The Heat and Thunder never came close to making a deal involving Chris Paul, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.
Miami was pursuing Russell Westbrook before Oklahoma City agreed to trade him to Houston last week. The focus shifted to a possible deal that would bring Paul to the Heat, but they don’t have the same level of enthusiasm about acquiring him that they did for Westbrook. (Twitter link). A report today indicates that Oklahoma City is pessimistic about its chances of moving Paul and may keep him on the roster for the entire season.
The Heat were only willing to take on the three years and $124MM left on Paul’s contract if OKC met certain demands, including the return of Miami’s draft picks for 2021 and 2023, Jackson adds. The Heat are reluctant to absorb that much salary because it would restrict their flexibility for the summer of 2021.
There’s more from South Florida:
- Miami’s next chance to add a star could come if Bradley Beal turns down an extension offer from the Wizards, according to Jackson (Twitter link). He suggests the Heat will be among the teams contacting Washington about Beal if they don’t reach an agreement. Beal will become eligible for the extension, which would pay him $111MM over three seasons, on July 26. Jackson notes that the Wizards have turned aside all trade offers involving Beal so far, but he will become a free agent in 2021 without the extension.
- Some of the Heat’s expiring contracts don’t look so bad after this summer’s spending and may prove to be valuable trade assets, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Kelly Olynyk and James Johnson both have 2020/21 player options, but Winderman states that Olynyk might opt out of his $13.2MM salary in view of this year’s market. Johnson is more likely to opt in for $16MM because of his age. Goran Dragic and Meyers Leonard have expiring deals with no options and are expected to be trade chips.
- Frustrated by jokes over his body last season, Dion Waiters showed off his leaner, stronger physique in an Instragram post Monday, as relayed in an ESPN story. Waiters admits to being in a “dark place mentally & physically” during the past season as he tried to shake off the effects of an ankle injury.
The only way the Thunder get rid of Paul is if they include some of those draft picks they just collected.
Not really. I think a Minnesota deal – Wiggins for Paul – is a real possibility.
Also, if Washington starts taking calls on Bradley Beal, OKC has more capital than anybody. Gallinari and a boatload of picks could get that done.
In that case, the Thunder would ride with a poor man’s dynamic duo of CP3 and Beal.
I know, isn’t it strange that Oklahoma City wanted pics to take on Chris Paul, but they’re not willing to facilitate that Arrangement of picks when another team takes on Chris Paul and that huge contract.
The Thunder have quickly forgotten their goal of getting out from under Westbrooks large contract. Now they’re getting greedy.
@gary You’re reading it wrong. Westbrook is a better player than Paul so yes, they wanted picks. Paul is still a reat PG although overpaid. Why wouldn’t they want picks in return from Miami? People get so caught up in his contract. Most NBA players are overpaid. Paul is still great at what he does.
Lol Paul and Miami’s 2021 and 2023 picks…I see why OKC would rather hang onto him
I bet they could convince Pelinka to take CP3 for expirings after Dec 15 no picks attached, OKC shouldn’t make Shai play a whole season with him tho
I’m actually excited to see SGA play the 2.
It could go either way. CP3 is already playing the 2, and OKC will be more likely to give SGA the choice of spots. IDK what he prefers.
I bet they stay over 50/50 regardless.
Dion Waiters is not expiring: link to spotrac.com
The Heat don’t have any assets to offer for Beal. Why would the Wizards trade him for picks 5 years out?
Heat could offer Herro plus Derrick Jones or Winslow, plus expiring deals or rotation players on short deals, plus the pick and pick swaps. If they end up with Chris Paul, they can send over multiple picks, assuming they get 1 back. That being said, several teams can likely beat their offer. However, there are reports that Beal wants to play for the Heat, and if that is true, and he claims he wont resign anywhere, it could lead to them having one of the best offers, although I could see a few teams trading for him anyway
Any deal of Washington with Miami is gonna suck, as Miami hasn’t got anything good & juicy to excite anyone, much less for a star like Beal.
