Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Heat Notes: Lineups, Potential Signings, Herro, Adebayo, Mitchell

February 22nd, 2025 at 10:38am CST by Tristan Tucker

In their first game after the All-Star break, the Heat defeated the Raptors in overtime on Friday with help from their new-look starting lineup. As Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes, Davion Mitchell, Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware have started two of the four games since the deadline and seem to be the preferred group for head coach Erik Spoelstra moving forward.

The Heat, behind big overtime plays from Wiggins, Herro and Adebayo, were able to snap a pre-break losing streak with the victory. They won in spite of squandering a double-digit lead, which occurred multiple times during their original losing streak.

With the team back to mostly full health, the Heat utilized Nikola Jovic, Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, Kyle Anderson and Alec Burks off the bench. Jovic closed the fourth quarter and overtime over Ware. That meant Jaime Jaquez and Haywood Highsmith were left out of the rotation.

As Chiang notes, Jaquez has received the first DNP-CDs of his career over his last three games.

“It could differ game to game,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said. “But we want to create a little bit of clarity, as much as we can right now. And everybody just has to stay ready. We have to make some things happen and it will be all hands on deck. We feel very comfortable with our depth and we saw that depth.”

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The buyout deadline is approaching, but Ira Winderman of South Florida’s Sun Sentinel is skeptical the Heat will make an addition on that front after doing so in each of the past two seasons. Signing a buyout player would mean Miami would likely have to waive either Burks or Keshad Johnson, Winderman writes, and there doesn’t look to be anyone available who would match Burks’ positional value or Johnson’s potential.
The more notable date for the Heat, in Winderman’s view, is March 4’s deadline for two-way signings. Miami has all three two-way slots filled, but Dru Smith is out for the season due to his Achilles injury. If the Heat wished to add another player on a two-way deal, they could take the approach they did with Smith last year under similar circumstances, Winderman notes, and cut him while still paying his full salary and allowing him to rehab at their facilities before exploring another reunion.
The Heat are trusting Herro and Adebayo to lead the next era of Miami basketball, which includes a potential postseason run this year, James Jackson of The Athletic writes. “We have a group that’s going to roll up their sleeves and work on the things that hopefully lead to winning,” Spoelstra said. “There’s nothing guaranteed in this league. You can check all these boxes, and it’s still decided between those four lines. The other team has something to say about it. I love the competitive spirit about this team. There’s been a connection even though there’s been a lot things that happened to this team.“
Former Raptors guard Mitchell expressed appreciation for Toronto for giving him a chance to shine, according to Winderman. The former lottery pick said he knew he was going to be traded from Toronto as they wanted to give more run to Jamal Shead. “I didn’t know where exactly,” Mitchell said. “And for sure I didn’t think it was Miami. Especially with the Jimmy Butler thing, no one kind of knew what was going to go on, especially my agents. But when it happened, I mean I was excited, because I told ’em Miami was the number one. If we can try to get there, then that’s where I really want to be.” Mitchell has started his first four games with the Heat, shooting 40.0% from three and averaging 9.8 points per night.

Heat Notes: Ware, 2026 Outlook, Rotation, Playoff Push

February 20th, 2025 at 7:30pm CST by Tristan Tucker

In a tumultuous season that saw star forward Jimmy Butler dealt to the Warriors at the deadline, the Heat‘s defining positive moment from the season continues to be the development of rookie center Kel’el Ware, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. Not only has Ware taken significant individual strides in recent weeks, his fit with Bam Adebayo in the frontcourt offers a reason for optimism moving forward.

Ware’s play has him in the top three in Rookie of the Year odds so far despite the fact that he played double-digit minutes in just two of the Heat’s first 25 games. He’s averaging 11.9 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 53.6% from the floor and 37.3% from deep since the New Year.

“Nightly he’s getting challenged, and these are all opportunities to grow and learn,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He has to do it on the fly. But he’s been a great student. He’s been coachable, not only by the staff but by his teammates. He wants to get it right, he wants to make an impact, he wants to help and he’s facing different challenges.”

