Latest news with #Heat
USA Today
4 hours ago
- Climate
- USA Today
Heat advisories abound as almost 100 million Americans face 'ridiculous' temps
Almost 100 million Americans were under National Weather Service extreme heat warnings, advisories or watches on July 23 as a heat dome descened on a swath of the nation and slowly spread East. The high temperature in St. Louis on July 23 was forecast at 98 degrees − with a heat index that could reach a stunning 116, the weather service said. The forecast high in Little Rock for Wednesday and Thursday was 101 degrees, with heat index values nearing 110. "Just absolutely ridiculous heat index values here of well over 100 degrees, and 110," Weather Channel meteorologist Jim Cantore said. "We have the combination of high temperatures, 90s in most of these cases, even 100 as we showed you in Little Rock, with surging moisture, deep moisture and dew points in the 80s. "That's not air you can wear anymore, that is air that is going to give you a shower whether you like it or not." The Northeast was given a couple days reprieve, with highs in the 80s and relatively low humidity. But the dome will spread across the region Friday, driving high temperatures deep into the 90s that will feel like more than 100 degrees as the humidity builds there. Heat dome is scorching the South, moving toward the East: What you can expect What is an extreme heat advisory? The weather service issues an Extreme Heat Warning when "extremely dangerous" heat conditions are expected or occurring. People in those areas are urged to avoid outdoor activities, especially during the heat of the day, and to check on family and neighbors. An Extreme Heat Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for an extreme heat event but its occurrence and timing are uncertain. People are warned to suspend all major outdoor activities if a warning is issued. A Heat Advisory is issued for dangerous heat conditions that are not expected to reach warning criteria. What is a heat dome? Heat dome is not actually a scientific term, according to which says the term does effectively describe the "oppressive" high-pressure atmospheric systems that cause warm air to be pushed to the Earth's surface and trapped there for long periods of time. "The dome traps high-pressure air in one place, like the lid on a pot," the website says. "These large zones of hot air result in a combination of blistering temperatures, devastating wildfires, and drought conditions."
Irish Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Vogue Williams shares update on baby plans with Spencer in 'chaotic' admission
Vogue Williams has shared an honest four-word update on her potential future baby plans with Spencer Matthews as she spoke candidly about the "chaos" at home. In a recent interview, the Portmarnock-born podcaster opened up about her home life with former Made in Chelsea star Spencer and their three young children, Theodore, Gigi, and Otto. In an admission that will strike a chord with many parents, Vogue detailed how she and Spencer have "brilliant" and "funny" children, but also conceded they're "really hard work sometimes". When it comes to adding a fourth to their family, however, it seems that the 39-year-old is unsure. READ MORE: Vogue Williams drops huge baby bombshell ahead of her 40th birthday READ MORE: Vogue Williams says she knew on morning of wedding she was making mistake marrying Brian McFadden She pointed out that it would be "great" either way. In fact, she even summed up her outlook with a four-word comment. Vogue told Heat magazine: "Maybe, I don't know. If we had one more, it would be great; if we had no more, it would also be great. Our kids are so brilliant; they're so funny." Vogue detailed how she and Spencer have "brilliant" and "funny" children (Image: Getty Images for BAFTA) She continued: "They are really hard work sometimes, but our house is chaos and that's the way we love it. We love the noise and them running around having fun." Vogue, who was previously married to Westlife star Brian McFadden, encountered Spencer on The Jump in 2017, and the pair tied the knot in 2018. It follows reports that Vogue had previously changed her baby plans. The Irish star revealed that she'd decided before Christmas that she was happy with keeping things as they were with three children. Indeed, she seemed to confirm this by planning to donate all the old baby clothes that she has stored away. Speaking to Netmums podcast hosts Wendy Golledge and Alison Perry, Vogue said she was "100 percent decided". At the time, Vogue admitted that she "couldn't have been more sure" and had been preparing to "get rid of everything". She added that she was even set on giving "everything away". Vogue summed up her outlook with a four-word comment (Image: Getty Images) However, just a couple of months later, Vogue seemed to have a change of heart, confessing that when it came to the idea of having another baby, she "thought maybe". Despite this, one specific thing seemed to change her mind. She said: "I can't fully make that decision, but I'm not a good pregnant person, I feel so so sick. The thought of that is really difficult, because I literally had to sleep sitting up because I would just feel so ill the whole time." Weighing in on the topic with OK! Magazine last year, Spencer detailed how there were "no immediate plans", but it was something that "feels like the best idea ever" on some days and not on others. He also mentioned "juggling" three school drop-offs and pondering if there's "room for another", adding that they "couldn't be more fortunate" with their family and feel "completely delighted".
