MIAMI — This is about as simple as math gets in the NBA:
— The league allows teams to have up to three players under two-way contracts at a time.
— The Heat have three players already under such contracts at the moment.
— Forward Cole Swider is coming off a two-way contract and has a qualifying offer in place for another Heat two-way contact, even with a no-vacancy sign out when it comes to such a Heat opportunity.
So, no, the math doesn’t feel quite right, with the Heat essentially extending a promissory note to the second-year shooting specialist for something that doesn’t quite exist at the moment.
“I’m just worried about just developing,” Swider said Thursday after completing the first practice of the Heat’s summer program, “I can’t control what contract I’m going to sign or not going to sign. Obviously the Heat have my rights as a restricted free agent. I want to be here. But, at the same time, it’s all about the things that I can control.”
What makes two-way contracts unique, beyond paying half the standard NBA minimum scale and limiting players to 50 games on the active roster over the 82-game regular-season schedule, is that they can be swapped out at any time.
Swider also is aware of that, having played summer league a year ago with the Los Angeles Lakers on a two-way contract only to be stripped of that deal in the middle of the summer.
For now, the Heat’s two-way contracts are held by Dru Smith, Zyon Pullen and Keshad Johnson, the latter two a pair of undrafted prospects.
In addition to Swider, the Heat also have a two-way qualifying offer in place to guard Alondes Williams, who also finished this past season on a Heat two-way contract.
Ultimately, clarity for Swider could come with a shift to a standard contract, a move that Heat can make at any time, as they can with Williams or any of the players on two-way contracts.
For now, instead of sweating the math or a contract, Swider is in the midst of attempting to make an impression in the Heat’s workouts in San Francisco ahead of Saturday’s summer-league opener at the California Classic on the court of the Golden State Warriors.
“I try just to focus on my daily progression,” said Swider, who appeared in 18 games last season with the Heat, otherwise spending time and thriving with the team’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. “When you start worrying about all the other things that might be going on around you, it’s tough. I definitely learned the business the hard way last year getting cut. So I’m able to understand teams are going to do the best things that they think are for themselves.
“I think the next step for me is just to continue that development. And if that leads to a contract, that leads to a contract. If that leads to a two-way opportunity here or somewhere else, then that’s the path that it’s going to be. But as of right now, I’m just focused on helping this team and continuing my development during the summer league.”
Two of a kind
The Heat’s opening practice Thursday at Chase Center created a reunion of Arizona teammates Pelle Larsson and Johnson. Larsson was drafted at No. 44 by the Heat, with Johnson signed in the immediate wake of the draft.
“Me and Keshad, we got here in camp, we kind of talked about it a little bit and had some conversations about just how far we’ve come,” Larsson said. “I got some texts about it on draft night, so I was really happy when they told me. Me and Keshad had a really good year together at Arizona. So I’m really happy that he’s here. It’s a really cool thing.”
Strong impressions
Swider offered positive reviews about the opening practice with Larsson and Kel’el Ware, the center taken out of Indiana at No. 15 in the first round of the draft.
“Those guys are super talented, super athletic. Both have a good basketball IQ,” Swider said. “They seem like they’re hungry and eager to learn, which is always good for first-year players. So I’m excited.
“Kel’el is a physical monster. You can throw the ball anywhere, he’s going to catch the ball and finish. He reminds me a lot of (Mavericks center) Dereck Lively and what he was able to do this year. He has all the measurables and definitely wants to learn and get better.
“And Pelle has unbelievable talent. You can tell he has a great nose for the basketball. And he’s deceivingly athletic. When he was throwing down some dunks today, I was like, ‘Wow, this guy is underratedly athletic.'”
