Miami Heat roster up to 15 players for 2016-17 season

MIAMI — The rebuilding process has begun.

At the start of Sunday, the Heat had just nine players under contract. By Sunday night, Miami had reached the regular-season limit of 15 players.

The Heat’s busy day included acquiring free agents Wayne Ellington, James Johnson and Willie Reed. It included bringing back Miami native Udonis Haslem. It included a trade for 3-point specialist Luke Babbitt. If that wasn’t enough, it also included retaining Tyler Johnson.

For the most part, the Heat found a way to preserve financial flexibility for next summer through it all.

Ellington signed with the Heat on a two-year contract worth around $12 million with a team option for the second year, according to The Vertical. Johnson signed with Miami on a one-year contract worth $4 million, according to ESPN. Reed will sign with the Heat on a two-year deal with a player option for the second year, according to The Vertical.

Miami found a way to bring back Haslem for a 14th season on a one-year, $4 million contract.

But the day wasn’t just limited to free-agent acquisitions. Miami acquired Babbitt from the Pelicans in a trade, sending its 2018 top-55 protected second-round pick and cash considerations to New Orleans.

Babbitt still allows the Heat to remain financially flexible next offseason. The 27-year-old is set to make $1.2 million this upcoming season and will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Most of these moves were made before the Heat opted to match Tyler Johnson’s four-year, $50 million offer sheet from the Nets. With the Heat using most of their cap space before matching the offer sheet, they were able to exceed the cap to keep Tyler.

The Heat had until Sunday at midnight to decide whether to match the offer and made the call about five hours before the deadline.

The Heat had until Sunday at midnight to decide whether to match the offer and made the call about five hours before the deadline.

The Heat now have 15 players on the roster for next season: Chris Bosh, Hassan Whiteside, Goran Dragic, Josh McRoberts, Wayne Ellington, Tyler Johnson, Derrick Williams, James Johnson, Udonis Haslem, Justise Winslow, Luke Babbitt, Willie Reed, Briante Weber, Josh Richardson and Rodney McGruder.

Here’s more about the six players Miami added to its 2016-17 roster on Sunday:

Luke Babbitt, small forward: He’s a career 40.3 percent shooter from long range. He averaged seven points, 3.1 rebounds and shot 40.4 percent from behind the 3-point line in 47 games for the Pelicans last season. The 6-foot-9 Babbitt was drafted with the 16th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Timberwolves, but he was immediately traded to Portland. He spent his first three NBA seasons with the Trail Blazers before signing with the Pelicans in 2014.

Wayne Ellington, shooting guard: The 28-year-old Ellington averaged 7.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and shot 35.8 percent from 3-point range in 76 games, including 41 starts, for the Nets last season. He averaged more points against the Heat (15.3 ppg) than he did against any other team last season, which included a 26-point performance against Miami on Dec. 28. Ellington brings much-needed 3-point shooting to the Heat. He is a 37.6 percent 3-point shooter over his seven-year NBA career and made a career-high 96 3-pointers for Brooklyn last season.

Udonis Haslem, power forward: After signing with the organization as an undrafted free agent in 2003, Haslem is now the longest-tenured Heat player as he will return to Miami for a 14th season. At 36 years old, he’s at the back-end of his career and averaged a career-low 1.6 points and two rebounds per game last season. He also played a career-low seven minutes per game. The 6-foot-8 Haslem, who wants to play at least two more seasons, has averaged 7.9 points and seven rebounds over his 13-year career.

James Johnson, forward: The 29-year-old Johnson averaged five points and 2.2 rebounds in 57 games, including 32 starts, for the Raptors last season. His best NBA season came in 2011-12 when he averaged a career-high 9.1 points and 4.7 rebounds for Toronto.

Tyler Johnson, guard: The Heat signed Tyler Johnson as an undrafted free agent out of Fresno State in 2014 and he’s preparing to enter his third NBA season. He has played in 68 regular-season games over his first two years with the Heat. He was a key part of Miami’s rotation last season before undergoing rotator cuff surgery in February. He averaged 8.7 points on 48.6 percent shooting to go with three rebounds and 2.2 assists in 36 games before surgery last season.

Willie Reed, center: After impressing as a member of the Heat’s summer league team last year, Reed, 26, signed a one-year guaranteed contract to play for the Nets. He averaged 4.7 points and 3.1 rebounds in his first NBA season. During Reed’s time with the Heat’s summer league team, he earned the nickname “2.0” as in Hassan Whiteside 2.0.