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The Heat were able to position themselves decently for 2026 free agency in the Butler deal, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. By avoiding taking on individual salary exceeding $50MM, the Heat will still have some cap space if they hold on to/extend their young core and add cap hits for any potential first-round draft picks. While star free agents don’t usually sign into cap space, Jackson takes a look at how the Heat could create a pathway to do so in a loaded 2026 free agent class. Miami also put themselves in a strong position to make a big move this offseason, equipped with young players, large expiring salaries, and draft capital acquired from Golden State.
Miami’s rotation will be worth monitoring going forward. Kyle Anderson, Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell will all likely be factors, but it’s unclear what role each will have on a younger roster. In a piece analyzing post-All-Star questions, Chiang ponders which young players will continue to emerge and considers whether Keshad Johnson or Pelle Larsson will play more moving forward. Chiang also explores whether the Heat can avoid the play-in for the third straight year and if Tyler Herro can continue his All-Star production.
The Heat’s newcomers know they need to play with a level of desperation in order to secure a playoff spot and make some noise in the postseason, Adam Lichtenstein of South Florida’s Sun Sentinel writes. “I feel I needed the All-Star break just to go back and see my family, refresh and get ready for this last stretch of the season,” Wiggins said. The Heat are three games behind the Pistons for sixth in the East, which would keep them out of play-in territory. Miami sits at ninth in the conference standings entering Thursday.

And-Ones: 2025 FAs, College Jobs, MCW, WNBA, More

February 20th, 2025 at 7:31am CST by Luke Adams

A series of contract extensions have depleted the star-level talent in the NBA’s 2025 free agent class, but there will still be some notable names to watch this summer, as Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report and ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider link) detail.

Both Pincus and Marks have longtime NBA stars LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden atop their lists of 2025 free agents, with Marks positing that no player will have more leverage this offseason than Irving, given how badly the Mavericks need to retain the veteran point guard following the trade of Luka Doncic.

After James, Irving, and Harden, who have combined for 41 career All-Star appearances, the next tier of free agents consists of players like Myles Turner, Fred VanVleet, Jonathan Kuminga, Josh Giddey, and Timberwolves power forwards Julius Randle and Naz Reid. Interestingly, Pincus has Reid ranked ahead of the three-time All-Star he backs up, placing Reid at No. 5 and Randle at No. 7 in his early FA rankings.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

As is typical at this time of year, a number of NBA coaches and executives are receiving interest for jobs at the college basketball level, notes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). Fischer mentions Hornets executive Buzz Peterson and veteran player agent Jim Tanner as possible candidates for UNC’s general manager job and says Heat assistant Chris Quinn, Suns assistant David Fizdale, and Bucks assistant Dave Joerger are among the names to watch for the University of Miami’s head coaching position. Fischer adds that Kings assistant Luke Loucks has been linked to Florida State’s head coaching opening.
Former NBA Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams is involved in a bid to bring an WNBA expansion franchise to Boston, according to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. With expansion teams lined up for San Francisco, Portland, Toronto, and Cleveland, the WNBA will have 16 clubs by 2028, so it’s unclear whether or not the league will be looking to expand beyond that number right away.
Passing along the results of a player poll from All-Star weekend, Joe Vardon of The Athletic notes that the 14 respondents were unanimously against the idea of 10-minute quarters floated last month by commissioner Adam Silver. However, 12 of those 14 players liked the new All-Star tournament format.
The Lakers‘ and Pistons‘ G League affiliates completed a trade on Wednesday, with the South Bay Lakers acquiring forward Cole Swider from the Motor City Cruise in exchange for Chris Silva‘s returning rights and a 2025 first-round pick, per a press release. Silva is currently playing overseas, but Swider has been active in the G League and will begin suiting up for South Bay.

Heat Notes: Cap Sheet, Herro, Optimism, Jovic

February 17th, 2025 at 9:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

By trading Jimmy Butler, the Heat have created more cap flexibility for this offseason, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes.

Miami now has $176.2MM committed to 12 players for next season, approximately $11MM below the projected $187.9MM luxury tax threshold. However, that figure doesn’t include restricted free agent guard Davion Mitchell and rookie forward Keshad Johnson’s $1.9MM team option, nor does it account for the salary for either of the first-round picks they might have.

The Heat could free up an additional $10MM by shedding Duncan Robinson‘s partially-guaranteed contract but it could also be used to help facilitate a trade. In any case, the team doesn’t have to worry about Butler exercising his $52.4MM option, which he declined in order to sign a two-year extension with Golden State.

