Dru Smith taking advantage of Heat opportunity. Also, Duncan Robinson on viral moment

Entering training camp, it was unclear whether guard Dru Smith would even make the Miami Heat’s roster. Then when Smith was moved from a two-way contract to a standard contract just days before the start of the regular season, it was unclear what was behind the team’s decision to promote him to the 15-man roster.

After all, Smith shot just 30.3 percent from the field and 1 of 8 on threes while recording 21 assists to 12 turnovers during his third consecutive preseason with the Heat.

But it has become clear just three weeks into the regular season what the Heat likes about Smith, who has been pushed into a bigger role than initially expected because of the Heat’s injury issues. He has logged more than 20 minutes off the bench in four of the Heat’s first 10 games this season.

“Really, whenever I get out there, all I’m trying to do is make plays that are helping inch us closer to wins,” Smith said ahead of Tuesday night’s matchup against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center that marked the end of the Heat’s four-game trip. “So the mind-set didn’t change at all, just trying to go out there and trying to have an impact on the game.”

It’s that mentality and Smith’s ability to put that mentality into action that has caught the attention of the Heat’s coaches and talent evaluators, as he entered Tuesday ranked third in the NBA with 3.8 deflections per game. He also is shooting 7 of 16 (43.8 percent) on threes and has dished out 14 assists to only five turnovers, while totaling eight steals and three blocks on the defensive end in his first six appearances of the season.

“That’s the only thing I’m thinking about,” Smith, 25, continued. “It may be zero points and a couple of deflections and just things that may not show up in the stat sheet. Just making sure I’m making the right play and leaving my imprint on the games.”

Smith first arrived to the Heat after going undrafted in 2021 out of Missouri. After spending a chunk of his first season in the Heat’s player development program in the G League, Smith began last season on a two-way deal with the Heat and then signed a two-way contract with the Brooklyn Nets in January before eventually returning to a two-way deal with the Heat this past summer and then earning a promotion to the first standard contract of his NBA career last month.

Smith had played in just 15 regular-season NBA games before this season.

“Ninety percent of it doesn’t shot up in the boxscore,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Smith’s on-court contributions, “but coaches and teammates understand what he does.”

Smith signed a two-year partially guaranteed contract with the Heat to join the standard roster. His contract includes a $425,000 guarantee, with his full $1.8 million salary for this season becoming guaranteed on Jan. 10.

When the Heat’s roster is close to full health, Smith likely won’t be in the rotation. But as a depth piece, he’s taken advantage of an opportunity to play extended minutes while Miami has been short-handed early this season.

“I think just having confidence in the work that you put in,” Smith said of his role. “Just understanding that I’ve worked as hard as I could to get to this point, so when I do get my opportunities to be out there, to be out there and play confident and play free. Yeah, I’m going to make mistakes. At the end of the day, it’s only probably my 15th game, not even 15th game in the league, so I’m still learning things like that. So continue to try to impact winning at the highest level.”

DUNCAN’S MOMENT

The highlight of Heat forward Duncan Robinson’s season-high 26-point performance in Sunday’s road win over the San Antonio Spurs was a move he put on Spurs rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama.

Using a stop-and-go hesitation move on the baseline, Robinson froze the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama to drive past him for a reverse layup. It was a move that was reminiscent of Steve Smith’s “The Smitty” from decades ago.

“I mean, [Wembanyama has] got a lot of length, obviously,” Robinson said Tuesday when asked about that moment. “I mean, that’s a move, that shot fake, that’s a move I’ve done plenty of times. I guess it just kind of depends on the context of how long he is, just having to create a little more space. ... I’d like to consider that’s a move I have in my bag.”

It’s a move that went viral, with Robinson starting to earn attention for his improved off-the-dribble game after establishing himself as one of the NBA’s top three-point shooters since joining the Heat as an undrafted prospect in the 2018 offseason.

“I think that has very little to do with me and everything to do with the fact that it was [Wembanyama],” Robinson said of why the moment took off on social media.

A ‘CRAZY’ BACK-TO-BACK

After playing in each of the Heat’s first nine games, veteran guard Kyle Lowry was held out of Sunday’s win in San Antonio on the second night of the back-to-back set.

Is that a trend that will continue for Lowry, 37, during back-to-backs this season?

“We’ll treat each one differently,” Spoelstra said. “That one was so extreme. I was crazy. I’ve been involved in a lot of back-to-backs. That one was unusual. We arrived at 3 a.m. I know we gained an hour, but the first bus was at 2:45 p.m. the next day and he had put in a great deal of work the night before. So we’ll see what happens on the next one. I already looked at it. It won’t be as crazy a travel schedule as that one was.”

This past back-to-back had the Heat playing a game in Atlanta on Saturday that tipped off at 7:30 p.m. and then against the Spurs in San Antonio on Sunday at 7 p.m. less than 24 hours later.

The Heat’s next back-to-back will take place in New York, facing the New York Knicks on Nov. 24 and Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 25.

INJURY REPORT

The Heat ruled out Jamal Cain (G League), R.J. Hampton (G League), Tyler Herro (right ankle sprain) and Caleb Martin (left knee tendinosis) for Tuesday’s game against the Hornets. Josh Richardson is listed as probable with back spasms.

The Hornets will be without Gordon Hayward (right hamstring strain), Brandon Miller (left ankle sprain), James Bouknight (left knee surgery), Miles Bridges (league suspension), Cody Martin (left knee injury recovery), Frank Ntilikina (left tibia non-displaced fracture) and Terry Rozier (left groin strain) against the Heat.