The Miami Heat reportedly are bringing up Cole Swider and Alondes Williams, who are both on two-way contracts, from the G League with Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier and Josh Richardson out of the lineup for Tuesday’s matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Heat have also listed sharpshooter Duncan Robinson as questionable for Tuesday’s game.
With Butler, Rozier and Richardson out, Cole Swider and Alondes Williams are joining Heat from G League. https://t.co/fGUONQiJZm
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) February 12, 2024
Butler will not be with the team until after the All-Star break as he deals with a death in his family. That means that he’ll miss the team’s game against Milwaukee on Tuesday and the matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.
The earliest that Butler would be able to return to action, since he’s out through the break, would come on Feb. 23 against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Both Rozier and Richardson were injured in Miami’s loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday afternoon. That puts the team in a tough spot, as it is thin at the guard spot.
Williams, who was recently brought on to the team on a two-way deal, has played in just one NBA game in his career. That matchup came during the 2022-23 season when he appeared in a game for the Brooklyn Nets, tallying five minutes of playing time.
While Williams may not have a ton of NBA experience, he has thrived at the G League level this season. The 24-year-old guard is averaging 21.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game across 18 G League contests in the 2023-24 campaign. He’s shooting an impressive 53.5 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from beyond the arc.
If he can shoot the ball at a high clip at the NBA level, Williams may stick around longer than expected with Miami.
As for Swider, he has made a few appearances for the Heat so far this season. The small forward has appeared in nine games and is averaging 4.9 minutes per contest.
At the NBA level, Swider is averaging 2.6 points, 0.2 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game this season while shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from 3-point range.
Tuesday’s game could be a chance for both Swider and Williams to prove to the Heat organization that they can contribute even though they are on two-way deals.
Miami would love to head into the All-Star break on a high note, although it will become increasingly difficult with the team losing Rozier and Richardson for at least the upcoming road trip
Entering the contest with the Bucks, the Heat have a 28-25 record on the season. They also hold the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference prior to Monday’s NBA action tipping off.
