Miami Heat teammates are for life. When one is in need, another is willing to come to the rescue, even if they are teammates no more. The latest situation, however, was more than a bit unpleasant and awkward. Forward Okaro White went to pick up new Los Angeles Clippers center Willie Reed from jail on Sunday morning. He ended up there because he supposedly hit his wife while going through his offseason drills back in Miami.
White comes to Reed's aid
Reed was arrested early on Sunday morning after an incident with his wife, allegedly brought on by her demands for a divorce.
He was released on bond and ordered to stay away from his wife. When he left prison, he was reportedly met by White, his former Heat teammate. But why White came to get him from Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center is unclear. It must have been the bonds of friendship that formed between them during their time on the same team.
Willie Reed has been released Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center to former Heat teammate and current Heat forward Okaro White.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) August 6, 2017
It speaks to the Heat's culture that White was there for Reed during his biggest time of need, albeit allegedly of his own making. Pat Riley has presided over the team in a godfather-style way for some time now.
Even though he has caused some fractures with some of the franchise's most important players, the bonds on the team are clearly strong. Reed will definitely have at least one person to lean on as the criminal proceeds and uprooting of his personal life begins.
Heat players headed in different directions
For Reed, there's nowhere to go but down.
After his time with the Heat last season, he expected to pull a decent contract in free agency. Instead, he had to sign a minimum one-year deal with the Clippers, hoping his windfall would come next season. That likely won't ever come now. Depending on the legal course of action, Reed can expect to be suspended for at least a handful of games next season.
None of that considers his personal life and possible legal sentencing, which could also spell trouble for the former Heat center.
Okaro White is in much better shape. He played decently in 35 games for the Heat last season, his first taste of the NBA. He received a partially guaranteed contract from the team earlier in the week, signalling that Miami is ready to try and help him develop into a rotational piece going forward. Whether or not that actually happens is up in the air, but White certainly hasn't done anything that would damage his standing in the league or with the team, as Reed has now done.