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Keshad Johnson leaves summer league with a clear objective ‘to crack the Heat's rotation.' Can he?
After spending most of his rookie season in the G League, Miami Heat forward Keshad Johnson has something to prove this offseason. 'The goal is to crack the Heat's rotation and prove that I belong on the floor,' Johnson said, as he prepares for his second NBA season. Johnson had an opportunity to show off his growth and improvement in recent weeks during summer league, averaging 12 points, five rebounds and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 22 of 44 (50%) from the field and 5 of 19 (26.3%) from three-point range in five summer league appearances for the Heat. As one of three players on the Heat's summer squad on the Heat's NBA roster last season, Johnson also served as one of the leaders for Miami's summer league team this year. 'Just hoping to prove that I got better throughout the year and that I learned a lot, that I'm more poised, that I'm a leader,' Johnson, 24, said of what he wanted to showcase during summer league. It wasn't perfect for Johnson, who struggled in one of his five summer league games to total just five points on 2-of-10 shooting from the field and 0-of-5 shooting from three-point range in the Heat's loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on July 13 in Las Vegas. He also shot under 30% from behind the arc during his five summer league appearances. But there was more good than bad for Johnson in summer league, especially on defense. The athletic 6-foot-6 and 230-pound Johnson totaled three steals and nine blocks while displaying his ability to guard multiple positions during summer league. 'The game is slowing down on defense,' said Johnson, who was the featured guest at Jr. Heat Basketball Camp at SLAM! Miami charter school and Cooper City High School on Tuesday. 'Being able to make the right reads, being able to just slow down and see schemes that the offensive team is using so I can kind of jump the gun sometimes. Just being more experienced overall.' But Johnson knows improvement is still needed in other areas of his game to earn consistent NBA playing time. To become the three-and-D forward some project him to be, he will need to continue to work on his three-point shooting after making just 30.4% of his threes in 32 G League games last season and also struggling to hit threes at an efficient rate during this year's summer league. 'You got to be able to make open shots, be able to be the release for the other guys when they're getting doubled,' Johnson said. 'Being able to take advantage of all open opportunities. That's what the game is coming to these days, being able to make an open three-point shot. So if I can just do that, it will be hard to keep me off the floor.' Johnson has a solid foundation to build on after impressing in the G League with averages of 17.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.2 blocks per game with the the Sioux Falls Skyforce last season. However, Johnson's NBA playing time with the Heat was limited. He appeared in just 16 NBA games last regular season and logged double-digit minutes in only three of those NBA regular-season appearances. 'He's just got to continue to do what he's done,' Heat assistant coach and summer league head coach Eric Glass said when asked what it will take for Johnson to get consistent NBA playing time. 'We had a heavy load of guys ahead of him in terms of [Nikola Jovic], [Jaime Jaquez Jr.], [Haywood Highsmith] and then Kyle Anderson and then Bam [Adebayo] playing the four. 'So there were a lot of guys ahead of him, and that wasn't anything really against what he was doing. But he's just got to stay ready, continue to do what he's doing. He's been a rock for us on defense. Offensively, we found ways to get him a little bit more involved in actions. He's not an on-ball guy. But he's a good screener, good catch-and-go, good three-point shooter. And when he gets in transition, that's where he really can be special. So we're trying to highlight those things for him. But he just has to stay steady with what he's doing.' What feedback has Johnson received from Heat coaches this offseason? 'Just build on who I am already,' Johnson said. 'Be that effort guy, be that effort guy throughout the whole game.' After going undrafted out of Arizona last year, Johnson doesn't care what it takes. He just wants to prove he deserves more NBA minutes this upcoming season. 'I'm just a winner. Whatever that takes,' he said. 'Whether it's three-and-D, whether it's getting down there and bumping with bigger guys, whatever it takes. I'm just trying to be whatever puts the team in the best position to win. That's who I am and that's who I want to be.' The Heat believes Johnson can eventually become that player, recently opting to guarantee his full $2 million salary for next season. 'They've invested in me,' Johnson said. 'So that must mean they see something in me. So I just got to prove them right, prove them right, make sure they didn't make the wrong decision.'
