The Miami HEAT hit the hardwood for the first time as a team on Tuesday morning at The Atlantis Paradise Island Resort in Nassau, Bahamas. Below are some tidbits you need to know from Day 1 of Training Camp Presented by Baptist Health South Florida.
Conditioning
-Right off the bat, Erik Spoelstra stated the team was able to have a “work practice” despite it being Day 1.
“Guys came in extremely conditioned well. They were in great shape coming in so we were able to really get into full contact in this first practice. We didn't mess around or wait. We got right to it. We didn't feel the need to use practices to get guys in shape. Instead, we're getting right to work, which we need a lot of it. We have some new faces guys in different roles, so I commend them for really spending the last seven, eight weeks putting in that time to get their bodies right.”
-At Media Day on Monday, Dion Waiters stated that he dropped from 234 to 222 pounds. When asked about how his first practice in a HEAT uniform went on Tuesday, Waiters was upbeat.
“It was good. It's what I expected. A lot of defense, but that's how we're going to get better, especially being a young team. I think it's good for us that they implement that now and that we try to lockdown on the defensive end. We got a chance to be real physical.”
“It's big time what we went through. It was non-stop. I was a little winded, but I'm probably in the best shape I've ever been in.”
Moving Forward
-Being the lone mainstay from the Big 3 Era, Udonis Haslem finds himself in a mentorship role once again. Haslem liked everybody's energy on Day 1, but two guys have stood out.
“Rodney as well.
-Like Haslem, Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside will also be leaders on the HEAT. After Day 1, the Slovenian seemed to be ready for the task at hand.
“I need to lead this team better, especially with D-Wade gone and C.B. I think so that's going to be good for me and I need to step a little bit outside of my box and challenge myself.”
Whiteside, meanwhile, stated that “being more vocal” and “talking to the guys will be a big step in the right direction” for himself as a leader.
Injury Updates
Josh McRoberts and Stefan Jankovic were on the exercise bike during the time the media watched the team scrimmage. McRoberts has a right foot injury, while Jankovic has a right foot sprain.
Speaking of injuries, Spoelstra said that “we want to be very smart” about Josh Richardson's right MCL sprain. Richardson sustained the injury on September 9.
The team will practice once again on Tuesday, with two-a-days scheduled for a majority of Training Camp.
Miami's first preseason game will be on October 4 against the Washington Wizards.
