The Heat should be interested in acquiring wing players with length, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes. The team’s current starting small forward, Josh Richardson, is listed at 6’6″ and in today’s NBA, that’s considered short for the position.
“The switch-ability is key,”an Eastern Conference scout tells Winderman. “That is critical, especially for the three-four. People, when they think about that, he’s going to guard threes, but can he guard fours?
“Players at the three…they tend to merge either way, either closer to fours or as wings. People do not talk about pure threes anymore.”
Here’s more from Miami:
- In a separate piece, Winderman wonders if Oregon’s Bol Bol is worth the gamble for Miami. The Heat own the No. 13 overall pick in the upcoming draft.
- The Heat could use the No. 13 overall pick to offload some payroll from the roster, Winderman hears (in an additional piece). Dion Waiters, who has been speculated as a trade target of the Warriors, and James Johnson stand as two possible candidates to be moved.
- Conditioning was an issue for Waiters this past season, Winderman notes. Coach Eric Spoelstra touched on it at the end of the season. “When he gets in optimal shape, he’s going to also be able to get to the basket when he needs to,” Spoelstra said. “He was still able to do that at times, not consistently enough during the course of a game and through contact and through fatigue.”
Waiters to GSW… for what?
If/when Durant opts out, will GSW have the apparent capspace for Waiters or do the cap holds eat that up?
I think no space, but I don’t get Waiters to GSW.
The bigger question is what do the warriors give up for waiters? There is no real trade assets. Evans? Jones? That is about it in tradeable players unless Bell who is a restricted FA.
They’re welcome to Bell, I doubt they would want him.
Waiters is not worth much considering his salary and game.
He’s just a perfect guy to fill in a spot as the Warriors tread water next year. He makes enough money the heat want to dump him, and the Warriors are willing to take that on and give up a bell, like arc89 said.
Kind of a stopgap plan for the Warriors. A guy worthy of a starting spot and available for cheap.
The only obvious, and workable trade in the trade machine would be Draymond, Iguodala for Waiters, James Johnson, Kelly Olynyk and #13 pick…Heat throw in Derrick Jones and GS throws back their #28 pick if necessary
Hawks can almost just absorb his salary.
Grizzlies could swap Bradley and the Heat cut him save 2M.
Waiters + 13 to the Cavs for JR Smith makes a lot of sense.
Knicks could do Ntilikina + Thomas (if not cut yet). Would help them in a trade to have #3 and #13 plus a contract to send back.
I don’t know if it impacts resigning Bulter and Harris but Sixers could swap Simmons non-guaranteed contract for Waiters and #13. Bench depth is a big need. Not many ways to get it.
The griz are trying to save money so they won’t want to give up Bradley’s non guaranteed
Waiters and the 13 to save a little money this year is a hugely short sided move
Ntilikina May barely be worth a 2nd rounder him and Thomas for waiters would make sense but not with that pick added in
Thomas is 1M guaranteed. Knicks wont add cap space unless there is an incentive.
Grizzlies, well they are at 101M less capholds regardless unless they plan on cutting Bradley themselves and saving 10M. If they are cost cutting then Valanciunas is gone. If they trade Conley they will save a few bones too.
The Knicks want to keep Thomas as a mentor. He will probably be cut and brought back in a Udonis Haslem type role.
He’ll be cut (by whatever team he’s on) by June 30. I believe the Knicks could sign him for minimum if they choose, since it would be a new league year.
BTW, the Grizzlies GM called and said he would happily trade if the Sixers are trading Ben Simmons.
I guess it is a gap in the Morey rule that Lance Thomas can be traded (before June 30) with his full 2018-19 contract number used for matching, with no 2019-20 salary for the acquiring team, so long as they cut him prior to June 30. Whereas, if it were a team option, this couldn’t happen.
The problem with the Knicks using this particular “asset” is Thomas’ salary isn’t included in their cap space projections, so neither is any return salary. They’d have to give up on signing two max FAs. By all accounts, they (vs reporters) aren’t conceding that.
Absolutely no picks to move contracts. Makes no sense at all.
Would ride this team out as is with the #13 and a bought 2nd. Even if they end up a few million over the Tax so what.
Andy Elisburg will have them under by the end of the year.
No long term bad deals, period.
They moved TJ and that was Huge.