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Tyler Herro won the 3-point contest at All-Star weekend and also participated in the revamped All-Star Game format. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity. “I broke like not even a half sweat. But it was a great experience all weekend, just to be here from Friday to Sunday night. Just super grateful to be here,” Herro told Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.
Though the Heat entered the All-Star break with a four-game losing streak and three games under .500, there’s hope for a strong finish, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel writes. The Butler drama is over and there’s more depth with the additions of Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson and Mitchell. The bigger lineup featuring Ke’lel Ware and Bam Adebayo also gives the club a new dimension.
In his latest mailbag, Winderman notes that Nikola Jovic has not blossomed as hoped. He’s sometimes guilty of trying to do too much, Winderman writes. An even bigger issue is that he does not play to his size, as he tries to get by too often by finesse instead of power.

Heat Notes: Herro, Highsmith, Durant

February 16th, 2025 at 12:11pm CST by Rory Maher

Heat guard Tyler Herro earned his first All-Star nod in 2024/25. He also won his first three-point contest on Saturday night, defeating Buddy Hield and Darius Garland in the final round.

As Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel writes, Herro has displayed a different level of maturity this season after dealing with trade rumors for much of his career. He credits an improved mental approach for his excellent season.

“I think it comes with being OK with everything, trying to be at peace,” Herro said. “I try to work on myself off the court just as much as I was working on the court. So just being at peace, having my kids, my girl, I’ve got everything I need. So just being able to stay present.”

The 25-year-old sharpshooter said becoming an All-Star has long been a goal of his, so he was thrilled to be selected for the first time, Winderman adds.

“I’ve always wanted to be an All-Star,” he said. “I think I said that from the very beginning, not selfishly, but just trying to be ambitious in my own way. I’m a hard worker, so I feel when I’m able to put my mind on something, I usually go get what I want. So that’s usually how I try to do it. And All-Star was one of my goals coming into the league.”

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Herro brought his family and friends with him to All-Star weekend, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, who takes a look at the former lottery pick’s journey to achieve his goal. “Just spending it with my family, getting a break,” Herro said when asked what he’s looking forward to the most this weekend. “Just seeing all my people there and being able to experience it with them.”
Haywood Highsmith‘s playing time has dwindled of late. Is there still room for him in the rotation after the trade additions of Andrew Wiggins and Kyle Anderson? Winderman examines that question in a subscriber-only mailbag.
Is it inevitable that Kevin Durant will once again be linked to the Heat when the summer rolls around? Winderman weighs in on that topic for The Sun Sentinel, noting that while there still seems to be mutual interest between the two sides, Miami also wasn’t willing to part with the young players and draft capital the Suns were seeking before the trade deadline.

Heat Notes: Losing Streak, Wiggins, Rozier, Adebayo, Herro, Mitchell

February 15th, 2025 at 8:55am CST by Dana Gauruder

The All-Star break came at a good time for the Heat. They have lost four straight contests and 11 of their last 16, dropping them three games below .500.

The Heat took a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s game in Oklahoma City, then was outscored 32-8 in the final frame. On Thursday, they fell 118-113 to a depleted Dallas squad that was missing its entire starting five due to injuries.

“Everybody understands the urgency right now,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “There’s not a man in that locker room that doesn’t understand it. We’re disappointed, we’re frustrated. This is humbling.”

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The Heat were far from full strength in the loss to the Mavericks. Only 10 players were available with Andrew Wiggins missing the game due to a stomach illness after playing 34 minutes the previous night. Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Duncan Robinson and Terry Rozier have also missed recent games due to the same stomach bug, Chiang notes. Rozier also sat out Thursday’s game, as did Bam Adebayo. The latter was sidelined by a left knee contusion after posting 27 points, 15 rebounds and four assists in 35 minutes the previous night.
Adebayo expressed exasperation after the late collapse against the Thunder. It was the 13th time this season Miami lost a game after leading by double digits. “It’s one of those things, man, it’s a lesson,” he told Chiang. “But how many times we got to keep learning this lesson? And it’s not just the players, it’s the coaches, as well. We got to understand that we got to all be on the same page.”
Herro told Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel a sense of urgency is required at all times in order for the club to turn things around. “This is important,” he said. “This needs to matter to everybody in this locker room every single day, every single night, every single film session, shootaround, walkthrough, everything. I think that’s something that we also have to continue to improve at. The games aren’t the only thing that matter. Everything matters. Walkthroughs, like I said. And then just taking care of each other, helping each other, spending time with each other. We just need to get on the same page going into these last 30 games.”
While the addition of Davion Mitchell gave the Heat a much-needed, point-of-attack backcourt defender, they still lack a definitive play-maker, Winderman writes in his latest mailbag. The subtraction of Jimmy Butler adds to the problem because Herro and Adebayo must focus more on scoring than play-making.

