The Miami Heat are inching closer towards solidifying their roster for the 2019-20 season. It appears that two players that will likely be on the team for the long haul are Derrick Jones Jr. and Summer League standout Kendrick Nunn.
The likelihood that the Heat pick up both Jones’ and Nunn’s guarantee was discussed by Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.
“Thursday also is the deadline for the Heat to guarantee the contract of forward Derrick Jones Jr. for the season and to increase the guarantee of guard Kendrick Nunn from $50,000 to $150,000,” he wrote.
“With only the announcement of the Maten move on Monday, it makes it likely that Jones and Nunn will receive their upcoming guarantees.”
Jones is entering his third season in the NBA. While he averaged just 7.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in 60 games last season, he has already become a fan favorite for his incredible dunking ability. With the Heat currently somewhat thin at the small forward position, Jones figures to play a much larger role in the team’s rotation if he is in fact offered his full guarantee.
As for Nunn, he was one of the true Summer League revelations earlier this offseason. In four games, Nunn averaged 21.0 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.0 rebounds. While it is impossible to expect that kind of production in the regular season, it is certainly an indication that he is cut out for the NBA.
The Heat have several more days to decide what to do with the pair of talented youngsters. If they are offered a spot on Miami’s roster, it would surely be an indication that the team believes it has found two more diamonds in the rough.
