Heat sign D-League forward Henry Walker to 10-day deal

Suddenly confronted with a sizeable void in their frontcourt, the Miami Heat have dipped their toes back into the D-League pool - which has already been remarkably fruitful for them this season - in search of help.

The Heat have signed forward Henry Walker from their D-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, to a 10-day contract, the team announced Saturday. 

In 17 games for the Skyforce this season, Walker has averaged 15.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and a steal, while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 44.8 percent from 3-point range. 

Walker was once a highly-touted prospect, but knee injuries throughout his college career threw his upward trajectory off course, and he was ultimately drafted in the second round (47th overall) by the Washington Wizards in 2008.

He's mostly bounced around the D-League since, with some brief NBA stints with the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks. It's unclear how much run he'll get with the Heat. At 6-foot-6, Walker won't replace Chris Bosh's size or his presence at the defensive end, but he can function similarly as a stretch forward on offense, assuming his torrid shooting translates to the NBA level. 

The Heat have to feel at least somewhat optimistic about that prospect considering the diamonds they've unearthed in the D-League rough this season. Hassan Whiteside's obscene block rate has him on a record pace and he ranks third in the NBA in PER. Tyler Johnson hasn't burned quite as brightly, but he's shooting 61.5 percent from 3-point range (not a misprint) and averaging nearly 14 points per 36 minutes.