Teams around the league expect free agent wing Kelly Oubre to eventually sign with the Heat, according to veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein, who publishes his articles on Substack.
However, there’s an important caveat: Miami would need to trade for Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard first. As Stein writes, the Heat would likely have a hole on the wing if they can pull off a Lillard deal, and Oubre could help fill that void.
Oubre, 27, is the highest-ranked player left on our list of 2023’s top-50 free agents, coming in at No. 27. He averaged 20.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals on .431/.319/.760 shooting in 48 games (32.3 minutes) for Charlotte last season.
Unless they can shed a significant amount of salary, the Heat will be limited to a minimum-salary offer for Oubre, which would be just shy of $2.9MM for a player with his amount of experience (he just finished his eighth NBA season). That’s a significant pay cut — Oubre has earned $12MM or more in each of the past four seasons.
Miami isn’t expected to have access to the taxpayer mid-level exception (a maximum of $10.25MM over two years) due to its proximity to the second tax apron, and it used its bi-annual exception last season to sign Kevin Love. As the name implies, the bi-annual exception can’t be used in consecutive years.
Still, the fact that Oubre remains unsigned likely means there hasn’t been much of a market for him above the veteran’s minimum to this point — otherwise, he presumably would have landed with a team already. The Cavaliers and Mavericks are rumored to have shown some level of interest in the former first-round pick, but obviously nothing has come to fruition.
In what roster spot? Maybe before when they could have used more at the 3/4, but they’re fine now with what they have. I could see Dallas making sense though
It literally says a Lillard trade would need to happen.
Even then…I dont really get what would be sent out where it would make him make sense. I guess maybe Jaquez, but not really
Overall though, I just dont want them to make the trade, b/c I dont think it makes sense at all, which I’ve been saying since the beginning of this
Jaquez and Jovic. Plus perhaps one more regular forward. That would create a hole and Kelly Oubre would step Right In.
Pat Riley feels he needs one more stud who can make a shot in the playoffs. Some of the other guys wore down in the finals last year from heavy usage. I think the heat went as far as they did because Caleb Martin came out of nowhere and carried them a game or two here and there. Can’t run it back, they need one more stud.
The current roster wouldnt be running it back though. They filled areas of need. They desperately needed help at the 4/smallball 5, and they have multiple guys there now. Could have done with maybe a couple of other options there, but they especially dont need a guard they need to overpay significantly for. If you’re the Heat trading a significant amount, it should be for only a certain few players
This what you call beyond speculation.
How does a guy who avg 20pts only get the minimum lol. Dude must be the biggest A hole.
Doesn’t play D. And sometimes gets lost on offense. Heat culture will help …..
Inconsistencies on both ends, ball stopping tendencies, not a great floor spacer, can be turnover/foul prone, sometimes lack of awareness in certain situations
I looked at Kelly Oubre’s stats. He’s only 27 years old, averaged double figures for years, scoring over 20 mpg last year, and now there’s no place for him unless he takes a ten million dollar pay cut? Guess this shows how much talent is pouring into the NBA. Unfortunately the only thing I remember of Kelly Oubre is he lost his temper and purposely ran into Kelly Olynyk of the Celtics. Looked like he wanted to hurt him, but maybe that’s unfair. Go Celtics!
Hahahaha, Kevin Love enters the chat
That’s bush league
Your Celtics love SFs. They need about 8 of them. Good signing right?
No, I don’t see the Celtics wanting him.
Anyone with a name in the NBA can average 20ppg, given enough minutes and shots. The problem with Oubre is that he’s inefficient doing it, and doesn’t offer much else. I think he’s got a ceiling above what he’s produced so far, but it’s hard to gamble on that.
Actually he’s far from an a-hole, he’s a good dude. But he’s sort of like Michael Beasley. Super one-dimensional.
He’s going to come in the game to get Buckets. He may not even know the names of his teammates on the floor with him at any given time. He’s definitely not going to find them with a pass. But he’ll get you 20. That’s not a problem. And sometimes you need a guy like that on your team.
I’d say getting Obrue at minimum money. Is better than getting Wood at minimum. This would be major. Especially with Dame here. I’m not paying him top dollar. But he’s worth more than minimum. Great pickup for Heat.
They don’t have him. They would have to trade for Dame which isn’t happening for what they’re offering
Dame-Josh-Jimmy-KLove-Bam would be a nice starting 5 with Oubre/Caleb/Bryant coming off the bench.
And how do you propose you obtain Dame?
Outside of Jimmy an Bam I don’t care who they give up to make the money work.
The post was indicative of obtaining Dame then signing KOJr to fill a roster spot. Very logical and I hope they come to an agreement with Portland.
Great pickup, he will fit well
The Heat putting rumours out there as if they have enough to trade for a star…
I don’t doubt Pat Riley’s ability to swindle someone, but that should be the third team involved here…
Unless Portland make a stupid decisions they’re better off tanking with Dame on the books than taking scraps from Miami just to get the deal done…
Portland already has a hard time getting free agents, if they tank with Dame, they will never sign a free agent again. Haha, They gonna have to trade Dame for 10 2nd rdrs just to fill out the roster
Trading dame to the blazers to the heat isn’t the solution to any of their issues or problems you suggest ! They will eventually have to trade dame but it will factually do nothing to benefit their present or future
Yes that’s right. It’s inevitable, so hand Dame over to Pat already and take Herro, picks, and filler.