The Heat may have a logjam for their final roster spots in 2019/20, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. Given that the team is hard-capped due to the Jimmy Butler sign-and-trade, Miami’s best bet of avoiding the $138.9MM hard cap may well be to avoid adding a 15th player.
Removing that 15th slot makes Pat Riley‘s task of rounding out a roster all that much more difficult. According to Jackson, all of Yante Maten, Duncan Robinson, Kendrick Nunn and even Udonis Haslem could be competing for Heats’ 13th and 14th roster spots.
Riley’s no stranger to making difficult decisions but with Butler on board and a higher ceiling now within reach, the Heat may still be inclined to add external support, too. Jackson presents DeMarcus Cousins as a possibility.
Jackson notes that the Heat are still exploring trade options and it’s understandable why. Simply consolidating talent could solve both the team’s problems, freeing up a roster slot while potentially adding an impact rotation player.
There’s more from Miami today:
- Among the consolation prizes for the Lakers if they do end up missing out on Kawhi Leonard could be Heat veteran Goran Dragic. Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel speculates that the 33-year-old could be a good, short-term fit for the squad as it builds out its roster.
- There’s a chance that Pat Riley may have drafted differently had he known that Jimmy Butler would be on his roster by the end of the summer, but Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reminds readers that lottery pick Tyler Herro will still have plenty of value as a shooter.
- If the Heat want to convert Kendrick Nunn‘s standard contract into a two-way deal, they’ll need to do so before August 1, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports. On that day, an additional $150,000 of his contract becomes guaranteed. The collective bargaining agreement forbids teams from converting players with more than $50,000 protection over to two-way deals. Waiving Nunn would expose him to waivers and he may get claimed.
Dragic would be excellent on the Lakers. Moreso than speed-oriented Rondo.
Can the Lakers cancel their sending Wagner, Jones, Bonga & a 2022r2 to Washington? Nothing else would be affected. Do they want to? Pelinka picked them.
Bro. Why do all Lakers fans say EVERYONE is a great fit for the Lakers.
Every year, its the same routine. Remember last year? Every Lakers fan was claiming a championship as soon as Labron arrived. I remember….. michael Beasley… ohh hes a great fit…. Javale McGee, ohhhh hes a great fit…. They could suit up Chris Bosh and Lamar Oden and Lakers fans would be claiming great fit… Bottom Line, If Kawhi does not come to the Lakers, they will fight to be a playoff team.
He’s not going to LAL. He won’t get the playing time he wants! Why is it so hard for people to accept that Kawhi, LeBron, AD, and Kuzma physically cannot be on the same roster position wise?
What do u mean? That makes zero sense… I’m not a Lakers fan. But basketball wise how doesn’t it make sense in today’s game? 3 wings and a big. Fits perfectly. So Draymond, Klay and KD didn’t fit? All 3 r wings. Stop making everyone fit into the old school box. It’s not the same game. And thank god it isn’t.
Toronto followed the old-school box precisely. GSW had injuries and still did, though their PF did a lot of playmaking. Portland did. MIL like GSW.
Basically your theory does not hold water. I note you provided no examples… The top 4 at least provided none except for especially versatile PFs.
Well considering they only have like 5 players.. yeah anyone seems like a fit. But also, McGee played well for LAL last year so he was obviously a fit.
Considering we have four players signed everyone would be a good fit. Not sure how many Laker fans you know but not one I know thought we would win a championship just because we got James. What I will say is that if he and Ball do not go down we get to and lose to the Warriors either in the second or third round. Injuries are such a huge part of this game. Just ask Golden State. In 96 short hours injuries did what no team was able to do and that bring down a dynasty. As far as fighting fir a playoff spot this year…try not to be too jealous of our 16 trophies and pass what y’all smoking
Lakers were pretty awful long before the injuries.
4th in the west it is pretty awful, right? SMH
Laker hater alert!
Implant……. are you serious? You say no lakers fans thought they were gonna win a championship? Ohhhh Ok.
LaBron, AD and Kouzma are not enough to make the playoffs. Sorry
Clearly you don’t know the game, you have 2 of the best players to ever play the game & isn’t a playoff team… oh boy the most ridiculous comment in the history of ridiculous comments!
Stop hating ain’t good for your health dude!
Heat need to get rid of Olynyk or Leonard. Would be nice to move both, but I dont see that happening. I would like to hold on to Dragic if possible, and potentially keep him the rest of his career in a Ginobli like role. I think he has another 2 years as a prominent, starter level player left, and then he would be great in a 6th man role, on a team with Winslow as the PG
The trade moratorium being what it is this year has been kind of annoying when dealing with summer league. Would have been nice to have had these 3 games to get a look at KZ Okpala and see what they have there