Projected NBA Taxpayers For 2024/25

February 14th, 2025 at 4:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Ten NBA teams are still operating in luxury tax territory in the wake of last Thursday’s trade deadline, but this season’s total projected luxury tax payments – and the clubs projected to be taxpayers – have declined significantly in recent weeks.

As of January 23, a total of 14 teams projected to be taxpayers, Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter links) observes, with the 16 non-taxpayers on track to receive about $17.8MM apiece, which would have been the largest payout in NBA history.

But the Cavaliers, Pelicans, Clippers, and Sixers all ducked the tax line with their pre-deadline moves, while a few other teams remained in the tax but took steps to significantly reduce their end-of-season bills. Milwaukee, for instance, had been projected to pay about $74.8MM in tax penalties, but has since reduced that figure by more than half, according to Eric Pincus of Sports Business Classroom.

Here are the current projected tax penalties, per Pincus’ data:

Phoenix Suns: $152.26MM
Minnesota Timberwolves: $84.85MM
Boston Celtics: $53.45MM
Los Angeles Lakers: $52.53MM
New York Knicks: $36.45MM
Milwaukee Bucks: $32.66MM
Denver Nuggets: $20.36MM
Golden State Warriors: $12.36MM
Dallas Mavericks: $6.39MM
Miami Heat: $4.18MM
Total: $455.49MM

These numbers will fluctuate a little before the end of the season. For instance, the Lakers recently increased their projected bill when they signed Alex Len to a rest-of-season contract, and the Warriors will need to make multiple roster additions in the near future, which will cause their bill to rise. Various contract incentives that go earned or unearned could also impact the end-of-season tax figures.

Based on the current figures from Pincus, each non-taxpayer is projected to receive a payout of about $11.4MM. That figure is determined by cutting the total league-wide tax penalties in half, then dividing them evenly among the non-taxpaying teams (in this case, 20 clubs).

As significant as the Suns’ tax penalty projects to be, especially for a team currently flirting with .500, it won’t be a single-season record — Golden State has actually exceeded $152.26MM in tax payments in each of the past three years (2022-24).

Assuming these are the 10 teams that finish the season in tax territory, the Celtics, Nuggets, Warriors, Clippers, Lakers, Bucks, and Suns would all be subject to repeater penalties in 2025/26 if they’re taxpayers again next season.

Southeast Notes: Suggs, Wiggins, Heat Exhibition, Nance

February 11th, 2025 at 5:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

It’s been a frustrating stretch for Magic guard Jalen Suggs. He missed 10 games due to a low back strain and has now missed another eight games due to a left thigh contusion. Suggs has still only done non-contact work since his latest injury. Even if he’s able to return for Orlando’s last game before the All-Star break on Wednesday, Suggs will be on a minutes restriction.

“It’s just very important that we keep understanding that everyone’s body is different [and] how they respond to treatment is different,” head coach Jamahl Mosley told Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. “We’re going to make sure he’s taken care of the right way and understand exactly how we integrate guys back because this is for the long haul.”

The Magic have gone 5-14 over their past 19 games. Their overall defensive rating of 109.0 still ranks third in the league, but it was at 106.4 prior to Suggs’ first 10-game absence and has has been just 113.9 (14th) during that 19-game span without him.

“Jalen is a huge piece for us in what he does and his energy and his enthusiasm — same as Moe Wagner (who is out for the season),” Mosley said. “You can’t replace those pieces whether you try to or not. To put the weight of the entire defense on a young man and what he provides, it’s tough to do.”

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Andrew Wiggins‘ Heat debut didn’t go well. He shot 3-of-12 shooting from the field while scoring 11 points in 30 minutes against Boston on Monday. Wiggins, acquired from Golden State in the Jimmy Butler blockbuster, wasn’t fazed and knows an adjustment period will be necessary. “That’s the NBA for you,” he said, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “It’s never going to be easy. Every game is going to be a dog fight, every game is important, especially for this team. I’m learning my way through. But at the end of the day, it’s basketball. I’ve been playing it since I was a kid. So I think I’ll be fine.”
The Heat will play a preseason game in Puerto Rico this fall, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. It will be the team’s seventh exhibition in Puerto Rico over the team’s 38 seasons but their first since 2006.
Veteran big man Larry Nance Jr. would likely draw a lot of interest in the buyout market but The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie doubts that Nance and the Hawks will pursue that avenue. League sources tell Vecenie that Atlanta coach Quin Snyder is a big fan of the 32-year-old, who has been in the Hawks’ rotation since returning last month from hand surgery. Nance will sit out Wednesday’s game due to a knee injury.

