The Heat’s recent hot streak hasn’t changed the fact that this will be a crucial summer for the organization, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Miami won 14 of its last 16 games before the All-Star break to climb back into the Eastern Conference playoff race. But Winderman says team president Pat Riley will have bigger issues than the postseason to consider when he decides what moves to make before Thursday’s trade deadline. The Heat will probably enter the offseason with Chris Bosh‘s salary-cap space reclaimed and with the knowledge that Tyler Johnson‘s cap hit will balloon from $5.9MM next season to $19.2MM in 2018/19. That creates a sense of urgency for a big move this summer. Miami will also have its draft pick this season, although the team appears out of the running for a top choice, but two of the next four Heat first-rounders belong to the Suns from the Goran Dragic trade.
There’s more this morning out of Miami:
- Dragic, who once seemed a likely trade candidate because of his contract and the Heat’s poor record, has become indispensable as a team leader, Winderman writes in a separate piece. With Miami contending for a playoff spot, Dragic’s salary of more than $54MM over the next three seasons doesn’t seem nearly as oppressive. “Winning means something to him,” said coach Erik Spoelstra. “And that’s where you start with leadership, is bringing other people with you to make winning that important. And it’s uncomfortable for the majority of leaders, to take that first step. And that’s where he’s been very open to his growth.”
- The Heat are focused on making the playoffs and are more likely to be buyers than sellers as the deadline approaches, tweets Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders.
- Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald asked two Eastern Conference scouts to rate Miami’s roster. They believe Dion Waiters will get offers of $10MM to $12MM per year when he hits free agency this summer, James Johnson is better than anyone believed and will probably get at least $10MM per year as a free agent and Tyler Johnson’s production is warranting the four-year, $50MM offer that the Heat matched last summer.
Wow, the Dragic situation tells you that you shouldn’t never give up first rounders for one guy. Leaves you handcuffed for the next five years cuz you cannot trade first-rounders for a while now. And he has a huge contract? Double whammy. Why couldn’t you just sign a top-notch free agent guard in free agency in the summer? I know they needed a guard in the win now window two years ago but my goodness what a jail sentence he’s become. Great player great guy, but wow.
This comment makes no sense….Dragic is on a team friendly deal.
I’ll keep saying it. Please trade Whiteside
15.8 this year, 17 next year, 18.1 the next, and 19.2 the last year. I guess under 20 is team friendly. Good call.
You can’t get a guard of his caliber on that kind of contract. Good thing he took so much less than the max
Dragic IS on a team friendly contract.
Teams with a lot of young talent eventually get to the point of needing the stability of veteran leadership to find a balance. What better position to find that veteran perspective than at point guard? Dragic at 30 has several years of solid play and he is that man. Now fill around him.