shams Charania was the first to break the news. Charania tweeted, “Heat are signing guard Dru Smith to a two-way NBA contract… Smith, in his second season in the Heat system, had a 15-point preseason performance on Monday and makes the team’s roster out of camp.”
The Heat will have a maximum of 14 players on the active roster for the 2022-23 NBA season due to salary cap restraints, however, two-way contracts, which offer players half the veteran’s minimum, do not count against the cap. Two-way players can appear in up to 50 NBA games throughout the season.
Smith is no stranger to the Heat. He participated in their summer league and training camp last year before spending the 2021 season with their G-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. The 24-year-old re-joined the Heat during summer league before making a strong impression during the preseason.
During the Heat’s first four preseason matchups, Smith averaged 8.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. Smith only appeared in six minutes of play during the Heat’s final preseason game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, during which he scored two points, with three rebounds and one block.
Smith Said He’s ‘Become a Better Player’ in Miami
Smith broke his silence on the promotion after the Heat’s preseason win over the Pelicans. “I got the chance to be here. I was able to learn and grow. I felt like I was able to become a better player,” Smith told Sun Sentinel‘s Ira Winderman of his tenure in Miami over the last month.
“I think my attitude is just trying to become the best player that I can. I just try not to worry about the outside things, just trying to control what I can control in practices and games and things like that,” he added. “I think when you get caught up in all the stuff, it’s easy to get distracted, it’s easy to do the wrong thing. So just trying to control what I can control and be the best I can be.”
Smith seems aware that nothing is guaranteed when it comes to his two-way deal, and he’ll need to continuously prove himself worthy. The AP’s Tim Reynolds tweeted Garrett will remain in Miami to rehab his wrist, and his return could put Smith’s role in jeopardy. Reynolds also revealed Miami cut Mychal Mulder, Orlando Robinson and Jamaree Bouyea, but all three are expected to join the Skyforce.
Regardless of how things shake out, Smith is grateful for the opportunity he’s received. “I think it’s definitely encouraging just to be out there on the floor and just have those opportunities, so I’m definitely appreciative of that.”
Smith’s journey with the Heat is all the more impressive considering he suffered a knee injury with the Skyforce last season, which delayed his start to summer league play.
“I had been at home, rehabbing for a while, but that was just when they asked me to come,” Smith recalled on getting a call from the Heat in mid-July. “I had meniscus surgery. I had meniscus surgery there, went home, and then once I got to summer league, that was the first time I had played since then.”
The Heat Waived Darius Days to Sign Jamal Cain Just a Few Days Earlier
Miami’s decision to cut Garrett and sign Smith comes just days after the Heat waived Darius Days from his two-way contract and offered it to forward Jamal Cain instead.
Cain attended Marquette University but transferred to Oakland for his final season of eligibility. After getting passed over during the 2022 NBA Draft, Cain signed an Exhibit-10 contract with the Heat in July. But after his explosive performance throughout Miami’s first three preseason games, Cain averaged 12 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while shooting 53.8% shooting from the field and 44.4% on threes — the Heat upgraded his contract.
The 6-foot-7 forward highly impressed the Heat’s front office and their main superstar Jimmy Butler, who sent a strong message to the undrafted rookie when asked if the respect Cain earned during the preseason was earned.
“Without a doubt,” Butler said. “He’s been playing incredibly well right now. He’s trying to prove his worth in this league, which I think he’s an NBA player. He rebounds. He guards. He’s actually shooting the ball incredibly well right now, and he listens.”
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