This opens a very interesting door for Miami...

This opens a very interesting door for the Miami Heat as a recent roster move opens up another roster spot. I'm here to break down all of the moving parts, including who is no longer a member of this Miami Heat team, what this means not only for that player specifically, but this Heat team as currently constructed and how some of the young guys a part of this Heat organization could blossom into much bigger players with much bigger impacts this season because of it and if that doesn't happen the Heat could be in position to go out and make a blockbuster move either via trade or of the buyout market this season we'll break down all of that on this episode of Heat Digest so let's not waste any time and get right to it breaking down the Dennis Smith Jr conversation as we got this brand new information from the Miami Heat Twitter page the Heat are waving Dennis Smith Jr now this is interesting and the reason being is because the way this Miami Heat organization is currently constructed all off season long the biggest conversation at hand was how is the guard position actually going to round out shout out to Ben Rogers and the rest of the Digest Media crew for getting these great graphics done you see the new updated graphics with this depth chart it's very visually pleasing and it gives you a good layout of exactly what this Heat team is working with I will quickly mention Trey Donaldson is obviously on a two-way contract also guys like Ian Shefflin two-way contract Bez Embang two-way contract these guys are not on standard deals so we are going to see them for the vast majority or at least the bear at least the majority of their games played are going to be down with the G League affiliate but they can still play 40 or less games on the NBA level bearing a contract it's not extension but going from a Exhibit 10 or a two-way to a standard deal which can happen at any given moment if this Heat organization decides to actually take that route now Dennis Smith was a part of this Miami Heat roster but after the move that was made today as of October 9th he is no longer a member of this Heat team which means not only do they have a 15th spot still open or now reopened on this roster the guard position now has more question marks and that has been something we've discussed all off season long we've talked we've discussed guys like Kyrie Irving we've discussed guys like Victor Oladipo guys like Gabe Vincent even Dennis Smith Jr. and various others all offseason long to possibly bring in for this Heat organization to add more depth more versatility to the point guard and really guard position in general but it hadn't happened and now with how they are dealing with this and bringing in Dennis Smith Jr. to then immediately waive him leaves this Miami Heat team in a very interesting position with a few different options so let's go over those actual options now and we'll jump back to the depth chart graphic here in a second but let's break down the three options this Heat team actually maintains the first one being going out and signing a different veteran guard now this could be Gabe Vincent but outside of Gabe Vincent there's not a lot of options remaining this happened just over two weeks ago when Bruce Brown was signed to the practice squad in New York and various others when i say various others i mean like the only other two maybe three guards that were available via the free agency period for this Heat team there's not many left Dennis Smith was one of them they brought him in he is then immediately waived and now they remain in the same position so what are the other two options as it feels like outside of Gabe Vincent there's not a lot of unrestricted free agents at the guard position currently that are available and that would fit what Miami is actually looking for option B is to promote a two-way player now this is when we are going to jump back to that depth chart graphic because like mentioned earlier I or Ian Shefflin is obviously a power forward slash center he's a bigger body he is on a two-way he's on an exhibit 10 I believe just not a not a standard is what the point of this conversation is but then you have guys like Bez Embing you have Trey Donaldson who it feels like has exceeded all expectations for this Miami Heat organization all off season long up to this point through the NBA Summer League through the two games of the preseason the red white and pink game training camp he has just done everything that he has been requested of and then some so it feels like he could be the most legitimate and most realistic option if you will but if the Miami Heat decide to do that they cannot go out and make the big splash which is the third and final option that the Heat have and they can save it for a buyout player, what does that mean Zach LaVine, um, Drew Holiday, various others possibly even Damian Lillard, like there's a lot of guys that could be in that market in that buyout market by the time the middle of this up-and-coming season actually does arrive which would allow the Miami Heat to go out there and make a move on a blockbuster name that gets bought out from their respected organization they are currently with because one they're not playing up to expectations the team fails as a collective and they decide to eat the money get rid of them and go in a different direction entirely specifically mentioning Zach LaVine with the Sacramento Kings who's making 45 or 48 million bucks this year that's a lot of money on the cap for a team that we really don't know which direction they're going in so if the Kings fail plummet throughout the early stages of the year they decide to buy buy out Zach LaVine, he then becomes an unrestricted free agent and that could be a realistic option for the Miami Heat obviously not a point guard specifically but does play the guard position and would add another layer of scoring to this Heat team that would be really really fun to watch especially with how this team is already constructed so there's three legitimate options there but you do have to keep in mind there is still an opportunity to go out and make a blockbuster trade, this is extremely unlikely and probably the least likely out of the three things that we just or three options we just broke down the fourth one being a blockbuster trade could be made Kyrie Irving has been mentioned and connected to this Heat team multiple times over the last few months during the offseason that would be awesome to watch but I think the most likely opportunity and option for this Miami Heat team relies on the two youngsters in Miami The first one being Ryan Connell, who we all expect to play a good role, an impactful role on this Heat team But now with more opportunity being presented because of the lack of time, Dennis Smith is obviously going to be playing for this Heat team, now not being a member of this organization It feels like Connell could step up and even higher than what the expectations were before. And then going along with that, Trey Donaldson This guy has done everything and anything. I mentioned it earlier, but he really is so much fun to watch. He plays such a gritty game of basketball. He can get downhill at any given moment. He can knock down the open three-point shot off the dribble and in catch-and-shoot scenarios. And he also can facilitate. He can handle the basketball. He's scrappy on defense. He's not a liability defensively. It really does feel like if Miami decided to go with one of these young guys and turn a two-way contract into a standard contract or an Exhibit 10 into a standard contract, Trey Donaldson would by far and away be the number one option there for this Heat team but if that is the case again the way a two-way contract works excuse me is that if you are say Trey Donaldson is on a two-way that is a real thing he is on a two-way contract the way two-way contracts work is player A under the two-way contract has to play the majority of the games in the G League rather than like you can't play 41 or you can't excuse me you can't play 42 games in the NBA I believe 41 is the maximum it might be 40 because i believe you have to play more games or it might be you might be able to split it even 82 games 41 being exactly half it might be 41 games played if that's the case and Donaldson does get opportunities early to play on the big league level with this Miami Heat organization and he excels maybe there's a world where they look at him as a piece they absolutely have to have later down the stretch and they give him the standard contract in order to not violate the rules of him like not being able to play more than 40 or 41 games on the NBA level this season let me know down below what do you think Miami should do do you think they should go with one of the youngsters in Conwell and Donaldson and give both of those guys ample opportunities to go out there and really be productive and impact pieces or do you think they should wait it out go out for a or a veteran piece in the buyout market and take a chance there and really play a game of chicken also in the same conversation as buyout but possibly a blockbuster trade and finally let me know down below if they should go out and sign someone like Gabe Vincent or another unrestricted free agent still at this point in the offseason that i failed to mention in this video thank you guys for watching this episode of Heat Digest I will see you guys on the next one