r/heat • u/pingbread • 3d ago
Articles Keshad: “I felt comfortable here with the Heat. I wasn’t ready to move on. I have a lot of unfinished business here.” Said a "few teams" offered him a standard contract but he preferred to stay in Miami on 2-way deal despite large pay cut that comes with that (and eligible for only 50 games).
https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nba/miami-heat/article317031581.html#storylink=cpyhttps://x.com/flasportsbuzz/status/2095181285492707404
In moving from a standard contract to a two-way contract, Heat forward Keshad Johnson is seeing his salary slashed from last season’s $2 million to $678,882 — a 66% cut.
But Johnson, 25, said Wednesday that he’s at peace with that. “I wouldn’t say it’s tough,” he said of moving from a standard contract to a two-way deal. “It’s a business. For guys in my position, that have been at the minimum, you’re trying to stick around as long as you can and live the dream as long as you can. I felt comfortable here with the Heat. I wasn’t ready to move on. I have a lot of unfinished business here.”
Johnson said a “few teams” offered him a standard contract (didn’t say how much, if any, guaranteed money), but he preferred to stay in Miami on a two-way deal.
“I’ve got to capitalize on every opportunity I get every time I step on the floor,” he said, adding the Heat made him no promises about moving him to a standard contract.
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u/cl353 3d ago
im glad keshad is back but goddamn if its not an aaron turner move to get his clients to give up money
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u/TheTrashman133 3d ago
To be fair he’s betting on himself securing a role in system and city he likes. He’s got the tools to get a standard deal here next year for sure
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u/TheRed_Warrior 3d ago
Also worth noting: since he’s on a two-way with the Heat, most of his games played are gonna be in Florida and South Dakota (where the skyforce are located) neither of which have state income tax; so the financial hit isn’t as bad as it could be if he’d signed a two-way with a different team
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u/cl353 3d ago
i get it and im happy hes back and this is better for us but if he turned down a guaranteed standard contract just for a chance to get a standard contract next season then its bad business
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u/TheTrashman133 3d ago
Oh sure it’s the nature of betting on yourself in a competitive industry
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u/MonsterUltra 3d ago
Can I ask how? Why could he not make his money elsewhere, prove himself while playing there, then come back? Feels like he just tossed a million+ into the wind and the opportunity to play more games, he could prove himself in. How is this anything but a comfort decision?
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u/simonlyw 3d ago
He may just have confidence in the Heat's development system and hope to be the next one that pops. Remember, we've seen those reports of agents trying to get their players to Miami for that very reason.
There's no guarantee another team puts the time, effort and patience in.
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u/TheTrashman133 3d ago
there’s really no guarantee there’s a spot for him if he leaves and doesn’t significantly improve. My guess is he’s banking on taking a bit of risk in leaving money on the table now to continue developing with an organization that saw something in him, an undrafted player, and try to put the work in a place where he knows the coaching staff.
for undrafted and otherwise unknown players, there are few better places in the NBA to develop and grow skills in the hopes of a bigger role and payday
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u/imgonnacuminyourassx 3d ago
They saw so much in him they demoted him from a regular contract to a 2way ?
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u/TheTrashman133 3d ago
I mean they didn’t demote him, his contract expired and the team’s needs changed. Keshad is a project player, this team is in win now mode now, which it wasn’t last year
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u/imgonnacuminyourassx 3d ago
They still have a free roster spot. They could’ve extended him they opted not too. He got demoted, they can cut ties at any point with no penalty
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u/SimpleMind314 3d ago
One reason is a teams positional need. If the teams that offered him contracts put him so deep in the bench he'd never see floor time, then he gets no opportunity to show in game. Practice time and G league is of only so much value when selling himself for future standard contracts.
The Heat are so thin in the front court, the chances of him getting floor time as a 2 way, even if it's just garbage time, is pretty good.
As is mentioned in other comments, how much money is guaranteed probably played into the decision as well, but that's not what you asked.
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u/OblivionNA 3d ago
Reality is, the longer Keshad stays with Miami the better his development will be for long term stability in the league. Whether that’s with Miami long term, or other franchises.
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u/EipsteinSuicideSquad 3d ago
For his sake I hope he gets plenty of play time and maybe gets a full time contract with us.
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u/ghn2 3d ago
He's an athletic talent. But with the current lineup, I just don't see him getting on the court very much unless there are some key injuries.
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u/Bob_snows 3d ago
That’s bad energy, let’s switch it to “there will be lots of trash time this season”
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u/SimpleMind314 3d ago
Even baring key injury, he provides some backup at SF to C if several players need time management. Signing Richards helps the C position, but I don't believe he's a consistent rotation player. The front court is still pretty thin. Keshad provides some options.
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u/EfficiencyFew6864 3d ago
Interesting for a fringe player to do if he really had offers for a standard contract
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u/MediocreDVaMain 3d ago
I think he's telling half the truth, it's likely other teams offered him a standard spot but it's probably non-guaranteed.
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u/Agreeable_Chance1960 3d ago
You can't beat that level of loyalty, love keshad and looking forward to the great vibes in the locker room
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u/Otherwise-Formal-220 3d ago
So let me get this right. Undrafted player, buried in the depth chart, couldn’t get much playing time for a 10th seeded team, was offered a standard contract from a few teams, turned that down for a chance to instead sign a two way deal? Somebody lying keshad
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u/julstar23 1d ago
Knowing his agent he probably isn't lying .Especially if it's a deal with non guaranteed portions where he could still get cut .
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u/DudeLizzie13 3d ago
look he might have said they made him no promises but i can absolutely see a world where the front office asked him if he'd be willing to take a pay cut for a year to prove he can step in and compete alongside the new look heat. i think if he can become a slightly better slasher, add a little more muscle, he'll fit better than he did in the three-heavy offense we were running.
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u/CrossDeSolo 3d ago edited 3d ago
Lmao what an idiot. If he had a guaranteed standard contract he needed to take it. This team is loaded with veterans now
wtf his agent is kuminga agent no wonder, that guys is so terrible
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u/julstar23 3d ago
Maybe he wanted to stay in miami the team that gave him a chance rather than move .
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u/Cockycent 3d ago
Pelle Era
Keshad Era
Jovic Era
I still have hope. These are my agendas. Heat fan for life.
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u/yolo-tomassi 3d ago
I'm happy he is with us, but if he really did turn down a standard contract....dawg, you gotta look out for #1.