Haslem addresses Herro-Adebayo, Keshad Johnson talks future as Heat fall to Cavs at summer league

LAS VEGAS — There are times at summer league when the faces in the crowd are of greater intrigue than those on the court. With the Miami Heat giving two of the top players on their summer roster Monday night, that proved to be the case at the Las Vegas NBA Summer League.

Instead, focus turned to former Heat captain Udonis Haslem and free-agent Heat forward Keshad Johnson as the two walked into together, sitting across from the Heat bench in the game the Heat lost 90-73 to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ summer roster.

Haslem, who is a broadcaster for Prime and also holds a Heat executive title, acknowledged he spoke to former Heat guard Tyler Herro and current Heat captain Bam Adebayo after their Friday dustup on a practice court at a Las Vegas hotel complex.

“I’ve talked to both of them,” Haslem said. “I don’t have any takeaway on it. I mean, I felt like it was blown out of proportion, felt like it was made bigger than what it was.”

Haslem said he does not expect fallout from Adebayo’s blow to Herro when the Heat play Herro’s Milwaukee Bucks this coming season.

“It’s a lot of time that they’ll have to figure things out before the season comes around,” he said.

Haslem laughed when jokingly asked whether Adebayo’s greater concern might be Adebayo’s mother, with those two particularly close.

“She’s his biggest fan,” he said with a smile, “But she’s also honest with him, So if she had a problem with that, she’d let him know.”

As for Johnson, who did not receive a qualifying offer from the Heat ahead of free agency, he said he would welcome a return, having had discussions with the team.

“If the opportunity presents itself,” he said, “I for sure want to be a Heat. For sure.”

With roster space tight, one possibility could be Johnson returning on a two-way contract, an avenue allowed for players with three or fewer seasons of NBA experience.

“I’m open for whatever,” he said.

The forward who went undrafted out of Arizona in 2024 before then immediately signing with the Heat, said he has spoken to several teams.

“I’ve talked to a lot of teams all around the league,” he said.

With his preference clear.

“I love the 305 forever,” he said.

Five Degrees of Heat from Monday night’s game:

1. More Haslem: Haslem then joined the Prime broadcast in the first half, addressing the Heat’s offseason, with the additions so far of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, and Tim Hardaway Jr.

“I think everybody understands that there was a great move made this summer. But I think that’s just the beginning, he said. “I think people really underestimate the impact of having a guy like Bobby Portis in that locker room.”

But he also acknowledged, “There are so many more things that need to be done.”

Noting, “Shooting, obviously shooting.”

“We’ve got a couple good pieces,” Haslem said, also praising the addition of Hardaway, “but we’ve just got to fill the puzzle out. We know we have the coaching staff, we have the experience on that side. But these guys still have to get out there, they have to build those relationships, and they have to play together.”

The Heat will formally introduce Antetokounmpo and Portis at Thursday media conferences at Kaseya Center.

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2. Two down: The Heat were without two of their summer rotation regulars, with guards Ryan Conwell and Trevor Keels out due to minor injuries.

Conwell, the second-round pick out of Louisville, missed a second consecutive game due to hip soreness, with a hope he can return before the Heat conclude summer league.

He last played when he scored 19 points in Friday’s victory over the Bucks’ summer roster.

Keels, coming off Saturday’s 32-point performance in the loss to the Orlando Magic’s summer roster, sat out due to knee soreness.

Also sidelined was summer guard Meechie Johnson, the undrafted guard out of South Carolina, due to a calf issue.

3. For starters: With those two out, the Heat opened with a lineup of Jahmir Young, Tre Donaldson, Kendall Brown, J’Vonne Hadley and Vlad Goldin.

The start for Goldin came four hours before the Heat’s deadline to withdraw the two-way qualifying offer the Heat have in place for the former FAU Final Four center. Goldin spent last season on a Heat two-way contract after going undrafted out of Michigan.

4. Vs. Cavs: After getting the previous game off, Donaldson, the undrafted guard from the University of Miami who was signed to a two-way contract, led the Heat with 22 points, shooting 10 of 18.

The Heat also got 12 points from Young, who shot just 4 of 14, and 10 from Hadley.

Goldin closed with four points on 0-for-6 shooting, eight rebounds and three blocked shots.

Second-round pick Meleek Thomas, the guard out of Arkansas, led the Cavaliers with 35 points.

5. Up next: After a two-day break then follows, the Heat return to action at UNLV on Thursday at 9 p.m. Eastern against the Toronto Raptors’ summer roster (ESPN2).

From there, the Heat will have at least one more game in Las Vegas, scheduled for either Friday, Saturday or Sunday, when the event concludes.