7:10pm: The trade is now official, according to press releases from the Timberwolves, Heat, and Grizzlies. Minnesota became part of the deal by agreeing to acquire Johnson for Gorgui Dieng, as we outlined in a separate story, making it a three-team trade.
11:16am: The Grizzlies and Heat have agreed to a trade that will send Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder, and Solomon Hill to Miami in exchange for Justise Winslow, Dion Waiters, and James Johnson, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). No draft picks will be included in the deal.
Shams Charania of The Athletic (all Twitter links) first reported that Crowder, Hill, and Waiters would be involved in the trade, which broke last night.
There’s still time for the agreement to be expanded to include the Thunder and Danilo Gallinari, but those talks between Oklahoma City and Miami have “fully stalled,” according to Woj (Twitter link).
The Heat were hoping to fold an acquisition of the veteran forward into the trade, perhaps extending his contract in the process. However, Wojnarowski tweets that the Grizzlies and Heat are focusing on officially finalizing a two-team deal for now, with Miami still unable to reach an agreement for Gallinari.
Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald has heard similar rumblings, tweeting that Crowder and Hill could be re-routed to Oklahoma City if the deal is expanded to include Gallinari, but for now Hill is under the impression he’ll end up in Miami, along with Crowder.
Even if the Heat can’t land Gallinari, they’ll add three veterans capable of playing rotation roles in Iguodala, Crowder, and Hill. Although Iguodala hasn’t appeared in a game at all since being traded from Golden State to Memphis in July, he played key minutes on the Warriors’ championship teams in recent years and will be well-rested for the stretch run.
As we detailed in a previous story, Iguodala and the Heat have reached an agreement on a two-year, $30MM contract extension as part of the trade. The second season of Iguodala’s extension will reportedly be a team option, allowing Miami to retain its financial flexibility to participate in a loaded free agent class in 2021. The Heat are expected to guarantee the second season of Iguodala’s deal for if they miss out on their top free agent targets in ’21, per Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Crowder and Hill, meanwhile, have helped the Grizzlies exceed expectations and compete for a playoff spot this season. Crowder has started 45 games, averaging 9.9 PPG and 6.2 RPG and playing strong perimeter defense, while Hill has averaged 5.7 PPG with a .381 3PT% in 48 games (18.8 MPG).
The trade will also help the Heat out financially, since they’re sending out more money than they’re taking back. ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets that Miami is now $3.4MM below its hard cap and reduced its projected tax bill by nearly $3.7MM. That could allow the Heat to be a player in the buyout market, though the team still has a full 15-man roster.
The franchise also cleared a significant amount of salary for 2020/21 in the deal, though Iguodala’s extension cuts into that newfound flexibility a little.
As for the Grizzlies, they’ll take on three pricey multiyear contracts in exchange for their three expiring deals. Having also extended Dillon Brooks on Wednesday, Memphis has gone from having $50MM in projected cap room to likely being over the cap this summer, tweets Jeff Siegel of Early Bird Rights.
Winslow is the prize of the deal for Memphis. The former lottery pick is under contract for $13MM annually through 2021/22, with a team option on the final year. Winslow has flashed tantalizing upside as a ball-handler and defender, but injuries have limited him to just 11 games this season. He’s currently sidelined with a lower back bone bruise.
Johnson and Waiters are on oversized contracts — Johnson is earning $15.35MM this season with a $16.05MM player option for 2020/21, while Waiters is owed $12.1MM this season and $12.65MM next year. Memphis’ willingness to take on those deals signals that the team is willing to roll over its cap room to 2021.
Both Johnson and Waiters have spent much of the season in the doghouse in Miami, but Johnson has at least appeared in 18 games, averaging 5.7 PPG and 2.9 RPG on .448/.356/.571 shooting in 15.6 minutes per contest.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Hopefully Grizz plan to keep Winslow as hes the most talented player in this deal. Just another good, young piece to what they are building
He’s best as a point guard though.
Best at one position, maybe, but he was better as a multipositional plug-and-play player. Since he’s injured now, I doubt he will be their starter for Crowder.
Disagreed. If you are a Heat fan and actually watched the games, he was good at point guard. He was very underwhelming at all other positions. As a forward, he’s a bench guy. Good defensively no matter where he plays just not a good scorer. Good passer and rebounder. That’s it.
Did Winslow make the team better at PG?
I can’t say as you say. I’m thinking about Devin Booker, dominating at PG in his way, but making me laugh, and doing better & winning more when Rubio took over. There, Phoenix got a mention today.
Anyway it won’t matter because Morant, Melton & Tyus Jones all have PERs above Winslow’s. The 3 is what is open (so far).
I like the Memphis side of the deal. All three players are under contract for a bit. Crowder is expiring. I guess Winslow was dealt as the headliner because Miami didn’t like him being injury prone but dealing him as the headliner for a 35 year old Iggy may be questionable. However Miami is in win now mode and it’s fine for the short term
Iggy just turned 36, so why give him a big extension?
It’s not a big extension. It’s 2/30 with the second year a team option. It’s about as safe an extension as there is.
It is in no way a “big” extension. Heat setting themselves up for 2021 FA class. Now gonna have 50 million plus in cap space. And helps them win now.
Will have to add James Johnson for the money to work out. There are 3 teams interested in him so he may not stick very long.
Thunder now want 2 team deal with Heat. So that may mean Hill and Olynik for Gallinari. Guess the real hitch is in contract extension right now. Money and or years most likely. Never seen that stand in the way of Riley for a player he can trade this summer.
Going to find out very soon.
