Trevor Keels entered the Las Vegas Summer League with a single purpose: prove he belongs on a Miami Heat roster. The 23-year-old, whose birthday falls on Aug. 26, told the organization he will "do whatever it takes" to earn either a two-way or a standard contract.
Keels was selected with the 42nd overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. He has appeared in just 11 regular-season games and has never signed an NBA standard contract. After stints on Exhibit 10 deals and a 10-day contract with the Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves, he signed a two-way contract with Miami in February and finished last season on the same deal. Miami declined a qualifying offer this summer, making him an unrestricted free agent but still eligible for one more two-way season.
In his first summer-league outing, Keels helped keep the Heat competitive in a 93-88 loss to the Orlando Magic, a result that left Miami at 1-1 in the tournament. He displayed the three-point shooting that originally attracted the Heat, while also showing the willingness to take on defensive assignments that have been a focus of his offseason work.
Heat assistant coach and summer-league head coach Wayne Ellington praised the progress. "Obviously, yeah, he’s a very good shooter," Ellington said, adding that Keels "has taken a leap" on defense, improving his weak-side and on-ball efforts and showing greater attention to detail on that end of the floor.
Keels echoed the sentiment, noting, "I don’t take it to heart. It’s the business. I know what I got, I know what I can do. I’m happy they gave me an opportunity to play in the summer league. I’m going to earn a two-way back or earn a contract back. I love the organization. They do a good job of communicating, and I’m all in. I’m going to do whatever it takes to get a contract or a two-way."
The Heat will evaluate his performance as they shape the roster for the upcoming season. If Keels can maintain his shooting efficiency and demonstrate the defensive consistency highlighted by Ellington, a two-way contract is realistic; a standard deal would require him to outshine existing bench guards.