There are zero reports that Beal wants to play in Miami. He loves DC and has said nothing about wanting a trade.
Also: why would the Wizards trade him for a bunch of role players to a team in their division? That makes zero sense.
Olynyk went from overpaid to underpaid overnight.
Well he’s from my hometown and I played with him in highschool, he’s been paid more than anyone from there ever has I guarantee that lol.
Kelowna, BC ?
Miami has said they will take on John Walls contract if the Wizards trade Beal to them. If you are Washington, you can’t turn that away. They have been trying to unload Wall for some time now and if it means giving up Beal then do it. I love Beal but the Wizards aren’t going anywhere so trade Beal now before he walks and you get nothing especially if it means you get to get rid of Walls contract. To me its an easy decision. Just rebuild
@mgrap84 Where did you read that because I’ve heard nothing about a Heat trade for Wall.
It’s been going around for a couple of months
Beal and Wall (or CP3), together with Butler and dead money, I believe would leave the Heat with maybe 2 mm per roster spot for the balance of the team under their hard cap. If it’s been floated, then it has, but the Heat can’t like their existing team very much, and the Wiz must like it some, since they will basically be switching uniforms.
Pretty easy trade… Beal + Wall for Dragic, Waiters & Olynyk. Maybe the Wiz find a 3rd team to dump Waiters & Olynyk for expiring contracts…
OR you go for Gold:
link to espn.com
Thunder: Wall & J Johnson + (2) unprotected 1sts from each team
Wizards: Dragic, Olynyk, Waiters + a Heat unprotected pick
Heat: Beal & CP3
I like that for everyone except the wizards
The picks part is hard to gauge but… Any GM if he had the cap space would request 4 1sts minimum to just take on Wall. This is probably the only year they will be able to unload him bc his salary figure is 19M for matching. You give up picks or you give up an asset like Beal… a la DLo to dump Mozgov, but this is like dumping 3 Mozgovs.
Maybe if you had a 4th team willing to part with a protected 1st for Waiters, JJ, or Olynyk. Or you replace the Miami pick with Bam.
I don’t think Miami has 3 firsts to trade
I have 2 Miami 1sts, 1 Wiz 1st.
TM doesn’t account for the “hard cap” – outgoing salary has to match incoming plus min-wage for empty roster slots up to 13. Winslow (maybe Leonard instead) would have to go somewhere.
Dear everyone,
Bradley Beal has not requested a trade. Please stop coming up with BS trades to land him on your awful team in return for horrible picks and overpaid role players.
Thanks,
Wizards Fans (all 7 of us)
Dear Wizards fans, John Wall’s contract will keep you in NBA purgatory for the next 5+ years. As they say when the plane is going down, smoke em if you got em.
You say that as if Wall can’t come back to play at a high level,and if he does,they still have 1 of the better backcourts without any other significant commitments.They could end up high in the lottery,with enough cap room to sign a max fa next offseason,with Wall and Beal.
Wall will be 29 when he comes back from ACL and Achillies tears. Case History… Rudy Gay 30, Wesley Matthew’s 29, Boogie 27, Brand 28, Brandon Jennings 26, LaPhonso Ellis 26. None of these guys has come close to what they were before. Dominique Wilkins is the only guy to put up stats post year and Kobe ball hogging on a terrible Lakers squad.
I have little faith in Wall returning form. KD can shoot the lights out and 7FT, his defense will regress substantially but his shooting and scoring from the outside should remain.
Actually Beal expressed a strong interest in playing with Butler. Seeing how he is on the Heat team, it’s not real hard to make the connection.
If Beal turns down the extension, then it’s game on for a Beal, Wall trade deal and start the rebuild.
Unless the Wizards want to send Wall,Bryant and 3 – 1st to move to the Heat.
Thus making Beal the franchise player of the future.
Nah, probably not.