The Heat have expressed interest in negotiating a trade for Russell Westbrook, who views the possibility of playing in Miami as appealing, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.
A report earlier on Monday indicated that the Thunder are receptive to trade inquiries for Westbrook in the aftermath of the blockbuster deal sending Paul George to the Clippers.
The Heat made a bold move in free agency by gaining a commitment from Jimmy Butler and engineering a sign-and-trade for the swingman. A Westbrook/Butler pairing could make Miami an instant contender in the wide open Eastern Conference, though contractually it would have long-term implications.
Westbrook, 30, has four years and $171MM remaining on his contract, including a $47MM player option in the final year. Moving Westbrook’s contract for future salary-cap relief might be the best Oklahoma City can do at this point.
Miami has already traded away its 2021 and 2023 first-rounders – which the Thunder own – and numerous second-rounders.
Westbrook will make $38.5MM next season but Miami has a handful of players making between $19.2MM and $12MM — Goran Dragic, James Johnson, Justise Winslow, Dion Waiters and Kelly Olynyk — for salary-matching purposes.
Miami also has to make sure it doesn’t add more salary to its current cap. The Heat are just $986K below the threshold of the $138.9MM luxury tax apron, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Thus, Miami cannot take back more or equal salaries in a potential Westbrook trade because that would hamstring its ability to fill out the roster (Twitter link).
Westbrook and agent Thad Foucher met with Thunder general manager Sam Presti over the weekend and both sides came away eager to find a resolution, according to Wojnarowski. Westbrook doesn’t want to be part of rebuild and that’s where OKC finds itself after George’s trade request to join forces with Kawhi Leonard.
Lol man I love this league
Me, too.
A nice fit if all the pieces can work out.
If the thunder don’t get Herro than ytf would they do this. Here’s Westbrook make sure all those picks we traded for end up in the mid 20’s smh
News flash bud, they’ll be in the high 20s even if they don’t trade Westbrook to the Heat… out of the teams interested in him, Miami has the most young talent and salary cap relief that the Thunder are looking for. Also, in thanks for his services, I can almost guarantee you that if it’s Miami he wants to go to, they’ll accommodate that wish for all that he’s given to the franchise, pending Miami makes an offer of fair value.
Are you insinuating that the Heat are a top 6-7 team in the league before this trade?
I think you’re referencing different 1st round picks. He’s talking about the Heat whereas you are maybe talking about the Clippers? Not sure.
Think he was actually talking about a Heat team with Meyers Leonard as it’s third best player. Don’t sleep on that powerhouse of a team
As constructed, our best players in order are Butler, Dragic, Winslow, Waiters, Bam, Olynyk, Herro, THEN Leonard. So he’s probably our 8th best player. Oh btw, Bam and Winslow have been getting better every year as well. Right behind the Bucks, 76ers, Pacers and Celtics, we are clearly a 5th seed in the east. I’d even argue we are better then the Celtics (Kemba is not the answer, and losing both Kyrie and Horford will suck for them). Toronto lost Kawhi. Yes they have Siakam, but what else? They seem like a 6th/7th seed in my eyes. And Orlando overachieved last year. Detroit has like no shooting.
Haters always fail to understand the facts before opening their mouths. Blows my mind.
Brooklyn will be around a 4/5th seed as well. So I’d say Milwaukee, Indiana, 76ers, Brooklyn, Miami, Boston, Toronto, Orlando. If we get Westbrook, i think we’re the 3rd seed.
Homers are never objective.
They’re not going to get salary cap relief from the Heat. As mentioned in the story, Miami has to send out at least as much salary as they take in, just to stay under the hard cap. They hard-capped themselves when they got Butler in S&T. Somehow, they still have to fill out the roster, also.
Short term no but long term they get rid of his 176 million over the next four years
they wouldn’t save $176 mil. Most of those mentioned have contacts longer than 2020. maybe about $100mil but stuck with a bunch of guys that are solid but not stars.
They won’t be good by 2021 anyway. That’s still tens of millions of dollars saved.
Yes teams do favors to players nowadays.
Russ will be a forward in Miami. Not SF or PF, but FF– fashion forward.