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
From unsigned to two-way contract: Does any player from Heat's summer team deserve consideration?
Players already signed to NBA contracts stole most of the Miami Heat headlines during summer league this year. From the summer league debut of first-round pick Kasparas Jakucionis, the development of Keshad Johnson and Pelle Larsson, coach Erik Spoelstra's challenge to Kel'el Ware and an early look at the addition of Vlad Goldin, there were plenty of intriguing Heat summer league story lines. After all, five players on the Heat's 15-man summer league roster were already signed by Miami to NBA contracts. But with the Heat wrapping up summer league this past Friday, did any of the 10 unsigned players on Miami's summer roster stand out enough to warrant consideration for a two-way contract? After signing Goldin to a two-way deal once he went undrafted last month, the Heat still has two of its three two-way contract slots open. But one of those two two-way openings is expected to go to guard Dru Smith, who has a qualifying offer in place from the Heat to return on such a contract. The question is, how and when will the Heat fill its final remaining two-way contract slot? Two-way contracts, which pay half the NBA rookie minimum and do not count toward the salary cap or luxury tax, allow for players to be on their NBA team's active list for as many as 50 regular-season games with other game action having to come in the G League. Two-way deals can be swapped at any time and do not come with playoff eligibility. Among the possibilities for the Heat's final two-way contract spot is rewarding one of its unsigned summer league standouts or turning to a player who impressed for another summer league team. Only players with fewer than four years of NBA experience are eligible for two-way deals. That rules out guard Kira Lewis Jr., who played for the Heat's summer league team this year, because he has four years of NBA experience after being taken with the 13th overall pick in the 2020 Draft. The Heat could also sign available players to an Exhibit 10 contract, which is essentially an invite to training camp and protects them from being signed away by another team. Here are some of the top two-way contract candidates from the Heat's summer league squad: ▪ Forward Javonte Cooke: The highlight for Cooke (6-6 and 185 pounds) this summer league was his performance to open play in Las Vegas, totaling 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field and 4-of-8 shooting from three-point range, six rebounds, two assists and one steal in 23 minutes during the Heat's summer league loss to the Atlanta Hawks on July 11. But it was an up-and-down few weeks for Cooke, who scored just two points in 16 minutes during the Heat's next summer league game and then had a three-point outing a few games later in Las Vegas. There were flashes of a scoring wing with upside, but Cooke's inconsistent play also served as a reminder of why he has yet to play in an NBA game since going undrafted in 2022 out of Winston Salem State. Cooke, who turned 26 on July 11, has spent the last three seasons in the G League. 'I feel like I've shown my offensive capabilities,' Cooke said of what he wanted to prove during summer league. 'I'm trying to hone in more on the defensive end because I have that, too, as well. I'm a two-way player, so I'm just trying to show that.' ▪ Center Dain Dainja: A big listed at 6-9 and 255 pounds, Dainja has nifty footwork in the post that helped him impress as an isolation scorer around the basket during summer league. Dainja, who went undrafted out of Memphis last month, averaged eight points and 3.3 rebounds in 13.7 minutes per game while shooting 52.9% from the field and not attempting a three-pointer in three Las Vegas Summer League appearances with the Heat. But the Heat already has a center signed to a two-way deal in Goldin. Did Dainja do enough of the little things that will be needed from a fill-in center to warrant a two-way contract? He turned 23 on July 16. 'Dain, in his minutes, has been a dynamic scorer,' Heat assistant coach and summer league head coach Eric Glass said. 