The Miami Heat dismissed Zyon Pullin and signed Josh Christopher to a two-way deal, the organization announced on Thursday.
Christopher, the summer league championship MVP, played an important role in the Heat’s victory in the Las Vegas summer league. Throughout Miami’s six-game schedule, he averaged 19.3 points, three rebounds, 1.8 assists, and two steals while shooting 54.1% overall and 52.5% on threes. In Monday’s championship game against the Memphis Grizzlies, he led the squad with 24 points, three steals, and two blocked shots.
That was enough to persuade the Heat to offer Christopher a two-way contract. The Houston Rockets selected Christopher, a 6-foot-4 guard with a wingspan of 6-foot-9, as the 24th choice in the 2021 draft. He was dismissed by the Rockets after two seasons and, after brief stints with the Grizzlies and Utah Jazz, agreed to join the Heat’s G League affiliate in Sioux Falls last season, opening the way for his participation on Miami’s summer league squad.
Christopher got the two-way contract after a great summer league performance in which he demonstrated his natural scoring talents and improved one-on-one defence.
He replaces Pullin, who after going undrafted out of Florida signed a two-way contract with the Heat. The point guard struggled to make an impression in Las Vegas and finally lost his starting spot to another summer league standout, Isaiah Stevens.
The Heat now have three two-way players: Keshad Johnson, Dru Smith, and Christopher. Despite missing the final three games of summer league due to an ankle sprain, Johnson appears to have locked into one of the two-way berths. Smith did not participate in the summer league since he was still rehabbing from an ACL rupture.
The Heat might not be finished. Even though the team cannot add a 15th player to a conventional roster position without exceeding the second tax apron, they can change their two-way spots at any moment. Two-way contracts have no impact on the wage cap or luxury tax.
Stevens, Cole Swider, and Alondes Williams are among those that impressed during the summer league and might be handed a two-way contract.
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