Heat invite 24 to compete on summer league teams

By foxsports
Published

MIAMI — If the Miami Heat don’t find an intriguing prospect this summer, it won’t be from a lack of effort. The Heat on Tuesday unveiled a whopping 24 players who will be on their summer-league roster. Six of the players will participate in just the Orlando Summer League and six in just the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. The other 12 will play in both. Miami has 12 players with guaranteed contracts for next season and the hope is to re-sign center Chris Andersen to be a 13th. So there won’t be much room on the regular-season roster, which is limited to 15. Among those fighting this summer to get the Heat’s attention are forward Jarvis Varnado, swingman James Ennis and point guard Myck Kabongo, who all will play in both leagues. Varnado has a non-guaranteed contract for next year and is the only Miami holdover from the regular season on the summer roster. Ennis was acquired after Atlanta drafted him from Long Beach State with the No. 50 pick in the second round last Thursday. Kabongo surprisingly wasn’t drafted after leaving Texas following his sophomore season. The Heat, who will be coached throughout the summer by assistant Dan Craig, will play in Orlando from Sunday through Friday. They will compete in Las Vegas from July 13-22. Other players on the summer roster include NBA veterans J.R. Giddens (Las Vegas only), Damion James (Las Vegas), D.J. Kennedy (both), Travis Leslie (Las Vegas) and Cedric Jackson (Orlando only), who was a teammate of LeBron James' on the 2009-10 Cleveland Cavaliers. Two other interesting names are Larry Drew II, an undrafted rookie from UCLA who is the son of Milwaukee Bucks coach Larry Drew, and Ricky Sanchez, who was acquired by the Heat last February and never has been to an NBA training camp since being drafted in 2005.
Players invited to the Heat's summer league teamsORL - just Orlando, LV - just Las Vegas
GuardsDwight Buycks (LV) — 6-3, 190 — Marquette/USAIan Clark (ORL) — 6-2, 173 — Belmont/USAVincent Council — 6-2, 180 — Providence/USA   Larry Drew — 6-2, 180 — UCLAJ.R. Giddens (LV) — 6-5, 210 — New MexicoScotty Hopson — 6-6 ½, 204 — TennesseeCedric Jackson (ORL) — 6-3, 200 — Cleveland StateMyck Kabongo — 6-1, 180 — TexasTravis Leslie (LV) — 6-4 ½, 205 — GeorgiaAnthony Marshall (LV) — 6-3, 200 — UNLVJames Nunnally — 6-7, 205 — Santa BarbaraTony Taylor (LV) — 6-1, 192 — George Washington
Guard/forwardJames Ennis — 6-7, 210 — Long Beach StateD.J. Kennedy — 6-6, 215 — St. John’sD.J. Stephens (ORL) — 6-5, 188 — Memphis
ForwardsJackie Carmichael — 6-9, 240 — Illinois State              Eric Griffin — 6-8 — 189 — CampbellJamelle Hagins (LV) — 6-9, 240 — DelawareDamion James (LV) — 6-7 ½, 224 — TexasRicky Sanchez (LV) — 6-11, 220 — IMG Academy
Forward/centerJarvis Varnado — 6-9, 210 — Mississippi State
CentersDewayne Dedmon (ORL) — 7-0, 255 — Southern CaliforniaLeRon Dendy — 6-9, 230 — Middle Tennessee StateMichael Dunigan — 6-10, 238 — Oregon