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Latest On Bradley Beal

June 17th, 2023 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Heat officials engaged in multiple conversations with representatives for Wizards guard Bradley Beal as they tried to work out a trade, sources tell Anthony Chiang and Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Beal hasn’t asked to be dealt, but he’s willing to be moved to “more than a handful of teams,” according to the authors. The fact that Miami is in position to compete for a title is important to Beal, Chiang and Jackson add.

The Heat and Suns are considered the leading contenders to land Beal as talks intensified on Saturday. The Wizards are reportedly motivated to get a deal done quickly so another star player such as Damian Lillard doesn’t become available and reduce their leverage. Washington is also believed to be seeking a trade that doesn’t involve taking on long-term salary.

Miami’s offer reportedly includes Kyle Lowry‘s $29.7MM expiring contract, along with either Duncan Robinson or Victor Oladipo to help match salary. The Heat would prefer to move Robinson because he has a larger contract, which would help reduce the team’s projected tax bill for 2024/25 and 2025/26, according to Chiang and Jackson. Miami will also include at least one first-round pick in the deal, the authors add.

Currently, the Heat can offer the No. 18 choice in this year’s draft, along with a first-rounder in either 2028 or 2029. Chiang and Jackson point out that if the deal isn’t completed until after July 1, Miami would be able to include its first-round selection in 2030.

There’s more on the Beal trade talks:

There are some important dates to consider in any potential Heat trade involving Beal or Lillard, tweets Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Oladipo has to pick up his player option for 2023/24 before he can be included. That’s likely a formality considering the serious knee injury he suffered in the playoffs, but he has until June 29 to make it official. If Tyler Herro is involved, there’s a poison pill restriction in his contract that doesn’t expire until July 1. Until then, his salary will be considered $5.7MM for outgoing matching purposes, rather than the $27MM he will make when his extension begins next season. Also, Lillard is ineligible to be traded until July 9.
Beal’s ability to play off the ball would make him an easy fit alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in Phoenix, observes Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. However, the three players’ combined salaries would start at $131MM next season and would reach $163MM by 2025/26. That would leave the Suns, who are already lacking in depth, with few options to build a roster without being subject to the harshest provisions of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
At least one rival team is skeptical that the Heat are serious about acquiring Beal, tweets John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. Gambadoro also hears that the Bucks have interest in Beal, but much of their draft capital over the next four years already belongs to the Pelicans (Twitter link).

Southeast Notes: Kuzma, Beal, Oladipo, Snyder, Hornets

June 17th, 2023 at 5:01pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Bradley Beal trade rumors percolate, Ian Begley of SNY.tv says some people within the Wizards organization “voiced concerns” last season about the fit between Beal and forward Kyle Kuzma. While Begley acknowledges that the team has revamped its front office and may view things differently now, it appears increasingly unlikely that Beal and Kuzma will play together next season, with one on the trade block and one headed for free agency.

Meanwhile, David Aldridge and Josh Robbins of The Athletic weighed in on the latest Beal trade rumors, taking a closer look at the Wizards’ talks with the Suns and Heat. According to The Athletic’s duo, Washington would have interest in acquiring Tyler Herro in a deal with Miami, but the Heat are instead offering Duncan Robinson (along with Kyle Lowry and multiple first-round picks).

Despite rumors indicating that Chris Paul – and not Deandre Ayton – would need to be included in the Suns’ offer for Beal in order to satisfy all parties, Aldridge and Robbins suggest that Ayton could still be the centerpiece of Phoenix’s offer.

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

Heat guard Victor Oladipo is accusing his business manager of taking money from his bank accounts to buy a condo in Florida and a strip club in New York City, per Justin Rohrlich of The Daily Beast. Oladipo has filed suit in New York against James B. Henderson for stealing at least $1.3MM. Oladipo filed a separate lawsuit last year in Florida’s Orange County Circuit Court.
While some observers believed that Quin Snyder wouldn’t have joined the Hawks unless he was given ultimate control of the roster, he adamantly denies that’s the case, according to Jeff Schultz of The Athletic. “The only role (general manager) Landry (Fields) and (assistant GM) Kyle (Korver) and I talked about when I agreed to come to Atlanta is me coaching the team,” Snyder said. “That’s what I like and it’s also what I’m passionate about. Any speculation about me having a more significant role than providing input on personnel decisions is just not accurate. I have total confidence in Landry and his group to make those decisions. As I see it, my job is to maximize the potential of the personnel, whatever the personnel is. That’s where my focus lies. That speculation is erroneous.”
A number of draft experts expect the Hornets to select Brandon Miller at No. 2 in next Thursday’s draft, but Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer makes a case for Scoot Henderson to be the pick. The guard’s stock has been on the rise as of late, Boone writes, with rumors circulating that teams want to trade up for Henderson, not Miller.

Arthur Hill contributed to this post.

