Connect with us

Miami, FL

Heat finding new landscape in NBA draft preparation, particularly with second round

Published

on

Heat finding new landscape in NBA draft preparation, particularly with second round


MIAMI – As the Miami Heat work through the pre-draft process, the team’s front office and scouting staff find themselves working in a new environment on several levels, including one created by the NBA and one by the NCAA.

A significant but minimally mentioned element of the new NBA collective-bargaining agreement is a change that could have an impact on the way business is conducted in the draft’s second round.

Starting this year, a team that purchases a second-round pick, which has stood as a routine element of the process over the years, automatically becomes hard capped for the following season. In essence, the typical flier taken by buying a pick in the second round now comes at a potential impact of the way a team must conduct business over the following 12 months.

While the Heat hold the No. 43 pick in the June 27 second round, maneuvering through the second round this year and going forward could prove more a case of bartering than buying or selling for Heat President Pat Riley and his staff.

Advertisement

“It definitely factors in,” said Adam Simon, the Heat’s vice president of basketball operations and assistant general manager. “and you have to look at the big picture and what business you’re doing. And, so, that’ll come into play.

“But doing something that’s going to hard cap you, you definitely have to take that into consideration.”

For teams further from the hard cap figure than the Heat, it is a twist that creates less trepidation. The Heat currently are not set up to be hard capped for 2024-25, with that salary limit at $189.5 million for 2024-25. The Heat, however, are facing a prospective payroll in excess of $180 million, leaving little wiggle room if they were to be hard-capped. For teams already operating above the 2024-25 hard cap, they now are prohibited from buying such a second-round pick.

“But every team is set up differently within their building,” Simon said. “Some are already there. Some aren’t there.”

Then there is an external factor that will be in play until the NBA’s June 16 withdrawal deadline.

Advertisement

With NCAA name, image, and likeness money keeping prospects in college longer, with such NIL payments now in the millions, domestic talent in the second round no longer may be as youthful or as available.

To Simon, it is a tradeoff nonetheless welcomed.

“I think it’s better for us to have players be more developed when they come to the league,” he said. “And I would like more players who aren’t ready to come to the NBA to be ready. I’d rather develop a player’s skill set that has a skill set.”

As it is, there is no guarantee that the Heat retain the player selected with their No. 15 pick in the first round or that they don’t trade their second-round pick, with the Heat lacking several picks in both rounds in future drafts, potentially opting for replenishment in that regard.

“Obviously my job is to prepare for the draft and make the recommendations to Pat and the organization,” Simon said. “So having picks are a good way to try to help build our team. But those picks have to be used sometimes for other business.

Advertisement

“We’ve used them over the years in trades, to acquire players, to get off of players for different reasons. That’s just the hand that we’re dealt, and we make the best of it. Whatever year we have a pick, we’re excited to use it. And come draft night, who knows what could happen?”

So, for now, the scouting remains focused.

“We are going out to L.A.,” Simon said of this week’s agency workouts. “We are going to see as many players as we can in person.”

Heat second-round machinations in recent years:

2024: Heat hold No. 43 pick.

Advertisement

2023: No second round pick.

2022: No second round pick.

2021: No second-round pick.

2020: No second-round pick.

2019: Acquired rights to No. 32 KZ Okpala in a trade with Phoenix Suns and Indiana Pacers; selected Bol Bol at No. 44 and traded to Denver Nuggets.

Advertisement

2018: No second-round pick.

2017: No second-round pick.

2016: No second-round pick.

2015: Selected Josh Richardson at No. 40.

2014: Selected Semaj Christon at No. 55 and traded to Charlotte Hornets.

Advertisement

2013: Acquired rights to No. 50 James Ennis in a trade with Atlanta Hawks.

2012: Acquired rights to No. 45 Justin Hamilton in a trade with Philadelphia 76ers.

2011: Selected Bojan Bogdanovic at No. 32 and traded to Minnesota Timberwolves for draft rights to Norris Cole.



Source link

Advertisement

Miami, FL

Man shot during $22,000 gold chain robbery at Supreme store in Miami’s Design District; Atlanta suspects arrested

Published

on

Man shot during ,000 gold chain robbery at Supreme store in Miami’s Design District; Atlanta suspects arrested


Three men were arrested Saturday after a robbery inside a Miami clothing store left a man shot and hospitalized, according to Miami police and arrest affidavits.

