Bjelica stokes Heat’s trade interest; Butler, Adebayo post triple-doubles to beat Kings
The Miami Heat got a good look at Nemanja Bjelica ahead of the NBA trade deadline and then got out of town with a win over the ailing Kings.
Tyler Herro came off the bench to score 27 points while Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo both posted triple-doubles, leading the Heat to a 118-110 victory Thursday night at Golden 1 Center. The Kings lost their fifth in a row, concluding a winless five-game homestand.
Sacramento struggled without Harrison Barnes and Richaun Holmes, but it was something of a showcase game for Bjelica, who continues to be the subject of trade interest in Miami, a league source told The Sacramento Bee. The veteran power forward seized the moment in his first start of the season, scoring 25 points with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Bjelica said he is not concerned with trade rumors or proving he can help a playoff contender down the stretch.
“I don’t need to prove anything to anybody,” Bjelica said. “Like I said, I really don’t know anything about rumors about trades. That’s normal part of our life. This is my sixth year in the league, so everybody knows me as a player.”
Adebayo had 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for the Heat (12-17), which snapped a three-game losing streak despite playing on the second night of a back-to-back following Wednesday’s overtime loss to the Golden State Warriors.
Butler had 13 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists, his third consecutive triple-double. It was the first time in franchise history the Kings have allowed two players on the opposing team to post a triple-double in the same game. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Butler and Adebayo became the first teammates in NBA history to have triple-doubles in the same game multiple times.
Marvin Bagley III recorded his seventh double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Kings (12-16). DaQuan Jeffries, appearing in just his fourth game of the season, came off the bench to score a career-high 17 points, finishing a flawless 6 of 6 from the field with five 3-pointers.
More on Bjelica
Bjelica, 32, is making $7.15 million in the final year of a three-year deal with the Kings, a figure the Heat can absorb with its $7.6 million trade exception.
Bjelica started 137 games for the Kings over the past two seasons, but he had a reduced role this season and eventually dropped out of the rotation. After sitting out 14 consecutive games, Bjelica demonstrated his professionalism and readiness when coach Luke Walton called on him a week ago due to injuries.
“Belly’s great,” Walton said. “He’s working very hard whether he’s in the rotation or not.”
Over the past four games — his first action since Jan. 9 — Bjelica averaged 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 23.5 minutes per game.
“To be honest with you, I work my a-- off,” Bjelica said. “That’s what everybody’s supposed to do when you’re out of the rotation or you don’t play or you play less.”
Teammates have seen Bjelica putting in that work.
“You always talk about what being a pro is and one of the things about being a pro is always being ready,” Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox said. “Even during that stretch where he wasn’t paying, he’s always here. He’s one of the first guys in. He’s working out. He’s shooting the ball. He’s still working on his body. Even after games, he’d come upstairs and he’d condition after all games.
“He’s always ready. That’s what being a pro is and he’s one of those guys. He’s been a pro for a long time whether he was in Europe or here in the states. He knows what he’s doing. He knows what’s being asked of him and he was ready.”
Injury updates
The Kings were missing two starters after Barnes and Holmes were ruled out due to injuries.
Barnes sat out with a left foot strain, ending his streak of 176 consecutive games. It was the first game Barnes has missed as a member of the Kings and the first game he has missed due to injury since Oct. 24, 2018.
Barnes had started 127 consecutive games for the Kings since coming to Sacramento in a 2019 trade with the Dallas Mavericks. He is averaging 15.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists this season.
Holmes missed his second game in a row due to right knee soreness. He is averaging 12.8 points and 7.7 rebounds.
Walton said he expects Barnes and Holmes to return “very soon.”
Starting lineup
Walton had to improvise with his starting lineup after Barnes and Holmes were ruled out. Walton elected to start Fox, Buddy Hield and Glenn Robinson III with Bagley and Bjelica.
The results were not good. The Kings committed six turnovers in the first quarter and trailed 57-43 after shooting 33.3% in the opening half. They made just 16 of 48 from the field and 4 of 19 from 3-point range. Miami led by as many as 23 points in the third quarter.
Fox had 11 points and 10 assists. Hield was held to five points on 2-of-10 shooting, including 1 of 8 from 3-point range. Robinson grabbed nine rebounds but scored only four points.
Up next
The Kings will begin a five-game road trip Saturday when they visit the Chicago Bulls.
The Bulls (12-15) are coming off wins over the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons. They will visit the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night before returning to Chicago to face the rested Kings on the second night of a back-to-back.
The Bulls are led by Zach LaVine, who is averaging 28.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists. He has been even better as of late, averaging 35.5 points over the past six games. He erupted for 46 points in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Feb. 10.
Injury report
Heat: OUT — Avery Bradley (calf); Goran Dragic (ankle); Meyers Leonard (shoulder); Chris Silva (hip).
Kings: OUT — Harrison Barnes (foot); Richaun Holmes (knee); Chimezie Metu (wrist); Jahmi’us Ramsey (G League); Robert Woodard II (G League).
Kings upcoming schedule
Feb. 20 at Chicago Bulls, 6 p.m.
Feb. 21 at Milwaukee Bucks, 6 p.m.
Feb. 23 at Brooklyn Nets, 4:30 p.m.
Feb. 25 at New York Knicks, 4:30 p.m.
Feb. 26 at Detroit Pistons, 5 p.m.
This story was originally published February 19, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
