The expectation heading into the 2020 offseason is that the Heat will prefer to wait on a new deal for Bam Adebayo, since signing him to a maximum-salary extension would cut into the team’s available cap room for 2021. Miami could maximize that space by keeping Adebayo’s more modest RFA cap hold on the books for 2021, then eventually going over the cap to re-sign him.
Adebayo could get the same max contract whether he signs it this offseason or waits until 2021, but if he’d rather lock it in sooner rather than later, it might become an awkward situation for the Heat, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. In Jackson’s view, Miami actually may have had more leverage to ask Adebayo to wait when there was a perception that the team needed another star to become championship contenders. After this year’s Finals appearance, that argument is more tenuous.
The Heat’s plan is to go “all-in” for Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021 if the Bucks star reaches free agency, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. If Antetokounmpo agrees to an extension with Milwaukee before then, the Heat may not feel as compelled to hold onto their ’21 cap room, which would lessen the need to wait on Adebayo’s next contract.
Here’s more on the Heat:
- Unrestricted free agent wing Derrick Jones is expected to receive interest from the Cavaliers, Hornets, and Hawks, among others, sources tell Charania. At just 23 years old, Jones is an unusually young UFA and still has room to develop, which explains why several rebuilding teams will likely kick the tires.
- There’s mutual interest in a new deal between Goran Dragic and the Heat, according to Charania, who says the veteran point guard will have multiple suitors.
- If the Heat are only willing to offer one-year contracts this offseason, Dragic and Jae Crowder may have to decide whether they prefer to remain in Miami or seek longer-term security, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “I’m going to obviously give it thought on both sides — having security and my comfort with this organization,” Crowder told Winderman. “So, hopefully, it all comes together from both sides. And that’s what I really want to do.”
- Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald examines how the Heat could theoretically re-sign Dragic and Crowder to lucrative one-year contracts while also adding a quality player with the mid-level exception — and staying out of tax territory.
To trade for Giannis
Heat centerpiece is Herro
Salary matching is Kelly Olynyk and Iguodala (all salary matching has little value because of wasting a roster spot)
Lakers centerpiece is Kuzma
Salary matching is Danny Green and KCP
Clippers centerpiece is Beverley
salary matching could be those sign and trade guys.
These 3 teams have no future first round picks to offer.
I doubt the Lakers are in either because Giannis would most likely leave them after this season.
Now the Clippers are the team that could possibly make a play for Giannis this offseason to secure having him for a ‘win now’ run.
Giannis trade value is comparable to Anthony Davis. Lakers and Clippers need the 3rd team to help. Both want to keep stars and don’t have enough assets to offer.
Which is why GSW is Giannis most obvious landing spot.
That is incredibly wishful thinking.
Neither the Lakers or Warriors have the assets necessary to trade for Giannis. And before someone mentions #2 pick in a weak draft class and the Minn 1st you also need to attach even more value to offset taking back Wiggins horrid contract.
Miami does have the assets to acquire Giannis but a package would need to be something along the lines of Bam, Herro and Nunn.
Plus have some left. Miami is deeep & has young talent & capspace. They lack all their draft picks but that is a lesser value.
Heat aren’t trading for Giannis. They’re waiting to land him via free agency. They have enough talent for this next season. They also have young talent to continue developing and seeing what they can do.
I have read a lot.
Giannis has zero chance to become free agent. He loves Bucks organization.
I read about and saw what happened with the Heat goal of trying to impress Giannis and make him consider a move during our series against the Bucks. Giannis hasn’t committed to the Bucks yet, and he knows what he gets in Miami.
He can’t commit yet. They can’t offer him the max yet. But he has said over and over he is staying in Milwaukee.
Every single player of all time who changed teams has said they love their former team. 100% of players. It’s the game, learn it.
Why do players say that?— because players say that regardless of where they will sign later. Their agents tell them to.
Then most players re-sign, like Giannis will. No NBA player will sign for more… Until AD next year.
Presumably any trade of Giannis to the Heat would involve Bam going the other way. I also don’t see them coexisting on the same roster – Bam is basically a poor man’s Giannis.
There is no trade. This article says nothing about a trade. It’s when Giannis Hits free agency Miami will have cap room to sign him. No trade. Where did you read trade?
It was in response to the comments above.
Pity about Miami thinking they are going to be able to go all-in on Giannis, when he is going to play with his idol, Steph Curry.
His idol is not Curry. Not at all. Don’t make crap up. He has said many many times that his favorite player of all time was Dirk. And he loved that he stayed with the same team his whole career.
So as of right now, the plan for about 10 teams is to sign Giannis if he gets to free agency in 2021.
That is not a plan, that is a wish.
