Having beforehand acquired latest surprising worth from an undrafted prospect out of Oakland University, the Miami Heat have moved in that route once more.
The Heat on Friday signed guard Jamal Cain to an Exhibit 10 contract, which is able to permit the summer-league prospect to attend coaching camp after which doubtlessly obtain a small assure if he strikes on to the staff’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
Cain went undrafted out of Oakland University final month, agreeing to play in summer season league for the Heat shortly thereafter. He follows within the footsteps of former Oakland guard Kendrick Nunn, who thrived as a Heat rookie in 2019-20 after going undrafted in 2018 out of the Detroit-area faculty.
“It raised my confidence to a whole different level,” Cain mentioned of following within the path of Nunn. “And I actually talked to Kendrick, as well, just about like how it is and what I need to do in order to be successful here. And he told me a lot; he helped me a lot.”
The transfer with Cain was made forward of Friday evening’s 88-78 loss to the Toronto Raptors on the UNLV campus on the NBA Las Vegas Summer League, with Cain closing with six factors and 5 rebounds.
The Heat full their summer-league schedule with an 11 p.m. Eastern recreation Saturday in opposition to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Cain, 23 performed 4 seasons at Marquette earlier than ending his faculty eligibility at Oakland.
He then went for eight factors and 5 rebounds within the Heat’s summer-league opener on July 2 in opposition to the Los Angeles Lakers on the California Classic, solely to then be sidelined by COVID, compelled to quarantine at a San Francisco resort.
“You talk about unfortunate,” mentioned Heat assistant coach Malik Allen, who’s guiding the Heat summer season roster. “He was like one of the lone bright spots in our Lakers game. And that night, he’s not feeling good. Then he finds out he had COVID.”
Cain missed three video games earlier than rejoining the Heat in Las Vegas.
“To start off, those six days were probably the longest six days I think I’d ever experienced,” Cain mentioned. “Finding out I had COVID was like heartbreaking for me, because I was just so excited to be out here and hoop with these guys. But things happen. You got to deal with it. You got to find a way to get better from it.”
At 6 ft 7, Cain provides a rangy wing presence. He averaged 19.9 factors on .499 capturing and 10.2 rebounds final season in being named Horizon League co-Player of the Year, his convention’s lone participant to common double figures in factors and rebounds.
“They just like that I can guard multiple positions, the way I can defend, the way I can kind of be all over the floor,” Cain mentioned of his suggestions from the Heat. “Just play to my strengths, trying to be athletic on the wing, trying to take advantage of the mismatches and stuff like that.”
The signing of Cain provides the Heat 18 gamers beneath contract, two shy of the NBA offseason most. That quantity successfully is nineteen, with veteran ahead Udonis Haslem anticipated to return for a twentieth season.
Cain joins fellow summer-league prospects Orlando Robinson and Jamaree Bouyea with Exhibit 10 tryout contracts, with the Heat capable of funnel 4 such gamers on to their G League affiliate. Like Robinson, the undrafted middle out of Fresno State, and Bouyea, the undrafted guard out of San Francisco, Cain is eligible to compete in coaching camp for the standard roster spot or a two-way contract.
Teams should trim to a most of 15 gamers beneath normal contract and as much as two on two-way contracts by the regular-season opener.
No Jovic, Yurtseven
The Heat once more had been with out huge males Omer Yurtseven and Nikola Jovic as a result of quadriceps accidents. Marcus Garrett and Bouyea got the evening off for relaxation.
The Heat opened in opposition to the Raptors with a lineup of Robinson, Haywood Highsmith, Mychal Mulder, Javonte Smart and Kyle Allman Jr.
The Raptors went into the sport needing to win by 18 for the point-differential tiebreaker to advance to the NBA Las Vegas Summer League championship recreation.
Allman led the Heat with 17 factors, with Smart scoring 13 and Robinson closing with a double-double of 13 factors and 11 rebounds.
The loss dropped the Heat to 2-5 in summer season league, together with 1-2 of their three video games on the California Classic.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com