Miami Heat add Wayne Ellington as developmental coach

MIAMI — In the wake of losing Max Strus and Gabe Vincent in free agency, the Miami Heat have turned to one of the most efficient 3-point shooters in franchise history … to coach.

Wayne Ellington, nicknamed “The Man with the Golden Arm” during his tenure with the Heat from 2016 to 2019, has been added to Erik Spoelstra’s staff as a developmental assistant, taking the place of former Heat guard Anthony Carter, who has joined Taylor Jenkins’ coaching staff with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Ellington has been out of the league since playing for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021-22. His hiring continues a pattern of Spoelstra adding assistants who previously played with the Heat, as is the case with current assistants Chris Quinn, Malik Allen and Caron Butler. Spoelstra’s other current assistants are Octavio De La Grana, Eric Glass, Rob Fodor, Dan Bisaccio and Remy Ndiaye.

Ellington, 35, is 10th on the Heat’s all-time 3-pointers list, with 433. He set the Heat record of 227 3-pointers in the 2017-18 season, a record current Heat guard Duncan Robinson three times has surpassed.

The Heat open camp Tuesday at Florida Atlantic University.