The incident happened Friday afternoon in Miami’s popular Design District neighborhood.

Police said officers were dispatched around 4:20 p.m. Friday to the area of Miami Avenue and Northeast 41st Street after receiving reports of a man who had been shot. Officers found the victim, who told them he had been robbed and shot while shopping inside a Supreme store located at 45 NE 41st Street.

According to investigators, the victim said he was approached by three suspects inside the store, including one person with whom he had a prior conflict originating from the Atlanta area. Police said an argument broke out, and one suspect forcibly removed a gold chain from the victim’s neck. The chain was valued at approximately $22,000, according to police.

Advertisement

As the suspect ran out of the store, the victim attempted to chase him, police said. During the pursuit, an unidentified male shot the victim once in the stomach. The suspects then fled the area in a white Mercedes-Benz, according to the arrest affidavits. 

Miami Police detectives later located the suspect vehicle parked near Northeast 10th Avenue and Northeast 91st Terrace. Police said they conducted surveillance and observed the suspects abandon the vehicle and walk through a nearby residential area before entering a home in the 800 block of Northeast 90th Street.

A residential search warrant was executed, resulting in the arrest of three suspects. During the search, detectives recovered the victim’s gold chain, keys to the suspect vehicle, and clothing believed to have been worn during the robbery, police said.

The suspects were identified as Jamar McKay, 25, Omarion Phillips, 20, and Kevieon Smith, 21. McKay was charged with armed robbery with a firearm or deadly weapon. Phillips and Smith were charged as accessories after the fact, with Smith also facing an additional firearms-related charge, according to court records.

“This arrest sends a clear message: violent crime will not be tolerated in the City of Miami,” Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales said in a statement. “Individuals who commit acts of violence in our city will be identified, located, and held fully accountable.”

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Miami, FL

Miami Hurricanes arrive in Phoenix to continue Fiesta Bowl preparations

Published

on

Miami Hurricanes arrive in Phoenix to continue Fiesta Bowl preparations


play

The Miami Hurricanes are looking to buck a bad trend. They’re 0-4 in the Fiesta Bowl.

Coach Mario Cristobal’s team gets its fifth shot this week as Miami (12-2) squares off against Mississippi (13-1) in the Fiesta Bowl at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 8 at State Farm Stadium. The school may be 0-4 historically, but there is plenty at stake. This Fiesta Bowl is serving as a College Football Playoff semifinal.

Advertisement

The Hurricanes, the No. 10 seed in the 12-team playoff field, arrived at 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 5, at the Ragsdale Executive Terminal of Sky Harbor Airport. The opposing team is expected 24 hours later.

The gathered crowd of 100 or so was made of members of the Fiesta Bowl Committee, easily identifiable in their yellow jackets, and their families.

In the past, there had been a welcome event in a tent adjacent to the runway. The coach typically made an opening statement, but players and coaches walked off the plane and straight to their buses parked nearby.

Players, dressed in white sweatsuits, filed off their American Airlines flight in single file on a blue carpet.

Advertisement

The players will take part in a media day on Jan. 6 at a Scottsdale hotel, with the coaches talking to the media the following day, the eve of the contest.

The Hurricanes enter on the heels of a six-game winning streak. Their last loss came on Nov. 1 against SMU, a game decided in double overtime 26-20. They have surrendered just 17 points in their two postseason games.

The winner advances to the national championship game on Jan. 19 against the winner of the other semifinal, the Peach Bowl between Oregon and Indiana.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Miami, FL

This Miami Developer Is Leaning Into Miami’s Surging Mansion Market

Published

on

This Miami Developer Is Leaning Into Miami’s Surging Mansion Market


Naoshi Matsumoto has found a niche in the Miami luxury new-development scene—long dominated by glittering, amenity-packed condo buildings—in ultra-private, design-driven single-family waterfront homes.

As the founder of Sunland Group, the developer oversees architecture, construction and brokerage under a single umbrella, a setup that gives the firm unusual creative control in every step of building and selling a home. Given this level of autonomy, Matsumoto has shaped some of the city’s most luxurious stand-alone residences over the past decade.

His approach is on full display with his latest project: Marea Collection, four waterfront homes inside Belle Meade, an upscale gated enclave. Two of the houses Casa Vista and Casa Coral—each priced at $10 million—have hit the market. Casa Coral was developed in collaboration with the Chilean architect Gonzalo Mardones.

