The Miami Heat made two roster moves Monday, placing forward Stefan Jankovic on waivers to open up a roster spot and then signing center Vashil Fernandez.
“He’s a player that we brought in in September that we liked,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told The Palm Beach Post regrading Fernandez. “He’s that long, athletic, shot-blocking big that we’ve seemed to have had some success with before. We’re going to take a look at him for the next few days."
Fernandez, a rookie out of Valparaiso, finished last season as the NCAA leader in blocks with 3.31 per game and earned the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year award.
Jankovic, another undrafted rookie, had been limited during most of the preseason due to a foot/ankle injury.
"It was unfortunate that he [Jankovic] sprained his ankle, he wasn’t able to participate too much in training camp," Spoelstra said. "But we are encouraged by the development he made before that. Now will come the next decision, and that’s really in his hands. But we would like to continue the relationship with him."
The Heat will likely waive Fernandez by Oct. 24, when NBA rosters need to be set and trimmed to 15, and then hope he joins Jankovic in the D-League with Miami's affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
