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Intriguing Thomas Bryant knows Heat well as he arrives in NBA free agency

ira winderman, south florida sun-sentinel
·3 min read

LAS VEGAS — When the Miami Heat added Josh Richardson at the start of NBA free agency, it was easy to connect the dots, Richardson having been drafted by the Heat in the 2015 second round, spending four seasons with the team, and then wandering among five teams for four years before returning.

It turns out the other player the Heat added on the first day of free agency also had ample, if disjointed, connections to the Heat.

No, Thomas Bryant hasn’t previously played for the Heat. Yet, the sixth-year center has a timeline with plenty of Heat-ed moments over his NBA tenure.

It was against the Heat, on Jan. 9, 2021, while with the Washington Wizards, when Bryant suffered a torn ACL after a collision with new Heat teammates Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson. The knee injury sidelined him for a calendar year.

“I totally forgot about that,” Bryant said this week of that moment two seasons ago. “It’s been a journey. But I will say that has helped me mentally and physically, mentally the most, of just trying to overcome obstacles.

“Throughout that time, it really helped me mature as well. So dealing in different situations I’ve been through, recently, with team to team or anything else like that, has helped me grow through the times. Times that may seem bad aren’t as bad.”

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Lately that especially was the case, this time as a member of the Denver Nuggets, who beat the Heat 4-1 in last month’s NBA Finals, Bryant less than a month removed from that championship parade.

“You want to stay with a team that would want you,” Bryant said of his parting with the Nuggets. “But if you have to move, you have to move. I learned that early.”

What he saw from the bench during those Finals was how he could fit into Erik Spoelstra’s Heat system.

“I feel like I can help this team, based on what I’ve seen,” he said. “I’m an interior presence, interior scoring, as well. My versatility out there is to be able to shoot the three, as well, and make mid-range jump shots and score at the rim. But I feel like the versatility that I will bring to the table will really help.”

With his Nuggets going against the Heat in the Finals, there was ample opportunity to scout this next stop, agreeing to a two-year, $5.4 million contract that includes a player option for the second season.

“We all had to lock in on the scouting report. So I feel like I have a good understanding of their all-around game and how they play with their position-less basketball, and the countless efforts of trying to get downhill,” he said.

“So I feel I have a good grasp of understanding the Heat culture.”

To get a better grasp of that culture, he reached out to a pair of fellow former Indiana Hoosiers who were with the Heat last season, guard Victor Oladipo and center Cody Zeller.

“I spoke to Vic a little bit about it, and also Cody, as well,” said Bryant, who was drafted out of Indiana by the Utah Jazz in the second round in 2017. “They always tell me this organization is about toughness and about the work. and you’re built on that, you pride yourself on that, so you should fit right in. So just understand, it’s a different culture over here.”

Still just 25 despite a career arc that has seen him play for the Wizards, Nuggets and twice for the Los Angeles Lakers, Bryant said the goal is to provide support for Adebayo.

He also said he is open to playing alongside Adebayo, considering outside range that goes to the 3-point line.

“If the opportunity presents itself, absolutely,” he said. “I feel like both of our games could complement each other if we work on it and pick up the chemistry.

“But if the opportunity presents itself, absolutely, I feel that would be a really great weapon to have.”