You think the heat are a top 6 team with ur current roster? I don’t think they better than clippers lakers philly bucks rockets Celtics jazz nuggets Indiana Boston Portland warriors. Tbh the only thing keeping you from being a lottery team is that you play in the weak af east. Be happy with a 7 or 8 east in the east genius
Seed in the east*
Shawn.. the heat barely missed the playoffs and their top 2 scorer’s (Waiters and Dragic) either did not play, or were severely held back by injuries all year. When they were healthy with that roster (the second half of 2016-17) they were something like 33-11
Literally the Heat from a couple of years ago are relatively similar to the Clippers of this last year. All these same people were calling the Clippers garbage last year. I had them 6th in the West
Thank you!
Remember, everyone else’s injuries matter, but the Heat’s dont. It doesn’t fit the narrative that the entire team has been injured consistently, and they’re abhorrent at free throws, which cost them 3 of their 4 playoff losses to philly.
Hey if u think the heat wit just jimmy butler is better than the teams I listed then agree to disagree. Ur wrong but ur entitled to having ur opinion. They might have beat up in the Cavs and bulls and wizards and hawks and Knicks. But they weren’t even close to the cream of the crop. They traded a better young player for jimmy basketcase. They play hard I’ll give em that
Heat actually lost to the bad teams, and played relatively well against the good teams
This is the start of OKC’s irrelevance that will lead to relocation to Seattle.
No way. OKC has one of the best fan bases in the league. NBA will be expanding to thirty-two teams within the next 5 years.
Yes KC,St.Louis,Tampa Bay and Las Vegas.
Would that not make 34 if they added those?
Tampa is so close to Orlando that it would be dumb as hell to out a team there.
No to Tampa, Orlando already has that area covered. KC/STL probably not since they both had multiple failed franchises in the past.
I’d probably rank cities most likely for NBA expansion as
1. Seattle
2. Vegas
3. Louisville
4. KC
5. Batimore
6. St. Louis
7. San Diego
8. Cincinnati
Lots of options. But I don’t see any more than 2 new teams at the next expansion. Although they could do like they did after the Hornets/Heat expansion and bring in 2 more (T-Wolves, Magic) within 1-2 years. However, I seriously doubt we will see more than 32 teams in the league though.
Seattle and New Jersey. Then down the line Vegas and St Louis. Seattle been deprived for too long. Jersey the most densely populated state. Vegas fastest growing city. Maybe Pittsburgh? No Cincy, Ohio already has a team. Tampa sucks…doesn’t support teams and ORL is close enough. Baltimore’s only 30-40 min from DC so no. I love Louisville. I’d be ok with that
it makes perfect since to have a team in southern Ohio. Cincy is within 100 miles of Columbus, Kevin, Louisville, Dayton and Indianapolis.
So Baltimore is out because it is 30-40 minutes from DC, but New Jersey is in despite being 30-40 minutes from both the Knicks and Nets? Not to mention the Sixers.
One of them will be in mexico.
I think Will Ferrell would be interested in bringing back the Flint Tropics.
I could see them adding Seattle @ Las Vegas, then move Memphis @ New Orleans to the Eastern Conference considering their locations.
I live in Kentucky, so I kind of want Louisville, but I really feel like this would be the best solution. Memphis and New Orleans do not belong in the West.
Wait until December so he can be traded to the Knicks and become the next Carmelo.
Right, because their games and personalities are so similar. Westbrook is the anti-Melo.
Westbrook is a better player, but let’s not pretend that their playing styles are so dissimilar. Both were/are ball hogs who never met a shot they didn’t like, one-man teams who will never win a championship.
But Westbrook plays defense and steals and rebounds and actually tries to be an elite player. Carmelo thought he was God’s gift to the NBA just by scoring points.
I agree they have similar styles of play but they really aren’t similar players.
Why do people act like scoring points is a bad thing? Points is what decides the winner and loser of an NBA game. Everything else is just window dressing.
The other stuff might help to get more points or keep the other team from scoring as many points, but whatever else happens points is still the #1 most important stat.
