Report: Heat to sign former Celtics forward Jordan Mickey
The Miami Heat have agreed to a guaranteed one-year deal with Mickey at the minimum, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical. The deal also has a team option for 2018-19.
Mickey was waived by the Celtics on July 13, two days before his contract would have become guaranteed. He was a roster casualty as Boston made room for Gordon Hayward's maximum deal.
The 33rd overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft out of LSU, Mickey was shuffled between the Celtics and the Maine Red Claws during his two-year tenure in Boston. He played 16 games as a rookie in 2015-16, notching 1.3 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game. Mickey earned more time with the Red Claws, even being named to the 2016 D-League All-Star Game.
His playing time slightly improved in his second season as he got 5.6 minutes a night over 25 games, including one start against the Washington Wizards. He put up 1.5 points and 1.4 boards per game.
The 6-foot-8 forward played 17 minutes in the Eastern Conference Finals, his only playoff action in 2017, during the Cleveland Cavaliers' blowout wins in Game 2 and 5. In Game 2, he was tied for a team-high five rebounds and was the only player to post a positive +/-.
Terry Rozier is now the only member of the Celtics' four-man 2015 draft class still in Boston.
Mickey could find himself more playing time in Miami, though he'll have to contend with former Celtic Kelly Olynyk among others. The Heat also drafted PF/C Bam Adebayo out of Kentucky with the No. 17 pick in the 2017 draft and return Hassan Whiteside, James Johnson, Okaro White and Udonis Haslem in the frontcourt.
The Heat make their only trip to TD Garden on Dec. 20.
Photo: Noah K. Murray/USA TODAY Sports
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