'Obviously, he's gotten to the free-throw line like 15 times in limited minutes. I like what he can do offensively.' ▪ Forward Myron Gardner: After standing out with 14 points on nine field-goal attempts in the Heat's summer league loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on July 6 in the California Classic, Gardner was held out of the first three games of Las Vegas Summer League because of a finger injury. But he was able to pick up right where he left off when he returned, averaging 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, two assists and 2.5 steals per appearance while shooting 11 of 25 (44%) from the field and 6 of 9 (66.7%) on threes during the Heat's final two summer league games in Las Vegas. The 24-year-old Gardner (6-6 and 220 pounds), who has yet to play in an NBA game, has spent the last two seasons with the Orlando Magic's G League affiliate after going undrafted in 2023 out of Little Rock. 'Just the way he assaults the paint,' Glass said when asked what he likes about Gardner's game. 'He's so aggressive, he's so strong going down hill.' ▪ Guard Erik Stevenson: There's no doubt that Stevenson's NBA skill is three-point shooting, going 12 of 24 (50%) from three-point range in five games in Las Vegas. This comes after Stevenson, 26, totaled 16 points on 4-of-4 shooting from behind the arc in the Heat's summer league opener on July 5 in the California Classic. Stevenson (6-4 and 205 pounds) went undrafted in 2023 out of West Virginia and has spent the last two seasons in the G League. He signed a 10-day contract with the Washington Wizards last season, but he has never appeared in an NBA game. The Heat has had success in developing undrafted three-point shooters in recent years — Duncan Robinson and Max Strus. Does the Heat view Stevenson as an outside shooter with that type of potential? 'Erik is one of the guys that we really like,' Glass said early in summer league. 'This is his third summer league, as well. He brought a lot of great spacing for us. Obviously it opened up the basket for us with those threes.' ▪ Guard Bryson Warren: Warren stood out in the California Classic, recording 18 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field and 3-of-6 shooting on threes, two rebounds, two assists and two steals in the Heat's second summer league game on July 6. But that was the last game Warren played in during this year's summer league, as a hamstring injury sidelined him the rest of the way. Warren (6-3 and 185 pounds) is just 20 years old and has spent the last two seasons with the Heat's G League affiliate after playing with the Overtime Elite as a four-year high school recruit. Warren, who has yet to play in an NBA game, showed signs of improvement and growth in his limited minutes during this year's summer league. 'He's a good all-around player,' Glass said of Warren. 'He can shoot it, he can put it on the floor, he can make plays. He's showing that he can defend at the level we want. So we've been happy with Bryson.'
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
How Heat stacks up with rest of East after offseason. A look at every team's rotation
Barring a potential August or September surprise (including a possible Giannis Antetokounmpo trade), most NBA teams have their rosters largely settled. So Where does the Heat stand in the East after re-signing Davion Mitchell, drafting Kasparas Jakucionis and essentially replacing Duncan Robinson and Alec Burks with Norman Powell and Simone Fontecchio on a team that went 37-45 and was annihilated in the first round of the playoffs by top-seeded Cleveland? Here's a look at how the projected rotations of NBA Eastern teams and how the Heat's personnel stacks up with everyone: HEAT ▪ Potential starters: Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, Norman Powell and Kel'el Ware or Nikola Jovic. ▪ Top reserves: Davion Mitchell, Nikola Jovic or Ware (whoever doesn't start) and some combination of Haywood Highsmith, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Pelle Larsson and Terry Rozier. ▪ Comment: Though it's possible Mitchell could start, the Heat valued his energy and activity off the bench, and playing Powell with Herro should make the Heat's offense more diversified and dynamic. Ware's strong close to summer league helps his case to remain a starter, but Jovic likely will get plenty of camp/preseason reps alongside Adebayo as well. Anywhere from fifth to 10th in the East seems realistic, and there's seemingly no team besides Cleveland and New York that is clearly better than Miami (unless Philadelphia's roster is fully healthy). CLEVELAND ▪ Potential starters: Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen. ▪ Top reserves: DeAndre Hunter, Sam Merrill, Lonzo Ball, Dean Wade, Larry Nance Jr. ▪ Heat comparison: Losing Ty Jerome to Memphis will hurt, but the Cavs still look like one of the top two teams in the East, albeit one that has yet to prove capable of a long playoff run. And while the Powell acquisition might have very slightly closed the ocean-size gap between