Dealing players for draft picks could be a simple solution for meeting Dwyane Wade‘s salary demands, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Wade has one year left on his contract at $16.1MM, but he can opt out and is seeking a maximum deal of an estimated $23.5MM. Winderman writes that the Heat could give Wade what he wants and move salary elsewhere to keep their payroll in the same area. He mentions Mario Chalmers [due $4.3MM next season], Chris Andersen [$5MM], Josh McRoberts [$5.5MM] and Udonis Haslem [$2.85MM] as potential trade candidates.
There’s more this morning from South Beach:
- Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky has the skills and maturity that appeal to Heat president Pat Riley, Winderman writes in a separate story. Miami already has Chris Bosh at power forward, backed up by McRoberts and Haslem, but Kaminsky is the type of player who could fit the system, especially if one of the veterans is traded. Winderman has Kaminsky ranked as the second-best power forward in the draft, behind Kristaps Porzingis of Latvia.
- Two opt-in decisions this week make it more important than ever for the Heat to keep Wade, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. The Pelicans’ Eric Gordon and the Hornets’ Gerald Henderson both chose to delay free agency and stay with their current teams, meaning there are two fewer options for the Heat if Wade decides to leave Miami. Jackson lists the top potentially available shooting guards as Wesley Matthews, Danny Green, Arron Afflalo and Monta Ellis. Afflalo hasn’t made a decision on opting out, but Miami is interested in him, Jackson writes, and he cites Dirk Nowitzki as predicting Ellis will opt out. But even if the Heat were to lose Wade, they would not have the cap space to sign any of those four, leaving a sign-and-trade as their best option.
- Miami’s reported offer to Goran Dragic could put him back in play for the Lakers, speculates Ben Rosales of SB Nation. The Heat are expected to make Dragic a five-year offer in the neighborhood of $80MM, which would be far less than the maximum of more than $100MM. Both figures are estimated until the end of the moratorium next month. The Lakers, Rosales notes, have expressed a willingness to give Dragic a full max deal, which for them would be four years at an estimated $85MM.
I’ve suggested that the Heat should look to rebuild their bench for the last month or so. It just makes too much sense. They can get similar value at a lower cost. Looking at the Heat’s future cap situation, I feel like there are different ways for them to conduct this offseason if they want to set up for the next few years.
Though I think the Heat only really need a 3 and D player, and probably another shooter; Could the Heat attempt to move any, or all of, Josh McRoberts, Mario Chalmers, Birdman, Shabazz Napier, and possibly even Hassan Whiteside and/or Luol Deng if the right deal were to arise for them (obviously assuming Deng opts in or they agree to some sort of sign and trade if he opts out)? Maybe they could add a draft pick? Then, the roster space could allow them to bring in a couple of more young, and cheap talent to fill out the roster, and create flexibility. Maybe sign a free agent or 2 (depending on who or what they have to take on in the prior trade(s), and call it an offseason? Primary targets in free agency would be Danny Green, Wesley Matthews (if he gets a lesser short deal off the injury), or Corey Brewer. Secondary options being Aaron Afflalo and Mike Dunleavy.
Preferable roster in this case would be Dragic, Wade, Deng, Bosh, Whiteside (assuming Deng and Whiteside would be back), Tyler Johnson, James Ennis, Udonis Haslem, the 3 draft picks, Zoran Dragic, the 2 free agents/whatever they take on in the trade(s)(preferably 3 and D players), and then fill out the roster with young camp invitees like Khem Birch, Shawn Jones, Andre Dawkins, Beasley, and a couple of non drafted guys in this year’s group, getting to that total of 20 for camp. This would allow us to still compete this coming year, but have more flexibility moving forward, so we dont end up like the Clippers, and if anything, we would have some assets to deal during the season if the need arose. Obviously, a lot of things are probably complicated, and this stuff likely wont happen. I just think the Heat should consider moving those 4, and possibly those 6 players. I also think we should seriously consider that its pretty risky to risk everything on assuming that we can bring in Kevin Durant. There are a lot of options available this offseason to be able to build a contender.