Forget Giannis to Lakers rumors. Teams need to be sick of LeBron always winning. Teams should no longer help anymore LeBron Teams.
“wish” is the best word for it. “Idiocy” also fits.
So Adebayo misses out on a massive guaranteed contract because Riley wants to bring in a big free agent?
My guess is that Adebayo will accept this, but I sure hope his agent persuades him not to. And I hope someone tells Adebayo the story of Brandon Roy…
I don’t understand what you’re saying. What choice does bam have? His contract is through 2021. You want him to sit out, hold out and not honor his contract next year? I see the plan as when free agency hits next offseason they sign Giannis and then they sign Bam. Are you saying Bam would hold it against the Heat? I think he would be a restricted free agent so he would not have a choice. He has no leverage whatsoever.
He has some….but nothing from a significant financial standpoint (he could sign his RFA tender after next season)
You seemed to have missed the finer details on Bam’s contract.
Bam isn’t missing out on any huge new contract.
Mike and Gary, you guys gotta think harder.
Bam can sign a huge contract right now, guaranteed money beyond the end of his rookie contract. The minute he signs, the Heat owe him $100 million plus.
If he gets hurt in the last year of his rookie scale deal – like Brandon Roy did once upon a time – he still gets paid.
But Riley isn’t going to offer him that deal, which means Bam is taking a risk other guys (like Jamal Murray, Ben Simmons,et al) never had to take.
If Bam demanded the deal, he’d get it. Tell me why he shouldn’t lock in his future?
Bam can demand all he wants. It doesn’t mean he’ll get it. We’re talking Pat Riley. He doesn’t put any player above the team – not even D-Wade, LeBron, Shaq, Magic, Kareem, Ewing, etc.
Then Bam will look elsewhere in 2021. All these teams dreaming of Giannis in free agency will fight for Bam instead.
Like other bigs, Bam will look for a coach that puts him at the 4 and lets him ramble like Giannis. And for Bam they will say, as long as you do it for us.
But won’t he be a restricted free agent and the heat will just match?
@MarlinsFanBase – Adebayo has a ton of leverage. He can turn down any extension between now and the end of the 2021 season and then take the qualifying offer.
If he takes the qualifying offer, he can veto any trade, and he will be become a free agent at the end of the 2022 season.
It’s not likely Adebayo would turn down a max offer, but he might if he was mad enough. If Riley doesn’t play this right, he risks losing his best young player for nothing.
He’s already signed for next season. Then he’ll be a RESTRICTED free agent. What am I missing?
He can go bad. His neck hurts. He had some wacky gummies on the plane back. It doesn’t take much to fail Riley’s standards. But Riley can offend Adebayo too, and ignoring Bam while coveting Giannis may not go over well. It’s hard to picture him and Giannis on the same team, though it’s quite a picture!
Jason’s right, it’s 2022 he can free himself by regular methods. But I doubt it would come to that. The old argument, they have to trade him before he leaves for nothing blah blah who says that? Gary about Giannis. Both will be playing their contract decision year. Bam & Giannis not Gary. Bam’s contract can keep him there another year though, having less seniority. Bam. Gary has even less.
Okay that makes sense.
Bam had some wacky gummies??
lol Dion Waiters did earlier this season & got suspended.
The qualifying offer. It’s a 1 yr contract teams have to offer to restrict their free agent. The salary is low – rookie scale, basically (a little more than that).
RFAs typically don’t sign it, but they can if they want to exit restricted free agency. The downside is that they play one more year on a cheap deal. The upside is that a) they’re no longer restricted after the conclusion of the year and b) they have veto over any trade during that last year.
Adebayo would have to risk his long-term earnings AND play a year on the cheap, but if he signs the QO Miami is hosed. He could refuse to be traded and sign somewhere else at the end of the QO contract.
It’s not likely, but he *does* have leverage here.
Riley can make that play in ’21, but that could get real messy beyond that. If Riley angers Bam enough, he’ll get out. There’s a playbook on how to do it, and a long list of guys who have done it. Riley isn’t immune to having to deal with that. He’s just been fortunate that guys don’t typically try to force their way out of LA or Miami in the NBA.
Adebayo still has to prove it over a full season. He was clearly the difference maker for the Heat in the Finals – without him they looked awful. But it does seem that he is stuck with the contract he is on for now, and who knows what the free agent market will be in 2021? If he is an RFA, Riley will tender and let the market decide his value.
He’s a max player.
Heat are a good young team. They could make major trade. Or just sign their players. and Gallinari, Howard from FA. Now this team is much better.
They have picks, expiring contracts and Herro to trade. They can find a nice deal out there. Giannis is not walking away for nothing.
We’re not interested in trading Herro.