Team points. And it’s only a co-#1 with opponent points. An individual player’s point totals are meaningless, with context, i.e., knowing efficiency.
A team has never scored a single point. Team points are nothing but individual points combined together. And no it is not a co-#1. Because no matter how many points your opponent score, you can always score more. But if you don’t score any points you can never win.
If you don’t allow any points, you can never lose.
But you cant win without scoring one
Westbrook has averaged 4.8 3s per game the last two years, not bad, down from 7 or 8 earlier… presumably because his focus has been on triple-doubles, which helps the team more. Not to say he isn’t keeping track, but they are assists and rebounds being counted ,not heaves.
I never noticed Melo getting 10 boards and dropping 10 dimes a night.
I dont feel like we have enough shooting if they give up Dragic, and we’d be hard capped, and wouldnt be able to add anyone. Also, who plays the 4 behind Winslow? I feel like they’d have to keep Dragic if they were able to somehow land Westbrook.
Waiters, James Johnson, Myers Leonard’s expiring contract matches up perfectly for Westbrook salary wise, and Kelly Olynyk instead of Leonard leaves the heat slightly extra room (about $1.5 million). Heat would have to give up picks, probably remove the 2023 protection, the 2025 pick, and maybe rights to swap 1-2 of the years in between to OkC, but that would be an amazing scenario. Heat could throw in Derrick Jones or Tyler Herro if necessary. OKC clears salary in that scenario, and if they stay healthy, they may be able to trade those other guys as expiring deals next offseason, or even use some of the assets they have to go get someone like Bradley Beal. Before they stretched Anderson, they could have included him if OKC would want to clear more salary immediately, but I think they needed to make that move before the Butler deal became official
The problem is that package sucks for the Thunder. Only Waiters is useful to the Thunder. Johnson, Leonard & Olynyk do nothing for them. There has to be some useful players coming back to the Thunder. That trade only benefits the Heat.
I also mentioned derrick Jones or Tyler Herro, and the idea of flipping the shorter contracts, b/c they’re apparently trying to save money. Also, depending on who stays, I could easily see all 3 guys contributing, assuming health.
The other thing is that I’m not so sure the Paul George trade, or even necessarily a Russell Westbrook trade (depending on what comes back in that) kills them next year though. Obviously, Paul George was a legit MVP candidate last year, and they lose offensively, but I dont think it hurts them that much on defense, with the roster they have, and they did add a need for shooting with Gallinari at the 4 spot. If any of their young wings gives them anything offensively, they might actually be similar or slightly better, theoretically, although even if they take a step back, they’ll be super set up to do a lot over the next 2 years, or even as soon as during the season, and as I mentioned, I wouldnt be shocked to see them end up with Bradley Beal or other opportunistic additions with their assets and short term deals, with or without Westbrook
I also think taking back shorter deals gives them more flexibility to clear salary quicker, in trades, if that’s as big of a need, and at least cuts future salary, while moving Westbrook’s 4 year deal, giving them a chance to start over, if that’s how they decide to go
I think the pertinent information we’re all not giving enough focus to is the report that his contract is considered to have negative value. I personally think that’s a bit of a stretch, however, you can theoretically see the issue there. Also, if Westbrook tries to push himself to the Heat, I could see that also being an issue. There are also a very limited amount of teams that can do this at the moment, where it makes sense. In my opinion, the Heat are one of them in this scenario, but the best fit is Cleveland.
Dealing Jerami Grant today puts OKC just below the tax apron. With the Heat hardcapped, it’ll be difficult to drop below the luxury tax entirely in a 1 on 1 deal with the Heat. 2 teams need a facilitator, but lack the assets to entice someone to absorb say Patrick Patterson into cap room.
Thunder should force Heat to include Dragic in any deal. That $19M+ expiring contract constitutes 50% of the salary match for Westbrook’s $38M+. Riley won’t want to part with Dion Waiters (Close friend of Russ and will end up playing peacemaker if Jimmy / Russ reach an impasse. Olynyk but has a player option he’ll likely exercise next offseason. Miami shouldn’t part with Justice Winslow for the privilege of taking on Westbrook’s $170M. Dragic-Olynk-James Johnson plus the unprotected future 1st is the best case for Miami. Can’t part with Bam or even Herro.