Kevin Durant Admits He Was ‘Blindsided’ By Trade Rumors

February 10th, 2025 at 10:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Suns forward Kevin Durant admitted he was “blindsided” that his name came up in trade talks prior to last week’s deadline, according to Doug Haller of The Athletic.

However, he took the news diplomatically.

“Everybody’s bought and sold in this league,’’ Durant said. “Anybody can be up for auction. I understand that.”

Durant’s name surfaced in trade rumors after negotiations between the Heat and Suns regarding a potential Jimmy Butler deal stalled, mainly due to Miami’s unwillingness to take on Bradley Beal‘s contract. Butler ultimately landed with Golden State, while Durant and Beal stayed put. Durant reportedly balked at the idea of a second stint with the Warriors.

Durant tried to put a positive step on the process.

“It’s not a bad thing that people around the league want me to play for them,” Durant said, according to The Associated Press. “It’s not a bad thing my organization here is fighting off people to keep me on the team or even dangle me in a trade. It’s part of being in high demand.”

Phoenix reportedly might explore the possibility of moving Durant during this offseason. The Suns and Durant could also explore a two-year veteran extension. Durant is earning $51.2MM in 2024/25, followed by $54.7MM in ’25/26.

Durant is now concerned that the focus on him will intensify the remainder of the season, due to the trade rumors and speculation about what will happen this summer.

“I always had a goal of just playing my contract out and seeing what happens,’’ Durant said. per Haller. “I can’t focus on a year-and-a-half down the line. I know that will be a topic. That’s probably the most frustrating part about being in trade talks is that the microscope is going to be on solely just me the rest of the season. My body language. How I speak to (news reporters) after the game. How I’m looking on the bench. That stuff will be magnified, which sucks.”

Durant also addressed a report by ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne that described the team’s locker room as toxic.

“I think it’s unfair and lazy to categorize our team as toxic when you come in there for five minutes throughout four months,” Durant said, per a Yahoo Sports tweet.

Durant hasn’t played since last Monday due to an ankle injury but is expected to return for Phoenix’s home game on Tuesday night against Memphis. He is 26 points from becoming the eighth NBA player to reach 30,000 career points.

Heat Notes: Butler, Spoelstra, Rivas, Buyout Market, Wiggins, Rotation

February 10th, 2025 at 7:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Heat won half of their first 50 games this season. Considering the extended Jimmy Butler drama, coach Erik Spoelstra is relieved that the team’s spirit didn’t crumble before Butler was dealt to Golden State.

“It was six, eight weeks of not having full clarity,” Spoelstra said, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “But I think that helped our team develop some grit. Even though our record isn’t where we want it to be, it could have been a lot worse. You go through a lot of circumstances like that, I’ve seen a lot of teams just fall apart. So we were able to develop some grit that I really like when you have those opportunities during a regular season.”

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Armando Rivas, listed as an assistant athletic trainer, has submitted his resignation, the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman writes. Rivas served as Butler’s de facto personal trainer during the forward’s tenure with the Heat, joining Butler from the 76ers during the 2019 offseason.
The Heat plan to explore the buyout market, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. They’ll take a cautious approach, since they already have a full roster and would have to waive a player, most likely either Alec Burks or Keshad Johnson, to bring someone new aboard. The Heat’s deadline moves allowed them to move below the first tax apron, meaning they can sign any player who’s bought out, regardless of the player’s pre-waiver salary.
Andrew Wiggins, the biggest name among the incoming players in the Butler blockbuster, believes he won’t have any trouble fitting into the Heat’s lineup. “Golden State had a unique style, especially playing with Steph (Curry) and Draymond (Green),” he said, per Chiang. “There are similarities with Tyler (Herro) and Bam (Adebayo). So, looking forward to getting out there, being one of the older guys and just getting it started with them.”
The deadline additions will create some interesting decisions regarding the rotation. Winderman speculates that the only rotation locks are Adebayo, Herro, Wiggins, Kel’el Ware, Duncan Robinson, Davion Mitchell and Nikola Jovic.