Miami Heat center Thomas Bryant is back with the Heat on a new one-year, minimum deal after he opted out of his player option before free agency began. He would test out the waters around the league, but ultimately decided to come back to Miami as he spoke for the first time Wednesday after his new deal saying that the intention was to “see what was available,” but at the end of the day he loves the organization.
“Me and my agent, we both talked and we thought, just for us was to just to look at the market and just see what was available,” Bryant said. “And for us it was never about any misfortune or anything like that. I love the Miami Heat personally, I love the way that their culture is, the coaching staff, and the guys that they have around each other. It was about just for myself as a player and everything individually of just what was else might be out there what potentially could be out there.”
Bryant talks about coming back to Heat with a ton of centers
Bryant joins back a Heat team that are filled with centers as besides one of the team's cornerstones in Bam Adebayo, the team re-signed Kevin Love to a two-year deal, and even drafted a seven-foot fellow Indiana Hoosier in Kel'el Ware. While playing time was already sparse for Bryant last season with Miami, he said that any team has a ton of big-men on their roster, but he fills in a need that the organization is looking for.
“For me, it's just like there is a lot of centers on any team, it's all about finding your way, your niche, and everything on what the team needs from you,” Bryant said. “For me personally, I got great feedback from the from guys in Miami and just knowing that there are the other guys out there, of course everybody's out there competing but for me, it's just seeing the guys are there and seeing what this organization brings to the table and everything. I just feel like I fit that mold that the Miami Heat fit and produce out there so I feel like coming back to the Miami Heat was probably one one of the better decisions that I made.”
What Bryant wants to improve on going into next Heat season
Despite being 26-years old, Bryant has been a part of three other teams like the Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, and even the Denver Nuggetsm, being a part of the championship team that beat Miami in the 2023 NBA Finals. Going into this upcoming season, Bryant wants to improve on team chemistry and with a full season and a summer about to be under his belt, he said to ClutchPoints that it will be helpful.
“I would say the things that I'm working on improving is just trying to find that chemistry real quickly with this team that we have now,” Bryant said. “Going into last year, it was very difficult for a guy that was just coming in with the Miami Heat organization that with guys that have been together for three, four, or five years together. You know, it's a little difficult trying to get that team chemistry and that chemistry that you want to have in order to try and produce for your team and help your team in any way shape or form.”
“So I feel like that will be big right there, especially in the summertime of just knowing what the organization is, now knowing what they expect from the players, the guy that you might be with, and going to be probably playing with or be around more, so that'll help a lot in just continuing to the overall game of just being a great defensive rebounder, offensive rebounder, cleaning up the glass, blocking shots, and consistently making the three ball as well.”
At any rate, Bryant hopes to be a huge factor in helping the Heat improve after their second straight season finishing at the eighth seed.
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