Heat, Suns In Serious Talks For Wizards’ Bradley Beal

June 17th, 2023 at 1:51pm CST by Luke Adams

1:51pm: The Heat are trying to acquire Beal without moving Herro, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link).

Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link) says the package discussed by Miami would be built around Lowry and draft assets, with Robinson or Oladipo also included for salary matching.

The Wizards appear to be trying to avoid taking back long-term money, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. That suggests that a Suns offer would likely involve Paul rather than Ayton.

12:54pm: The Wizards are engaged in serious talks about a Bradley Beal trade with two separate suitors, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), who reports that the Heat and Suns are in the mix for the star guard.

Miami has long been viewed as a potential landing spot for Beal if he’s dealt, whereas Phoenix is more of a newcomer to the sweepstakes. Charania refers to the Heat and Suns as “finalists” for Beal, though it’s unclear if the Wizards are fully committed to moving forward on a trade or whether other clubs will still have a chance to get involved.

As first reported on Wednesday, Beal and the Wizards have begun to talk to one another about the possibility of a trade, with the team’s new front office – led by Michael Winger – considering the idea of resetting the roster. Any major changes in D.C. would almost certainly include moving Beal, who is owed nearly $208MM over the next four years.

Because Beal has a full no-trade clause, he has a significant amount of control over not only his eventual landing spot but the return the Wizards receive for him, since he could veto a deal if he thinks his new team is giving up too much. Beal’s camp – including agent Mark Bartelstein – has reportedly been granted permission by the Wizards to speak to potential suitors.

Beal’s current cap hit is $43.3MM and that number will increase to $46.7MM in 2023/24, so substantial outgoing salary will be required to match that figure and meet the NBA’s trade rules.

A Heat trade for Beal would likely start with either Tyler Herro or Kyle Lowry. Herro will make $27MM next season in the first year of his four-year rookie scale extension, while Lowry will be on a $29.7MM expiring contract. Duncan Robinson ($18.2MM), Victor Oladipo ($9.5MM), and Caleb Martin ($6.8MM) are among the other possible trade candidates for the Heat, who have up to three first-round picks available, including this year’s No. 18 selection.

As for the Suns, it’s safe to assume Kevin Durant and Devin Booker wouldn’t be included in an offer for Beal. That means a proposal would have to start with either Chris Paul or Deandre Ayton, depending on whether Washington would prioritize expiring salary (Paul) or a young building block who is under contract for multiple years (Ayton). Paul has a partially guaranteed $30.8MM salary for 2023/24 without any guaranteed money owed to him beyond next season, while Ayton will make $102MM over the next three years.

Landry Shamet ($10.3MM) and Cameron Payne ($6.5MM) are other movable Suns players for matching purposes, though Phoenix doesn’t have much to offer in the way of future draft picks after sending four first-rounders to Brooklyn for Durant in February. The Suns would only be able to sweeten an offer with second-round picks or with a first-round swap in 2024 and/or 2026.

Both the Heat (with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo) and the Suns entered the offseason expected to scour the trade market for impact players capable of complementing their star duos. The two teams project to be taxpayers going forward, so their flexibility to make major moves may be limited after the 2023/24 league year as more rules from the new Collective Bargaining Agreement take effect.

The Heat have also been linked to Damian Lillard, though there’s no indication yet that he’ll be available this summer. The Suns are said to have some interest in Malcolm Brogdon and John Collins, among others.

Heat Notes: Offseason, Vincent, Strus, Herro, Lillard, Beal

June 14th, 2023 at 8:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

After an improbable run to the NBA Finals, the Heat face an offseason filled with important financial decisions, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.

Miami has just seven players with guaranteed salaries for next season, but Victor Oladipo is almost certain to pick up his $9.5MM option after suffering a knee injury in the playoffs and the team is expected to guarantee Haywood Highsmith‘s $1.9MM salary. With an estimated cap hit of about $3MM for the No. 18 pick, the Heat will have roughly $176MM committed, putting them well over the projected $162MM luxury tax line and in sight of the new $179.5MM second apron.

Kevin Love, Max Strus, Gabe Vincent and Cody Zeller are all headed to unrestricted free agency, while Omer Yurtseven will be restricted if Miami makes a $2.26MM qualifying offer. In addition, Miami has already been linked to potential trades involving Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal.

“The goal is to win a championship, and this organization will do anything possible for that to happen,” Bam Adebayo said at Wednesday’s exit interviews. “I feel like everybody in here knows it’s a business. And that’s why you cherish the moments you go through with your teammates, with your brothers because you never know what can happen next year.”