If no pickS goes to Memphis then I don’t know why they would take on waiters and Johnson contract . They are both signed for next years and reputation wise are cancers in the locker room that I would not want to be near my young team. Winslow is a nice peace hopefully he can stay healthy.
Agreed. Why do it if you don’t get a pick? Otherwise the “big draw” is getting a guy that can’t shoot, can’t stay healthy, and is only any good when he is handling the ball (which he shouldn’t do very often with Ja & Tyus). Then taking on 2 bad contracts on top of that. Johnson is maybe a little better than Crowder but not worth double, AND an extra year. Waiters is better than Hill, but when is he going to get any PT playing third behind Brooks and Melton. Would’ve been better off getting Olynyk or Leonard instead for some depth at the 4/5. Should’ve just not even made a trade and have some money for this offseason/take on a bad contract for a pick.
The real question for Waiters is “Where can he find delicious gummy treats in the Memphis are?” Snacks are very important.
That is a bad trade for Miami, well is good to save money, but IMO,
Winslow is better than Iggy (right now & moving forward)
JJ is better or similar than Crowder
Waiters is better than Hill
Can’t say is a positive for Miami, except money, they are becoming the Houston of the East, penny pinching to not compete.
In what way? Winslow is always injured and can’t shoot. Waiters is a volume scorer and very inconsistent. James Johnson has been nothing but underwhelming since getting his large contract. Iggy is still a great defender if playing 20-25 minutes a night. That’s all the heat need from him. He’ll be a heck of a mentor to put around guys like Nunn, Herro, Silva etc. Jae Crowder is also a very solid addition. Very good defender and solid rotation piece. Hill is a very good guy to have as your 11th/12th bench player as he can shoot the 3 at a reasonable rate. Best of all for Miami, Crowder and Hill are on expiring contracts! Miami just got 30 million off its books for 2021 and at this rate will have 60+ million in cap space for the summer of Giannis!! Not saying we get Giannis but we will definitely be getting another whale very soon to pair with Butler and Bam, in addition to Nunn and Herro. Heat building a dynasty back again down here. Just watch and see. Pat Riley seems to get better with age.
2021 is not very soon, and Memphis is good for that FA class also. A lot could happen.
Team personalities could change, though Ig never seemed to hurt GSW’s flow, nor Crowder with Boston & Memphis. At Cleveland he was misused as a 4… that might be more possible now, if necessary.
You speak as if free agents are lining up to play for Memphis LOL. If Giannis or Oladipo or any other top player is leaving to go somewhere it’ll be Miami. Most other contenders are set with two stars. Embid/Simmons, Davis/LeBron, Kawhi/George. Miami can offer a star in Butler, maybe even Bam and/or Nunn/Herro by 2021.
Possible correction, not sure what and when Memphis will be spending at this point.
Riley returns to a previous strategy of clearing enough cap room to lure whales with his selling ability. He got mixed results given the whims of others’ youthful urges. Now he relies on Giannis taking his talents.
Agree on face value if it stays as is, it’s a bad deal for the Heat.
Speculating, Hill, Leonard, unprotected 2023 1st for Gallinari would follow.
Winslow and taking Hill is Grizzlies compensation for Iggy. Already got a 1st, so team just made out like bandits on Iggy. Plus comp from Pelicans to boot.
As of right now, as a Heat fan, this isnt a good deal unless something is legit wrong with Winslow, Iguodala is 100% healthy and himself, and they can still flip Crowder and Hill for something else. They gave up 2 current needs, with issues at the 4, especially with size, plus they lost JJ’s defense (JJ could still be flipped somewhere for Memphis), and a guard that can get into the paint at will in their offense
Crowder needs to be used as a playmaker for him to play the way he is capable of, and he hasnt been good 2 of the last 3 or so years, including this year. He would be amazing if this was a couple of years ago
This isn’t as good for Miami as it could have been, without Gallinari, but credit to Riley for trying, and credit to whoever made a deal that was flexible enough to include 2 or 3 teams as necessary.
As it is, it won’t help either team as it should, accounting for the disruption to both of their relatively successful seasons. Crowder’s & Hill’s PERs are only 10 & 11, Ig’s is a guess.
Winslow is likely a 3 now but Morant will make good use of him. JJohnson should be flexible enough to fit with Ja and be an ideal complement to Clarke and three-Js.
Waiters does not fit, is not flexible, and is really just an expiring at this point. He might be a good plan B in the playoffs if they try that. I still think he could help a team but I would not have said the Griz.
Just a heads up you had the players reversed jj went to minny and Dieng went to the grizz
Surprised I haven’t done that more often today. Fixed now, thanks.
For those that viewed Winslow as a core player longer term (past 2021) this was never going to be a good deal. Their problem is with the fact that Winslow didn’t make Riley’s “cut” for the “keepers” to remain with the Heat post summer of 2021. Any “value” that a non-keeper like Winslow had in years after the summer of 2021 was, by design, put into the deal to fetch value for the next year and a half.
No Gallo hurts the deal short term, no doubt. The value used to get him (the difference between the (i) expiring deals (Crowder/ Hill) they got from Memphis, vs (ii) bad deals (Johnson/ Waiters) they sent there, plus of course dropping the protection on the 2023 pick) isn’t generally reusable, particularly with the trade deadline passing. But they will have some space under the tax line this summer, and the keep protection on the pick. I do wonder what made Riley think that Gallo at his age and with his injury history would agree to a 1/1 extension (in what might be his last chance at a real multi-year contract). Was there more to it? Just strange, such a unique deal that depended on a player agreeing to an extension got so far along without that being tied down.