Ira Winderman: Never too late for the Heat to take their time

MIAMI — As the Miami Heat continue their roster waiting game — even with the impending agreement with Klay Thompson — two names merit consideration when it comes to the current consternation over not fully filling out the roster.

Landry Shamet.

Zach LaVine.

And, no, they have nothing in common.

But both could become part of a common thread for the balance of this Heat offseason.

Shamet last fall went to New York Knicks training camp without a guarantee. Zero. Zilch. Zippo.

From there, he beat out the likes of Malcolm Brogdon, Garrison Matthews and Alex Len in an open competition for a final roster spot.

Eight months later he was an NBA champion.

The point being, that instead of committing all available funds in July or August or even September, there remains something to be said about open camp competition, as the Heat remain in position to do, especially with DeMar DeRozan taking a deal with the Denver Nuggets.

For the Knicks, such an approach allowed them to be mindful of the luxury tax and tax aprons, while also maximizing a final roster spot for a player who would prove to be a playoff contributor.

With the Heat, there would be benefits from doing the same.

With the NBA’s guarantee deadline not until Jan. 10, which also is after the 10-day contract period begins, such a non-guaranteed deal for their 14th roster spot (the final one that likely will be filled in camp) would afford not only salary flexibility but also roster flexibility. If it doesn’t work out, then on to the next one, perhaps even one of the players waived during camp,

For so long, and for so many teams, the rush to fill out rosters often creates nothing short of traffic jams, entering camp beyond the limit of 15 guaranteed roster spots. That is among the reasons that Thompson got his buyout, with the Dallas Mavericks having 16 under guaranteed contract before that move.

In that regard, the Mavericks are not alone.

Which takes the conversation to LaVine.

No, the Sacramento Kings have made it clear, LaVine is not headed to the buyout market at the moment.

At. The. Moment.

As one NBA general manager noted, that might sound well and good at the moment. But what happens when there is more losing in Sacramento, when LaVine starts taking minutes from Sacramento’s developmental wing, when LaVine decides enough losing is enough?

The point being, that there will remain the possibility of a LaVine buyout.

As well could be the case with several win-now, produce-now veterans stuck in going-nowhere situations. Max Strus, about to enter the final year of his contract with the great unknown that is the Los Angeles Clippers, could fall into that category, as well (unless, of course, he comes upon one of those lucrative wink-wink Clippers endorsement deals).

That is another reason why a team operating under a hard cap such as the Heat would be wise to keep something in reserve — in regard to both salary space and roster space — in case the unexpected becomes reality on the buyout market, with the deadline to “stretch” waived contracts on Aug. 29.

Typically, the buyout market waits until between February’s NBA trade deadline and before the March 1 buyout deadline for playoff eligibility.

But this year, with so many players moved this offseason more for cap than rotation reasons, that version of NBA Christmas could come early.

When it comes to the waiting game, the Heat have had success by slow-playing the latter stages of offseasons, be it with Gary Payton before the run to the 2006 title or in more recent years with the likes of Dion Waiters, P.J. Tucker or Victor Oladipo. Even last year’s camp tryout with Precious Achiuwa was at least worth the shot.

Yes, the LeBron James move to the Philadelphia 76ers stung. But let’s not overstate Bradley Beal re-upping with the Clippers or DeRozan turning to the Nuggets. So be it.

In South Florida, where the school year confusingly continues to start earlier and earlier in August, with school zones now in full effect, there is a sense it is growing late in the NBA offseason.

But it isn’t.

And a measured approach by the Heat in the wake of the Thompson turn of events could both create camp competition and also leave the door open for something bigger down the road.