In January 2020, the Miami Heat faced a decision when it came to 3-point specialists available in the G League, opting to sign Gabe Vincent from the Sacramento Kings’ affiliate rather than promote Mychal Mulder from their own G League team.
Now the Heat have both.
In a move than only impacts the regular-season roster, the Heat have signed Mulder to a two-way contract, shifting the 6-foot-3 into the spot previously held by Kyle Guy, who has been waived.
The move brings Mulder, 27, full circle with the Heat, after he spent training camp with the team in 2019. He then went on to play a combined 82 NBA games with the Golden State Warriors and Orlando Magic.
Mulder was signed to a two-year contract, typical of such Heat late-season moves, making him available for the team’s offseason and summer-league programs. Players under two-way contracts are not eligible for the playoffs, but can train and travel with the team during the postseason.
Both Mulder and Guy have been playing for the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, whose season ends April 2. The Heat’s regular season ends April 10.
Mulder has appeared in 10 games, starting nine, with the Skyforce, averaging 17.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists in 35.1 minutes per game, shooting .504 percent from the field and .443 on 3-pointers. Earlier this season, while on a two-way contract with the Magic, he appeared in 15 games for Orlando, averaging 3.7 points and 1.4 rebounds.
The transaction ends the Heat tenure of Guy, who was signed to his Heat two-way contract on Jan. 17 after previously signing 10-day contracts with the team on Dec. 30 and Jan. 10. He initially was added during the Heat roster shortfall amid a COVID outbreak.
In 19 games with the Heat, the former University of Virginia championship guard averaged 3.9 points.
During his run with the Skyforce, Guy averaged 15.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists.
Amid typical seasons, teams can sign two-way players only until midseason, with an exception made this season due to the pandemic.
Mulder, who was named by his father after former NBA player Mychal Thompson, went undrafted out of Kentucky in 2017, a Wildcats teammate of Heat center Bam Adebayo.
After starting his professional career with the Chicago Bulls’ G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, Mulder emerged with several breakout performances with the Warriors late in the 2020-21 season, including a 25-point outing against the Oklahoma City Thunder and a 28-point game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Because he was released by the Magic on Jan. 6, he would be eligible for the Heat playoff roster if converted to a standard contract by season’s end. The Heat currently do not have a vacancy on their 15-player standard roster.
Guard Javonte Smart, who currently is with the Skyforce, holds the Heat’s other two-way contract, with teams limited to two such players beyond the 15-player roster limit.
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