Westbrook wants Miami and it’s realistically OKC’s only change to get out from that albatross of a contract. These 2 teams cap sheet wise match up well.
Riley & Ownership are desperate for relevance in a highly competitive market for the entertainment dollar. Butler & Russ ain’t winning a championship anytime soon but the FA market is non existent until 2021. At least Hear can sell their fans stars and a compelling product on their way to 44 wins in the East…
A contending product, I’d say. Riley’s own horizon matches Butler & Russ. There are youngsters to trade, beyond Winslow & Bam, even after thinning the roster in a Russ trade. A playoff run is possible. Russ goes for assists & rebounds these days, not shooting length.
Trading him to Miami makes the Miami picks that they have less valuable don’t get it
If anything, it’s the protected 2023 pick that is most interesting b/c it becomes unprotected. Obviously that’s a long way away, but I think that has a better chance of being a great pick than the 2021 unprotected pick anyway. They could also remove the protection on that pick.
Am I the only one that sees this as a bad idea for Miami? I can’t imagine putting Westbrook and Butler in the same locker room for a whole season. Those are two large egos.
I would must take Winslow, Bam, and Dragic and like a 2025 1st.
I think Tyler Herro, KZ Okpala and Derrick Jones somewhat overlap in skills and it shouldn’t be too hard to include one or two… unless both Winslow and Waiters go too.
But formerlyz suggested DionW, JamesJ and MyersL/Olynyk for salary so add a kid and keep a first for future flexibility. Miami has drafted well lately though I’m not confident in this year’s.
Can see the Heat retooling his game a bit and have him take on a role like Wade and Bosh had with LeBron, kinda of step back.
Slackers Beware, between UD, Butler and Westbrook it won’t play well at all.
Westbrook being willing to waive his 15% trade clause is a Huge hedge to Miami.
Much more incentive for Thunder to get a deal done ASAP.
Agree, remove 2023 1st protection, 2025 1st unprotected, 2020, 2022 1st swaps.
Now it’s a matter of players.
Butler and Westbrook will be seriously unhappy with a stripped roster that can’t compete.
That is true about that unhappiness, but there has been so much movement it’s hard to keep track of who’s in or out!
Miami should probably trade their kids for vets and go for it, to keep star spirits up.
I now am slightly sad Whiteside isnt there to see what would have happened in practice lol
Westbrook likes to play with Adam’s. Why not trade both for Dragic, Waiters, Olynyk, Winslow, Adebayo, and Herro. I’m sure a few others would have to be added to the trade because both teams are close to maxed out. But, the Thunder would save a ton of money and get a few nice young players.
And the heat wouldnt have a roster
You get that is the Thunder that “have” to do this.. not the Heat right? If Westbrook says “I want to go to Miami” (a la Jimmy Butler) the Thunder are boxed in via PR pressure and the Heat being the only team that can give them youth and cap space.
How can the Heat give them cap space? They have to send out as much salary as they take in, just to stay under the hard cap.
the heat players being rumored are all on expiring contracts
They wouldn’t give them cap space this year, but it would give them cap space in future years.
However, that cap space is likely meaningless. It’s not like free agents are lining up to go to OKC. Yes, OKC has had stars, but they drafted Durant, Westbrook, and Harden. And they traded for George.
You are dead wrong. First off the article only states westbrook is interested in the ide of joining the het. It doea not mean he is ruling out any other destination. Furthermore with all the BS reports about nba transaction ala the kawhi fiasco I take this with a grain of salt that he has interest in miami particularly. Second miami has no assets worth okc’s time. Your so called young talent are fringe starters at best. All of you trade chips have been used. No more bulkets left just tell pat riley to pick up some rocks and start throwing.
Kawhi and Westbrook are two very different people.. Kawhi took leaked info as a personal insult.
Diffrent situation Westbrook has 3 or 4 years left on his contract. So a small market team might see it as an opp to grab a star and westbrook couldn’t do a thing to block it, apart retiring and forfeiting the money. I could see minny trying to put a package together.
the heat aren’t the only team that can give them prospects, picks and salary relief. Chicago and Cleveland may not think it makes sense but they can do it.
