The Miami Heat added two players on non-guaranteed deals to their roster on Tuesday, but both are in all likelihood only going to appear as training camp bodies.
Already deep into luxury tax territory for next season -- which is obviously a concern, considering the decision to cut Mike Miller using the amnesty provision built into the new collective bargaining agreement -- it’s unlikely that Miami would guarantee contracts to anyone beyond the 13 players the team already has in place.
From Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel:Center Justin Hamilton and power forward Eric Griffin, whose additions previously had been confirmed, became the 15th and 16th players under contract to the Heat in advance of the Oct. 1 start of training camp at AmericanAirlines Arena.
With 13 other players already under guaranteed contract, and with the Heat potentially to carry as few as 13 this season due to their position against the onerous luxury tax, Hamilton, Griffin and center Jarvis Varnado, the other player on the current roster without a guaranteed contract, face long roster odds.The Heat may add another player later in the season, as they did with Chris Andersen last year. But if that happens, it will be a veteran who they believe can help the team to its third straight title -- not a rookie or a project player who wouldn’t see real playing time in the postseason.