MORE: Castle Built for a Habsburg Outside Vienna Hits the Market for €33 Million

Advertisement

With more high-net-worth buyers trading penthouses for stand-alone homes—drawn by privacy, space and the appeal of living directly on the water—Matsumoto has found himself at the center of one of Miami’s gradual shifts in taste. He spoke to Mansion Global about why some buyers are rethinking condo life, what they’re seeking instead, and how he sees the city’s next wave of waterfront architecture evolving in the years ahead.

Mansion Global: What drives a Miami’s luxury buyer to move away from condo living and toward a stand-alone home? 

Naoshi Matsumoto: High HOA fees that don’t provide the level of services buyers expect when they purchase a luxury condominium is the primary reason. We’re also seeing concerns about privacy, as well as the desire for a true waterfront lifestyle that enables buyers to house their personal boats in their backyard. It’s worth noting, too, that the price point of single-family waterfront homes today, like those in Marea Collection, is comparable to that of ultra-luxury condominiums. This makes the concept even more compelling to both current condo owners as well as those deciding between the two asset types.

Are condo owners expressing interest in the Marea Collection? 

Most of our buyer interest is from current luxury-condo owners. The majority of them note a desire for increased privacy and the opportunity for true waterfront living as the main reasons they are considering making the switch.

Advertisement

How does Sunland Group’s vertically integrated model influence the way you design and deliver a home? 

The close collaboration and ongoing involvement between the architects, construction team and brokers lead to more unified decision-making, which streamlines every process. Each detail is analyzed from multiple perspectives, resulting in homes that are architecturally appealing, functional and thoughtfully designed.

From Mansion Global Boutique: How To Create Comfort in Winter’s Dark Months, According to Kendall Wilkinson

Indoor-outdoor living is central to your work. What core design principles guide your waterfront projects? 

We explore distinct modern expressions within a shared design language to give each home a unique identity while maintaining a cohesive aesthetic. Because this aesthetic is more minimal, it enables you to draw the outdoors in beautifully, which is crucial for leveraging a waterfront home’s most desirable aspect: the water. In this way, the surrounding areas, with the waterways and views, become a signature design element.

Advertisement

We also rely heavily on a warm color palette, floor-to-ceiling windows, sliding glass doors, and multiple outdoor spaces to further integrate the outdoors. There is an inherent ease to waterfront living due to the desire to allow the natural landscape to take a more prominent role. These elements combined help blur the lines between indoors and out to create a sense of luxury and serenity.

Tell us about the Belle Meade neighborhood.

When we first came across Belle Meade and the four adjacent sites, we saw an immense opportunity, both in the amount of private waterfront access each residence would have, as well as the proximity to the open waterways. People not only want immediate access to water but also to be able to get out of the winding canals quickly and easily. Belle Meade enabled all of this, which is a rarity. The neighborhood is also an incredibly private and exclusive community, something buyers at this price point tend to appreciate. These elements, combined with a commute time of just 10 to 20 minutes to both Brickell and the Design District, make Belle Meade one of Miami’s best hidden gems.

Advertisement – Scroll to Continue

What’s influencing what today’s luxury buyers want? 

Advertisement

Many luxury buyers, especially those relocating from other states, prefer a move-in-ready home to avoid the extended timelines associated with design and ground-up development. While some degree of personalization is expected, it typically occurs through interior design elements such as furniture, art, and lighting rather than through structural or material changes. 

Buyers are especially drawn to architectural elements such as refined wall paneling, purpose-designed niches, thoughtfully proportioned art walls, and spatial layouts that accommodate sculpture and large-scale artwork. They also place a high value on functional, open floor plans that allow luxury furniture pieces to be showcased as part of the overall spatial composition.

MORE: Burt Reynolds, Jake Paul and Five Finger Death Punch: 10 Celebrity Homes That Wowed in 2025

Where do you see the greatest opportunity for the next wave of luxury single-family development in Miami? 

Many buyers are beginning to look toward lesser-known waterfront neighborhoods such as Belle Meade, where architectural character, lot sizes, and street layouts offer a more intimate, curated residential experience. As true waterfront parcels become increasingly scarce and values continue to rise, these emerging enclaves present both strong investment fundamentals and an appealing architectural setting.

Advertisement

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending