The Heat exceeded all expectations this spring by making the NBA Finals as a No. 8 seed, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be satisfied to run it back with the same roster for 2023/24.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter video link) and Brian Windhorst of ESPN (YouTube link), Miami is expected to explore the trade market in search of a star player this summer.
As Windhorst points out, it makes sense for the Heat to be aggressive as they seek roster upgrades this offseason for a few reasons. For one, Jimmy Butler will turn 34 years old in September and presumably has a limited number of prime years left, while Bam Adebayo – 26 in July – is entering his own prime.
Additionally, the Heat’s roster is getting more expensive, meaning they’ll likely be subject to more restrictive trade rules beginning in 2024/25, when the changes in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement for tax-paying teams will be fully implemented. Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald explores those new rules in more detail, noting that – while some changes will begin to take effect in 2023/24 – the Heat would have more flexibility to make a blockbuster deal in the coming months than in future league years.
While Kyle Lowry ($29.7MM in 2023/24) and Duncan Robinson ($18.2MM) are Miami’s most obvious salary-matching pieces, Windhorst notes that Tyler Herro ($27MM) will be starting his rookie scale extension in ’23/24 and could make a more intriguing trade chip than Lowry or Robinson. Caleb Martin has also evolved into a player that “a lot of teams have interest in,” Windhorst adds.
Of course, if they want to acquire a star, the Heat will almost certainly need to include multiple draft assets in any offer. They owe a lottery-protected 2025 first-round pick to Oklahoma City, which complicates, to some extent, their ability to move additional first-rounders. Still, they could include up to three first-round selections – including this year’s No. 18 pick – in a trade offer this summer.
While there’s no consensus yet on which players the Heat might target, Charania hears that the club made a trade offer to Brooklyn for Kyrie Irving in February and wonders if Miami might circle back on Irving as he reaches free agency.
That seems like a long shot though, since the Heat aren’t in position to acquire a player via sign-and-trade due to the hard cap it would create. It’s also worth noting that a previous report stated that Heat management wasn’t unanimous in its belief that Irving would be a good addition.
Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard recently named the Heat as one of the teams he would want to be traded to if he ever asks out of Portland. There’s no indication that has happened or will happen anytime soon, but there has been more smoke than ever around Lillard’s situation leading up to this offseason.
As Windhorst observes, it’s also entirely possible that there will be a star who has been impressed by the Heat’s unlikely run to the Finals and decides he wants to be part of what’s going on in Miami.
“What we don’t know is what star players just watched the Heat on this two-month advertisement for Heat culture and might go to their teams in the next few weeks and say, ‘I want to be a Miami Heat,'” Windhorst said. “That has happened consistently throughout the Pat Riley era.”
Onley problem is what star is available? They are over the cap so it will be through a trade.
And who are they honestly going to send back? Tyler Herro makes the most sense from Miami’s perspective, but he’s probably not a good enough return for most star players. Trading Bam is a bad move, and trading Jimmy is a non-starter. Kyle Lowry has negative trade value, and Oladipo’s contract for next year is subject to a player option and he’s also a negative value currently. They don’t exactly have many young prospects to offer either.
If you don’t know what you are talking about, it’s usually better to not say anything at all
So post what they could trade for a all star. It would need to match wages too.
Lillard makes the most sense if he finally decides to jump ship. The Blazers would accommodate his wishes to play where he wants to go. The heat would have a 2-3 year window so those future 1sts would be enticing, they could buy out Lowry and deal with Robinson’s contract which isn’t really that bad with today’s contracts and seeing as they have to pay someone.
It helps to read past the title
Gary Trent, Jr. could end up in Miami
I’ll never understand why Miami is seen as a realistic trade destination where they don’t really have that much to give up. they don’t have such appealing trade assets.
Herro is a terrific asset. Big money expiring deals are also good. Sure they don’t have every pick to shell out, but they have plenty to work with. I’d wager they have more than most in terms of pieces you can get rid of and still be a winning team
They technically have 4 picks to trade now
Amend your definition of “terrific” pal
herro is ok and if you are trading a superstar, you aren’t shopping for expiring deals. also you don’t care if the other tens will continue to be a winning team. I completely understand that Miami is an appealing destination for players, I just don’t get it for teams trading away stars and trying to get a big return
Desire and a large market
Media fills in the blanks
that’s from a player perspective
Herro is good as gone. I could see them nabbing someone like siakam. Maybe s&t for Middleton? Lavine or derozan?
S&T is out because of hard cap, as article states. Needs to be a star under contract that wants out
Heat after understand that if they go “star hunting” they will have to most likely include bam & herro or both in that package.
I’m all for a BAM for AD trade. La might not like it , so maybe 3 1st & bam for AD? Why not ?
Not. It’s more likely the stars are leaving. They have run this course as far as they can.
They are better served in breaking it up and resetting their position to the new CBA. It is very favorable to its culture in nature.
Just know Duncan Robinson came back to life as a rotation caliber player but he’s still one of the five worst trade assets in all the nba ! He will be even worse on a different team then the hear who are known to be the best at highlighting a players strengths and hiding their weaknesses
Great article that gives all the reasons the heat are in no position to aquire a big name. Any trade would need to start with Bam or Butler, not happening.
IMO, MIA could put in a decent offer for Lillard, but to have it be the winning bid, a few things would need to happen. POR having a desire to trade him to the EC. Lillard greatly preferring MIA to any other EC team bidding. I base this on what I think will be a more tepid market for Lillard than most anticipate. I don’t see a Durant or DM type package going to POR. Obviously, MIA couldn’t put together than that kind of package.
As a Heat fan, the rumors of trading certain people for a “star,” or specifically Lillard, are again at least questionable, the same way I said last year
I would only trade for people like Jaylen Brown or Kawhi Leonard or Paul George, or Draymond Green, Jaren Jackson jr, Scottie Barnes, LeBron, Anthony Davis, Mikal Bridges or if those types of players are available…wings and 4s/smallball 5s that can defend, and preferably shoot. I would also be interested in the lesser tier of similar type of players, most of whom are still super young and likely shouldnt be traded.
If Lowry gets moved, someone to replace him that can defend at guard, like Chris Paul. I also think we’re losing Strus, so a spacer that can play the 3/4/2 and defend adequately. As of now, I dont see Jovic being ready for that spot at the 4 for another year, although he did significantly improve this year past what i thought in such a short time, from where he was
The other idea would be to start Herro at PG, and add a 3 and D wing, as well as addressing that 4 spot, and let Lowry come off the bench, but I personally prefer Herro as a 6th man, the same way I said before this year proved that
Kawhi ? You should have put Zion too.
I’m more interested in others with New Orleans, like Herb Jones and Trey Murphy
Assets- # 18 this year
28′ 1st
30’1st’
I suppose the 29 swap as well
Players- Herro, a smidge (25)
Lowry (29) Ola (10) expiring (just cus expiring)
That isn’t much to parcel, they are lucky they have the expiring’s as those play well. Like DXC said they are going to need (outside force ) help to nab a star- Thye cant compete with the free market with that asset collection if theres a bidding war
They are also pressed right up against the hard cap already making it even harder
I don’t like to doubt Pat, especially when Cronin is the other guy putting on the Gloves but not a good asset collection here for Mia
“I WANT TO BE A MIAMI HEAT”
I would instantly trade any player that came up to me and said that exact sentence, it just sounds off.
Butler isn’t a true alpha star…
General Soreness shows up more often than Playoff Butler scoring 40+ to carry the team…
Problem for the Heat is that they just don’t have the assests to beat other teams to a star…