Victor Oladipo could make his season debut Monday night and Heat players are excited about what he can contribute, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Oladipo hasn’t played since reinjuring the quadriceps tendon in his right knee shortly after being acquired in a trade last season. Coach Erik Spoelstra said he’ll have to get final approval from trainers before deciding whether to use Oladipo on Monday, but added that “he’s close.”
“He looks great,” Caleb Martin said of Oladipo, who has been practicing with the G League team and working out with reserves and assistant coaches. “He’s going to add a huge boost to us. Adding a player of his caliber to our team is always going to be a positive. He’s too good. He’s going to find his way. We’re all going to adjust to him and figure out how we look with him in it. He will find his way. We will adjust to him. He can’t do anything but make us a lot better. That’s the scary thing about it.”
Keeping Oladipo beyond this season could be difficult, Jackson notes. The Heat will own his Bird rights after giving him a one-year, minimum-salary contract this season, but they may not have much to offer if they’re focused on staying out of luxury tax territory. Jackson states that if they re-sign Martin to a deal in the $8MM range and keep the rest of the roster intact, that would only leave about $4MM to $5MM for Oladipo.
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Kristaps Porzingis could make his debut with the Wizards today, tweets Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Porzingis, who has been sidelined with knee soreness, was a full participant in practice Saturday for the first time since last month’s trade and will be evaluated before the game to make sure he’s ready to play, Hughes adds.
- Executives and agents that Hughes has talked to believe Bradley Beal would definitely accept a super-max offer from the Wizards this summer (video link). Hughes notes that Beal can make about $60MM more in a new five-year deal with Washington than he could by accepting a four-year contract with another team. Beal indicated this week that he’s leaning toward re-signing with the Wizards.
- Appearing on the QC Hornets’ Nest podcast, Montrezl Harrell said he understands that being traded is part of the business of the NBA. The Hornets center was acquired from the Wizards at the deadline, marking the third trade of his career and the second in six months.