Heat weighing Trey Lyles, Kai Jones to reinforce thinning frontcourt
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The Miami Heat are evaluating free-agent big men Trey Lyles and Kai Jones as potential additions after recent trades left the club light on size, according to Grant Afseth of FastbreakJournal.com.
Miami’s depth up front shrank last month when Kyle Anderson and Kevin Love were sent to Utah in a three-team deal. The rotation thinned even further Friday when Haywood Highsmith was moved to the Brooklyn Nets in a salary-saving trade. The moves leave Bam Adebayo, rookie Kelel Ware and Nikola Jovic as the primary options at power forward and center.
Lyles, a 10-year NBA veteran and 2015 lottery pick, spent the past three-plus seasons with the Sacramento Kings. The 28-year-old averaged 6.5 points and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 34 percent from three-point range in 19.6 minutes over 69 games last season.
Jones, 24, offers a younger alternative. The 6-foot-11 center split last season between the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks, posting 5.0 points and 3.1 rebounds in 11.7 minutes per game while converting nearly 80 percent of his field-goal attempts. Afseth reported that Jones impressed Miami officials during a workout earlier this week.
The two candidates bring contrasting skill sets: Lyles provides proven rotation depth, while Jones supplies length, athleticism and upside. Miami now has an open 14th roster spot after the Highsmith deal and is expected to fill it before the season, though the club is unlikely to carry a 15th player because of luxury-tax concerns.
Source: Hoops Wire