Bulls- Porter, Felicio and Coby White gets you the salary. the rest picks.
Cavs- Can give them a package of expiring contracts so they don’t have any salary past this season other than the youngsters.
Any combo of Thompson, Smith, Henson, Delly, Clarkson, Knight will match up. Give them either Sexton or Garland plus Porter Jr and picks.
Not sure about the Bulls but the Cavs should pass.
However, in a 3 team trade scenario the Cavs could play a role since they have about $80 mil in expiring contracts.
Minus Herro, I think the Heat should do that deal, except it wouldn’t work cap-wise. The Heat would have to send back almost the same 63 mm they’re taking in. Thunder can only save a ton of $$ next year doing a deal with the Heat.
Question.. if this happens (and I assume either Meyers Leonard or Kylly Olynyk will have to be in the deal) should the Heat go after Kyle Korver and Dwight Howard on minimum deals? Would they want to go to Miami?
Wouldnt have enough space
I was assuming on minimum deals since both would be buy out’s.. but the heat have a good chuck of their MLE to use
They’re hard capped
Shew!! With everything they’ve traded away, future-wise, the Heat have a relatively small window of contention here!
yup.. about 2-4 years.. hence the heat going for this at all… they even entertained taking Wall’s contract
Most teams have a 3-4 year window.
Here you go Pat. Here’s an all nba player. All we want back is a couple bags of Miami beach sand. Lol!!! Yeah right.
Butler and Westbrook?
I feel like they’re too alpha dogs that just will not play well together.
What about a 3 team deal where the Heat get Westbrook, OKC gets Bradley Beal, and Ian Mahinmi’s expiring deal, Washington gets Waiters, James Johnson, Kelly Olynyk, the Heat picks from OKC and the Heat, removed protections on the 2023 pick, and the pick swaps?
Okc could theoretically trade Beal for more salary relief, young players, and picks, which is easier than with Westbrook’s contract, and possibly moving the Heat short term deals, or keep him, and Washington gets assets and adds some veteran players that can contribute, or can be flipped, as they apparently arent as concerned about immediate salary relief as OKC, who throws in the extra pick to help them in that regard?
Wow seriously!?!?!?!
You have two all nba caliber players being traded for a group of role players. You make a bit of sense aboutvthe picks. But here is the problem. OKC already has the valuable picks and valuable tradeable player. Why would they concede it to appease mimi in any way. Washington seems like they do not wabt to trade beal right now. The only way that trade makes sense is if you take Miami out of it. Lol!
I forgot to add the same young assets in Jones or Herro I mentioned before
If Beal were available (which it does not appear he is), the Heat would be better served by focusing on getting him directly. If he were available, the Wiz still aren’t a club that will likely put that high a value on remote draft picks.
Heat dont have the assets for Beal unless they got the team, but are hard capped
*Gut
Every team in west has star duos. All okc needs to do is trade all those drsft picks and try to get another star. If they do, they will be fine. It also wouldbt be a bad time ti blow it up either since the west is really strong
Block Buster 3 team deal.
Heat: Beal
Thunder: Wall
Wizards: Westbrook, Adams
Plug and play the rest.
Thunder retool and develop for Wall a year from now.
Wizards are instantly competitive.
Heat get Beal / Butler
Nah, makes to much sense.
why would they trade a legit top 10 healthy Westbrook for an injured and just as expensive Wall who may not comeback at all-star level especially when they just acquired SGA from Clippers?
Heat
Westbrook
Zizic from Cleveland
Cavs
Adams from OKC
Olynk from Miami
Adebayo from Miami
OKC
Thompson from Cle (expiring)
Smith from Cle (expiring and partially non-guaranteed)
Clarkson from Cle (expiring)
Waiters from Miami
Herro from Miami
Porter Jr from Cle
Okpala from Mia
Maten from Miami
Future 1st from Miami
Future 2nds from Cle
Miami gets Westbrook and can maintain their bench.
Cavs improve their front court defense.
