The Miami Heat is counting on their bench to perform well alongside Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro, especially after failing to acquire Damian Lillard and/or Jrue Holiday during the last offseason.
According to Shams Charania from The Athletic, the Heat has recently taken two significant decisions regarding two preseason standouts, ahead of the 2023-24 season.
“The Miami Heat are signing guard Dru Smith to a multiyear standard NBA contract and converting wing shooter Cole Swider on a two-way deal, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium,” Charania reported.
Heat sign Dru Smith
During the preseason, Smith, who is 25 years old, played well and made a strong impression. He received ample opportunity, playing an average of 23.6 minutes per game. Smith performed impressively, averaging 6.5 points, 1.8 steals, and leading the team with 5.3 assists per game in the 2023 preseason.
Although he still needs to improve his shooting efficiency, Miami was pleased with the young guard’s performance. Smith’s presence on the roster will provide valuable depth to the team.
Cole Swider gets a two-way deal
The Miami Heat recently signed Samson Ruzhentsev and Micah Potter to Exhibit 10 deals. They also converted Brendan Barry’s Exhibit 10 contract into a two-way deal.
Similarly, they converted Noah Horchler’s training camp deal into an Exhibit 10 deal. The Heat ultimately decided to convert Cole Swider into a two-way deal. Swider has been impressive in the preseason, averaging 11.2 points per game in just 19.8 minutes per contest.
He has also posted a 37.1 three-point percentage. In a recent interview with Zachary Weinberger of ClutchPoints, Swider expressed confidence in his shooting ability and stated that he thinks he is one of the best shooters in the world.
The Miami Heat will rely on the depth provided by these young players as they face tough competition in the Eastern Conference.
