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With the veteran element of the Miami Heat’s summer-league roster given the night off Monday in San Francisco, a pair of rookies under contract seized the moment in the California Classic at Chase Center.
Second-round pick Ryan Conwell, again given the shoot-at-will green light, led the Heat with 26 points, five rebounds and four assists in a 95-85 victory over a similar roster of draft picks, free agents and young players from the Golden State Warriors.
He was supported by Tre Donaldson, with the undrafted guard out of the University of Miami signed to a two-way contract, who added 15 points, six assists and five rebounds.
With the victory, the Heat closed out their three-game schedule at the California Classic at 2-1 under summer-league coach Wayne Ellington, the Erik Spoelstra assistant.
With it a getaway game for the four teams involved in the event at Chase Center, the game was played in the void of fans, with only executives, scouts, media and family members in attendance at the Warriors arena.
Five Degrees of Heat from Monday night’s game:
1. For starters: As is typical for the latter stages of summer league, the Heat shuffled their starting lineup in their California Classic finale.
While Conwell started for the third time in as many games, with former Louisville teammate J’Vonne Hadley also starting for the third time, the Heat rounded out Monday night’s opening lineup with Tre White, Arnas Sakenis and Donaldson.
White, a 6-7 forward, went undrafted out of Kansas, while Sakenis, a 6-11 center, went undrafted out of Southern Illinois Edwardsville.
White closed with 16 points, Hadley 10 rebounds.
The game also afforded the first summer-league action for the Heat’s Ian Schieffelin, the undrafted forward out of Clemson, Meechie Johnson, the undrafted guard out of South Carolina, and Nate Kangz, the undrafted guard out of Syracuse.
2. Night off: That gave the night off to Heat 2025-26 roster players Vlad Goldin, Jahmir Young and Trevor Keels.
Young in his two appearances in the California Classic averaged 17.5 points, with Keels averaging 17 for his two appearances.
Goldin ended his uneven run in San Francisco with 11 fouls, seven turnovers, eight rebounds and six blocked shots.
Neither Young nor Keels currently are under contract to the Heat, with Goldin with a two-way qualifying offer in place.
3. Conwell’s night: Conwell again played in No. 7, with newcomer Giannis Antetokounmpo claiming that number earlier in the day in the wake of his trade from the Milwaukee Bucks becoming official.
Conwell, who has been shifted to No. 4 on the Heat’s master roster, opened the Heat scoring with a 3-pointer and again showed a willingness to shoot when needed.
He closed 8 of 14 from the field, including 4 of 9 on 3-pointers.
4. No Gardner: After starting and playing 6:50 in the Heat’s summer opener against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night, wing Myron Gardner wound up missing the balance of the California Classic with a sprained left ankle.
Gardner has a $500,000 guarantee in place on his 2026-27 Heat contract.
5. Up next: Next up is a three-day break before the Heat open their Las Vegas NBA Summer League schedule Friday against the Bucks. That will be one of at least five games on the UNLV campus for Ellington’s roster.
Continue reading...
Second-round pick Ryan Conwell, again given the shoot-at-will green light, led the Heat with 26 points, five rebounds and four assists in a 95-85 victory over a similar roster of draft picks, free agents and young players from the Golden State Warriors.
He was supported by Tre Donaldson, with the undrafted guard out of the University of Miami signed to a two-way contract, who added 15 points, six assists and five rebounds.
With the victory, the Heat closed out their three-game schedule at the California Classic at 2-1 under summer-league coach Wayne Ellington, the Erik Spoelstra assistant.
With it a getaway game for the four teams involved in the event at Chase Center, the game was played in the void of fans, with only executives, scouts, media and family members in attendance at the Warriors arena.
Five Degrees of Heat from Monday night’s game:
1. For starters: As is typical for the latter stages of summer league, the Heat shuffled their starting lineup in their California Classic finale.
While Conwell started for the third time in as many games, with former Louisville teammate J’Vonne Hadley also starting for the third time, the Heat rounded out Monday night’s opening lineup with Tre White, Arnas Sakenis and Donaldson.
White, a 6-7 forward, went undrafted out of Kansas, while Sakenis, a 6-11 center, went undrafted out of Southern Illinois Edwardsville.
White closed with 16 points, Hadley 10 rebounds.
The game also afforded the first summer-league action for the Heat’s Ian Schieffelin, the undrafted forward out of Clemson, Meechie Johnson, the undrafted guard out of South Carolina, and Nate Kangz, the undrafted guard out of Syracuse.
2. Night off: That gave the night off to Heat 2025-26 roster players Vlad Goldin, Jahmir Young and Trevor Keels.
Young in his two appearances in the California Classic averaged 17.5 points, with Keels averaging 17 for his two appearances.
Goldin ended his uneven run in San Francisco with 11 fouls, seven turnovers, eight rebounds and six blocked shots.
Neither Young nor Keels currently are under contract to the Heat, with Goldin with a two-way qualifying offer in place.
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3. Conwell’s night: Conwell again played in No. 7, with newcomer Giannis Antetokounmpo claiming that number earlier in the day in the wake of his trade from the Milwaukee Bucks becoming official.
Conwell, who has been shifted to No. 4 on the Heat’s master roster, opened the Heat scoring with a 3-pointer and again showed a willingness to shoot when needed.
He closed 8 of 14 from the field, including 4 of 9 on 3-pointers.
4. No Gardner: After starting and playing 6:50 in the Heat’s summer opener against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night, wing Myron Gardner wound up missing the balance of the California Classic with a sprained left ankle.
Gardner has a $500,000 guarantee in place on his 2026-27 Heat contract.
5. Up next: Next up is a three-day break before the Heat open their Las Vegas NBA Summer League schedule Friday against the Bucks. That will be one of at least five games on the UNLV campus for Ellington’s roster.
Continue reading...