Okc gets rid of a ton of cap space future commitments and almost all of the non-rookie contracts expire at the end of the year. they can trade some of those solid contributors at the deadline or just let them walk (or buyout/stretch) and save cap space. They get the 13th, 30th and 32nd picks from this year’s draft to go with Gilchrist plus add more future picks.
That posted oddly
Miami gets Westbrook and Zizic.
Cavs get Adams, Olynk and Adebayo.
okc gets Thompson, Smith, Clarkson, Waiters, Herro, Porter Jy, Okpala and Maten plus picks.
The heat dont have to give up 6 players and picks for westbrook. This trade is nonsense!
Are you dense? Their giving up 4 rotation players and two recent draft picks. You have your entire regular lineup in tact and you’re staying under the lux tax. News flash, the Heat with Butler are in “win now” mode. It’s 6 bodies you’re trading. The contracts needed to salary March are mostly coming from the Cavs. You’re welcome.
4 plus 2 is 6. are you dense?
First of all westbrook is going to be traded to where he wants to go! So that gives leverage to the team trading for him. If thats the heat heres what i think the offer should be. Dragic, olynik or james johnson, winslow and 2023 unprotected. Thats it!!! Or switch winslow for 2025 unprotected. Nothing else the thunder are saving 130 million dollars and picking up 1st round picks when the heat would have the leverage if thats where westbrook wants to go!
Best fit: ORLANDO
OKC: Gordon, Bamba, Iwundu, Fultz, picks
ORLANDO: RB, Patterson
Okc takes picks and young players…
Orlando take RB and gives not-so-util Bamba (after Vooc resigned) Fultz and Gordon (now they can finally use Isaac)
Orlando: RB fournier Ross Isaac vooc… Not bad
Okc: mercedes, sga, gallo, Gordon, Adams + a Sea of picks
I think the Heat deal will go well. I’m not going to spill the beans on who IMO the four guys sent from Miami are going to be but at least Layman and Herro are two of them.
RussWest, Butler, and Dragic can be dynamite with Harkless/Adebayo too starting 4/5.
Oh, my bad, I thought they had Harkless. Maybe OKC doesn’t do it after all
Maybe the Heat can also swing Winslow and Haslem to the Clips for Harkless. As part of a demand from Westbrook, similar to what Kawhi asked for from LAC to move in with from George. That way it’s Westbrook/Dragic backcourt in Miami with Waiters and Olynyk (spilled the beans) playing in OKC. Mo Harkless starts for the Heat. Winslow helps to support the Clippers SF needs; Haslem if included can help them at 4.
Can the Clips afford to lose Harkless for just Winslow, or do the Heat need to send Haslem too, waive McGruder and Jones and then fill out the rest of their roster with less expensive unsigned rookies or G-Leaguers? Would LAC waive Wilson Chandler in able to afford sending Harkless for Winslow and Haslem, or would they rather keep Harkless instead?
If they like the deal, then Harkless goes to the Heat, and MIA and LAC both fare well.
MIA: Westbrook, Harkless
OKC: Waiters, Olynyk, Layman, Herro
LAC: Winslow & Haslem (for Harkless)
So do the Mavs jump back in with the Heat to take Dragic to help with salary? If OKC is just doing it as a salary dump then they could take Courtney Lee from Dallas along with Olynyk plus some slew of picks (I can’t keep up with who has what picks now):
Mia: George
OKC: Olynyk, Courtney Lee, picks
Dal: Dragic
Yes I realize this is not a great haul for OKC but that is why I did say this was if it became just a salary dump.
Two teams that may be interested in doing a deal… Minnesota & Charlotte.
Minnesota gets Westbrook
Charlotte gets Wiggins & Adams
OKC gets Biyombo, Williams, MKG, Teague, Culver & PJ Washington + picks (prob 2 1sts w/protections and a 2nd from each team)
Pretty much flips the script for Charlotte, they get a young baller to build around and a veteran big that isn’t completely useless.
Minnesota gets the former MVP.
Thunder get 2 young core pieces in Culver & Washington & more picks. They can use the expiring contracts to get additional picks & take back garbage players.