Miami Heat’s R.J. Hampton’s athleticism on full display
MIAMI — For a team that largely has prioritized skill over athleticism, there haven’t been many wild stallions for the Heat to rein in over the years.
Back in the franchise’s earliest days there was Harold Miner, Mark Strickland and more recently Derrick Jones Jr., with perhaps Jamal Cain also falling into that category.
Now there is unbridled athleticism in a 6-foot-4, 195-package that has caught the attention of coaches and players the past two-plus months.
The question going forward, ahead of the NBA’s mandatory regular-season Oct. 23 cutdown, is what to make of R.J. Hampton, the former No. 24 pick of the 2020 NBA draft who, at 22, remains an unknown that the Heat will attempt to further solve over their five-game preseason.
“He’s an out-of-this-world athlete,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, with the Heat opening their exhibition schedule Tuesday at Kaseya Center against the Charlotte Hornets. “But he has to find a template to find immediate success in a role,”
Such uncertainty often can be the case with those who run fast, jump high, yet seem to struggle in gaining their NBA footing.
To a degree, Hampton, who already has 162 games of NBA experience with the Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons, decided that is why it was time for a reset.
So after already earning more than $7 million in the league, Hampton decided to let the Heat write their own check on his future.
In August, while the Heat were putting their tryout prospects through the grinder, Hampton showed up on the team’s practice court and basically said he would do whatever it takes.
That currently has him on a two-way contract that pays half of the NBA minimum and is limited to 50 regular-season appearances.
“Honestly, it was Miami or nothing,” the Dallas native said. “So I put my all into wanting to be here, wanting to be a part of this organization. I got here like the beginning of August.
“It was almost like come in here and do what you do, work hard, and we’ll make decisions, we’ll talk to your agency and we’ll see what happens. It was Miami or nothing for me.”
With nothing, even at this stage, guaranteed.
Players on two-way deals can be released at any time.
“We say that we’re not for everybody. For players, that’s not for everybody, also,” Spoelstra said. “A lot of players wouldn’t do that because their agents probably aren’t mature enough and they’re not looking at the big picture.
“And that’s what he and his agent decided, they would take whatever kind of role in our program, just as long as they could spend time developing. And we’ll invest all of our resources and all of our development into him. Everybody’s path is different. So, you have that fortitude to control the things you can control.”
Asked about Hampton this past week, a veteran NBA scout not at liberty to put his name to a player under contract elsewhere, said, “Very good athlete with good size. He has to shoot better. What precisely is his game, his niche? That is unclear. He played some one, previously, but that is not his position. Does he have any above-average skills that will keep him around? Hard to pinpoint what that might be at this point.”
With Miner, it never worked out, even with the highlight dunks. With Jones, the Heat transformation was from dunking machine into quality defender in zone and passable 3-point shooter. With Strickland, a serviceable reserve was culled. With Cain, who is in camp on a two-way contract, the work is ongoing.
For Hampton, there already has been an impression.
“I think he led the camp in deflections and steals,” Spoelstra said. “And offensively really just trying to be rock solid and use his athleticism in transition or off the ball. That is an adjustment. And then he’ll continue to develop, as we’re seen him work on his pick-and-roll reads and his shooting.”
To Hampton, it is the right place at the right time.
“Miami’s almost the first place where I’ve been to, even in the short amount of time that I’ve been here, that the player development has been very conscious about wanting to work on me with certain things and what they think that can take my game to the next level,” said Hampton, who began his pro career with a season in New Zealand. “I was in Denver early, and they did that. When I kind of got to Orlando, it was kind of like, ‘Hey, we’ve got injuries, just go out and play.’ In Detroit, same thing when I got there, there were like 20 games left in the season, so just go out there and play.’
“But I would say this is the spot. They really have taken me under their wing and focused on certain areas of my game where they want me to improve.”
Now, in coming weeks, to ensure there will be more weeks with the team, the audition is at hand, at a discount.
“I mean,” Hamtpon said, “money is money at the end of the day. It’s about getting on the floor and producing. Obviously it’s been guys in the organization that have taken two-ways and produced at a high level, and now you see where they’re at.
“So guess you can’t even really think about that, honesty. You’ve just got to kind of think about putting your best foot forward and try to get on the court.”
