Dru Smith Rumors

“I don’t really see why not,” Smith said when asked whether he believes he’ll be able to get back to his pre-injury form. “I wouldn’t say this has necessarily been any worse of a rehab than the ACL or anything like that. I think [Heat senior director of rehabilitation] Jeff [Ruiz], who I work with every day, I think he’s done an incredible job. “I don’t see any reason why I can’t get back to being myself. The few times that I have been on the floor, I feel really good. I feel like I’m moving well.”

Miami Herald

“It was obviously a little stressful and things like that,” Smith, 27, said Wednesday during a phone interview. “I think any time, whenever you have nothing signed and nothing set in stone, I think it’s just a little worrisome. But overall I think we love this organization and we’re just excited to be able to be back and be a part of this.”

Miami Herald

The Heat opted to sign Dru Smith instead of a backup center such as Kai Jones, who auditioned for Miami last week, or veteran center Trey Lyles, who also has been linked to the Heat. Miami isn’t expected to add a backup center in free agency anytime soon, though it’s conceivable that could be addressed with another trade.

Miami Herald

Miami Heat: OFFICIAL: The Miami HEAT have re-signed guard Dru Smith.

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Anthony Chiang: Heat’s 14th standard contract goes to Dru Smith, a league source confirms. Only the first season of the three-year, $7.9 million deal is fully guaranteed.

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There’s optimism that Smith, who sustained the non-contact injury in late December, will be able to play by the start of the regular season in October, or very soon after.

Miami Herald

Michael Scotto: Just In: The Miami Heat and Dru Smith have agreed to a 3-year, $7.9 million deal, league sources told @hoopshype. Smith averaged 6.2 points on 51% shooting and 53% from 3-point range with 1.5 steals in 14 games last season. Agents Aaron Reilly and Reggie Berry finalized the deal.

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Barry Jackson: Center/PF Kai Jones, who worked out for the Heat the past four days, has not been told as of 3:15 EST if Miami plans to sign him, per source. Heat has 13 players on standard contracts; teams can keep 15 during the season of course. Dru Smith, Alec Burks remain free agents.

x.com

While Dru Smith is eligible to sign a two-way contract with any other team in the league because he has fewer than four years of NBA experience, he’s not eligible to sign another two-way deal with the Heat because he has already been on a two-way contract with Miami during three different salary cap years.

Miami Herald

Even though Smith is not eligible to sign another two-way deal with the Heat, Miami does have room to bring him back on a standard contract. With 14 players currently signed to standard contracts, the Heat has one open roster spot since 15 players on standard contracts is the regular-season limit.

Miami Herald

After committing to Gardner, the Heat now has two of its three two-way contract slots filled. Center Vlad Goldin, who went undrafted this year out of Michigan, is also signed by the Heat to a two-way deal. The Heat’s third and final two-way contract spot could go to guard Dru Smith, who has a qualifying offer in place from Miami to return on such a contract.

Miami Herald

Anthony Chiang: Heat is signing forward Myron Gardner to a two-way contract. Two of Heat’s two-way contract slots are now filled, with center Vlad Goldin also signed to such a deal. Dru Smith could fill Heat’s final two-way contract spot, as he has a QO in place to return on such a deal.

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In all, seven NBA players went down with a ruptured Achilles this past year, the others being James Wiseman, Isaiah Jackson, Dejounte Murray and Dru Smith during the regular season. At this week’s summer league, a plethora of orthopedic companies have arrived to weigh in with opinions and training proposals designed to explain or prevent the injuries. “Feels like there must be a thousand of performance people here, I guess selling their wares,” said one NBA team executive. “But [the Achilles epidemic] is something. There’s no way it’s not something. We’re looking at how people are playing, what the jump-back moves mean, how fast the game is. “Everything [injury-wise] in basketball is below the waist, and when someone gets a sore calf, I think the number one thing you’ll see is people will not ... play. It doesn’t matter if they get cleared medically. They will say, ‘I’m not 100% so there’s no way I’m doing it.’ It was starting to happen over the last year, but I think with what’s gone on is that any player who doesn’t feel 100% in the calves, or in their calf, is not going to play. That would be my bet.”

Sports Business Journal

The NBA had already convened a panel of experts to study Achilles tendon injuries even before Indiana star Tyrese Haliburton ruptured his in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday night. The league had seven known Achilles injuries this season - Pacers forwards James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson, New Orleans guard Dejounte Murray and Miami guard Dru Smith had them in the regular season, and Boston's Jayson Tatum, Milwaukee's Damian Lillard and Haliburton were hurt in the playoffs. Silver, speaking to ESPN as part of its NBA draft coverage, said there weren't any in the NBA in the previous season. "We had already convened a panel of experts before Tyrese's most recent Achilles rupture," Silver said on the telecast. "We had seven this year. We had zero last year under the exact same circumstances. The most we've ever had in a season is four."

ESPN