the Heat and Cavs, the Heat will need an enormous jump from Ware and better playoff work from Herro and Wiggins to be competitive with a Cavs team that drubbed them by a total of 122 points in the four-game sweep. NEW YORK ▪ Potential starters: Karl Anthony-Towns, OG Anunoby, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges. ▪ Top reserves: Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride, Jordan Clarkson, Guerschon Yabusele. ▪ Heat comparison: Though the coaching move from Tom Thibodeau to Mike Brown seems a lateral move at best, the Knicks found good value in the underrated Yabusele (two years, $12 million) and Clarkson at the minimum. The Knicks roster remains clearly better than Miami's, though not quite as lopsided as a year ago. ORLANDO ▪ Potential starters: Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr., Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane. ▪ Top reserves: Anthony Black, Goga Bitadze, Tristan De Silva, Jonathan Isaac, Mo Wagner, Jase Richardson. ▪ Heat comparison: The addition of Bane (though at a steep cost of four first-round picks) and the return to health from Suggs (16.2 ppg in 35 games) slightly widens the previous margin between the Heat and Magic. Remember, Banchero played in only 46 games last year and Wagner 60, so the margin between the teams wasn't as close as their four-game gap in the standings would suggest. If the two emerging stars (and 24 ppg scorers) play more games, it's almost impossible to envision the Magic finishing behind the Heat. INDIANA ▪ Potential starters: Pascal Siakam, Tony Bradley, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Benedict Mathurin. ▪ Top rotation reserves: T.J. McConnell, Obi Toppin, Quenton Jackson, Jerace Walker, Ben Sheppard, ▪ Heat comparison: No team has been diminished more in the past five weeks by the Pacers, first by losing Tyrese Haliburton to a torn Achilles in Game 7 of the Finals and then by losing Myles Turner in free agency. With Haliburton out for all of next season, coach Rick Carlisle must decide whether to start McConnell or Mathurin. The move from Turner to Bradley is a major downgrade. The upshot is that the Heat roster is arguably better than what the defending Eastern Conference champions will put on the floor next season, barring trades. MILWAUKEE ▪ Potential starters: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Myles Turner, Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr., Kyle Kuzma. ▪ Top reserves: Bobby Portis, Gary Harris, Ryan Rollins, AJ Green, Taurean Prince. ▪ Heat comparison: Whether Antetokounmpo asks out remains the NBA's biggest remaining story of the offseason. Asked earlier this month if he plans to remain with the Bucks, he said: 'Probably. We'll see ... probably. I love Milwaukee.' Credit the Bucks for trying to appease Antetokounmpo by creatively finding a way to add Turner by waiving-and-stretching Damian Lillard, who is expected to miss most or all of next season with a torn Achilles. Though the Bucks were able to retain Porter, Trent and Prince, they lost Brook Lopez, and Kuzma must play a lot better after a playoff disappearing act. The Bucks — who finished 11 games ahead of the Heat last season — likely have the better roster if Antetokounmpo remains, but it's no longer clear cut. DETROIT ▪ Potential starters: Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren. ▪ Top reserves: Duncan Robinson, Caris LaVert, Isaiah Stewart, Paul Reed, Marcus Sasser. ▪ Heat comparison: The Pistons, already on the rise, might have downgraded slightly by replacing Malik Beasley (who is being investigated by the feds for alleged gambling) and Tim Hardaway Jr. with Robinson and LaVert. But Powell's addition probably won't be able to make up the seven-game difference in the standings between the teams last season. There's not an enormous gulf between the Heat and Pistons rosters — on paper. ATLANTA ▪ Potential starters: Trae Young, Dyson Daniels, Kristaps Porzingis, Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu. ▪ Top reserves: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard, Zaccharie Risacher, Kobe Bufkin. ▪ Heat comparison: With Young a year from potential free agency, the Hawks were resolute in augmenting a roster that lost at home to Miami in the play-in. The return of emerging impact player Johnson from last year's season-ending injury (he averaged 18.9 points and 10 rebounds in 36 games), the additions of Porzingis and Alexander-Walker and Kennard and the development of Okongwu (13.4 points, 8.9 rebounds) put the Hawks ahead of Miami from a talent standpoint. But Porzingis' health is always a question, and Young has shot worse against Miami (39.5% in 23 games) than against any other Eastern conference team. The Hawks might have outgrown the play-in in a depleted, parity-infused East. If they meet again in April, Atlanta — if healthy — would seemingly be the favorite. BOSTON ▪ Potential starters: Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Anfernee Simons, Georges Niang, Luka Garza. ▪ Top reserves: Sam Hauser, Payton Pritchard, Xavier Tillman. ▪ Heat comparison: The Celtics have gone from Eastern co-front-runners last April to a potential lottery team because of the loss of Jayson Tatum to a torn Achilles and the luxury tax/second-apron issues that forced the trades of Jrue Holiday (to Portland), Porzingis (to Atlanta), the loss of Luke Kornet (to San Antonio) and the likely loss of Al Horford, who continues to consider interest from several teams (and possible retirement). Instead of chasing Boston, Miami seems to have surpassed what the Celtics will field next season. Simons reportedly is being shopped. PHILADELPHIA ▪ Potential starters: Joel Embiid, Paul George, Tyrese Maxey, Quentin Grimes Jared McCain or VJ Edgecombe. ▪ Top reserves: McCain or Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre Jr., Eric Gordon, Kyle Lowry, Justin Edwards, Andre Drummond. ▪ Heat comparison: Edgecombe, the third overall pick in last month's draft, looked like a future star in summer league, and McCain was terrific (16.2 ppg) before a season-ending injury last December. If this roster is ever healthy, it's top four in the East from a talent standpoint. But when are the 76ers ever healthy? Embiid's knees remain a perpetual problem, and George's the timetable from last week's knee surgery remains murky. The Heat is better than a 76ers team with Embiid or George, but can't compete talent wise with a fully healthy Philadelphia roster. CHICAGO ▪ Potential starters: Coby White, Josh Giddey (presuming he re-signs as a restricted free agent), Ayo Dosunmo, Matas Buzelis, Nic Vucevic. ▪ Top reserves: Kevin Huerter, Patrick Williams, Tre Jones, Isaac Okoro, Zach Collins Jevon Carter. ▪ Heat comparison: The perpetually middling Bulls added Okoro and Collins and are immersed in a financial staredown with Giddey. They're probably a 10th seed at best. Miami, which beat Chicago in the Tuesday play-in last season, seems now clearly better. TORONTO ▪ Potential starters: Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Jakob Poetl. ▪ Top reserves: Grady Dick, Jamal Shead, Ja'Kobe Walter, Jonathan Mogbo, A.J. Lawson. ▪ Heat comparison: If Ingram can stay healthy, this group could surpass a Chicago team that it finished nine games behind last season and possibly sneak into the play-in. The Heat finished seven games ahead of the Raptors last season, and the Powell pickup should keep Miami ahead. BROOKLYN ▪ Potential starters: Michael Porter Jr., Nic Claxton, Ziaire Williams, Cam Thomas, Egor Demin ▪ Top reserves: Keon Johnson, Terance Mann, Jalen Wilson, Noah Clowley, Jay'ron Sharpe and rookies Nolan Traore Drake Wilson, Danny Wolf, ▪ Heat comparison: The Porter/Cam Johnson trade was something of a wash, and much of Brooklyn's long-term hopes rest with this rookie class, headed by former BYU point guard Demin. If the Nets surpass the Heat, then this would be an unmitigated disaster of a season for Miami. At the very least, the Heat seems ahead of Chicago, Toronto, Brooklyn, Charlotte and Washington — which would assure a spot in the play-in, at the very least. CHARLOTTE ▪ Potential starters: LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, Mason Plumlee, Kon Knueppel ▪ Top reserves: Tre Mann, Spencer Dinwiddie, Colin Sexton, Grant Williams, Pat Connaughton, Josh Green, rookie Liam McNeeley. ▪ Heat comparison: There should be improvement with the return to health by Ball (25.2 ppg in 47 games) and Grant Williams (10.4 ppg in 16 games) and the additions of Dinwiddie, Sexton, Connaughton and rookies Knueppel and McNeeley. But Miami finished 18 games ahead of the Hornets last season, and these additions likely won't make up that kind of difference with a Powell-infused Heat team. WASHINGTON ▪ Potential starters: CJ McCollum, Bub Carrington, Khris Middleton, Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr ▪ Top reserves: Malcolm Brogdon, Cody Kispert, sixth overall pick Tre Johnson, Cam Whitmore, Tristan Vukcevic, Marvin Bagley III. ▪ Comment/Heat comparison: The Wizards seem immersed in an eternal rebuild, with virtually no hope of contending anytime soon. The Heat finished 19 games ahead of Washington last season, and that gulf should remain, if not expand.