There’s more from Miami:

The Heat hold Bird rights on Vincent and Strus, so they can go over the cap to re-sign them, although that would increase their tax bill, Chiang adds. Both players indicated that they plan to explore all their options. “Money plays a role, place plays a role, situation plays a role,” Vincent said. There’s a lot of things that factor in and I think it will all take care of itself throughout the summer.”
Tyler Herro didn’t address reporters on Wednesday, but coach Erik Spoelstra expanded on his decision to not use him in Game 5, per Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Herro received medical clearance Monday afternoon after missing nearly two months following hand surgery. “It’s also my job, as the head coach, to protect him, and do what we think was best for the team,” Spoelstra said. “… And there’s no knowing for sure, but I do know that that was just a totally unusual circumstance that you can’t compare to anything else. But the good news is he’ll have a great offseason and he’ll be fully ready to go next year.”
With trade rumors flying around the Heat, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald proposes a scenario in which the team could acquire both Lillard and Beal while keeping Adebayo and Jimmy Butler.

Bradley Beal Rumors: Bucks, Sixers, Knicks, Heat

June 14th, 2023 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Having already reported that the Heat will be among Bradley Beal‘s suitors if the Wizards decide to move forward with a trade of the star guard, Shams Charania of Stadium (Twitter video link) said he has been told the Bucks are “looming” as another team to watch for Beal.

Milwaukee would be a somewhat surprising inclusion in the Beal sweepstakes. Charania doesn’t provide any details on what the Bucks might offer, but we can safely assume Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t going anywhere. In order to match Beal’s maximum-salary cap hit, the Bucks would have to build a package around either Khris Middleton or Jrue Holiday, both of whom were key members of the team that won a title in 2021.

Here’s more on Beal in the wake of a report that he and the Wizards are discussing possible trade scenarios as the team debates whether or not to reset its roster:

Sources who spoke to Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com insisted that the Sixers don’t intend to pursue Beal via trade and aren’t interested in him as a long-term cornerstone. As Neubeck explains, Beal’s contract plays a large part in that stance — he’s owed nearly $208MM over the next four seasons, which will be a tricky contract to accommodate under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement for a player who isn’t his team’s first option.
The Knicks had internal discussions during the season about the possibility of pursuing Beal this summer, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv. It’s unclear what came of those conversations and how enthusiastic the team might be about the idea.
The Heat have conveyed interest in Beal multiple times over the years, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jackson also hears from a source close to Beal that Miami would appeal to the three-time All-Star — that’s an important factor, given Beal’s full no-trade clause. Jackson suggests that a Miami offer for Beal would likely start with Tyler Herro and either Duncan Robinson or Kyle Lowry for salary-matching purposes. Miami has three tradable future first-rounders, including this year’s No. 18 overall pick.

Heat Notes: Vincent, Strus, Lowry, Yurtseven, Highsmith, Robinson

June 14th, 2023 at 2:52pm CST by Luke Adams

Running it back with the group that got the Heat to the NBA Finals this offseason might be impossible unless the team is willing to pay a massive tax bill, as Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald details. Guards Gabe Vincent and Max Strus, who earned minimum salaries in 2022/23, are each expected to command an eight-figure salary when they sign new contracts as unrestricted free agents this summer.

The Heat have always intended to become a taxpaying team in 2023/24, Jackson writes, but they project to be over the luxury tax threshold even before accounting for new deals for Vincent and/or Strus. Re-signing both players for starting salaries in the range of $10-12MM per year would push the projected team salary into the neighborhood of $200MM, which would result in a tax bill in excess of $120MM.

According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, rival executives are dubious that the Heat are willing to make that kind of tax payment. As such, it seems unlikely that both Vincent and Strus will be back unless the club can find a way to dump salary in a trade. Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro, and Duncan Robinson would be the best candidates to be involved in such a deal, and Pincus notes that Herro’s four-year contract probably makes him the best option if the club is seeking additional long-term flexibility.

Here’s more on the Heat:

Lowry restored his value to some extent with a strong playoff run, but his expiring deal (worth nearly $30MM) still has limited value, writes Sean Deveney of Heavy.com. A source tells Deveney that if the Heat don’t end up using Lowry’s expiring contract in a trade, they should be comfortable bringing him back for the final year of that deal. “It’s not a bad option to have, the way he played,” the source said. “It’s not a desperate kind of thing.”
Omer Yurtseven, who is eligible for restricted free agency, was asked on Wednesday what his priorities in free agency will be, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “I think my priority is to play,” said Yurtseven, who was limited to nine games in 2022/23 in large part due to ankle surgery in the fall. If the Heat opt not to issue a qualifying offer to Yurtseven, he’d be free to seek out the team willing to give him the biggest role.
Heat wing Haywood Highsmith told reporters on Wednesday that he expects the team to guarantee his $1.9MM salary for next season by hanging onto him beyond July 15, per Winderman (Twitter link). Highsmith added that his goal is to continue to work toward becoming a lock-down defender.
Orlando Robinson‘s two-way contract with the Heat will expire on June 30, but the big man has committed to playing for Miami’s Summer League team, he said today (Twitter link via Winderman). The Heat have the ability to make Robinson a restricted free agent by issuing him a qualifying offer equivalent to another one-year two-way deal.

Heat Notes: Herro, Butler, Vincent, Strus, Yurtseven, Haslem

June 13th, 2023 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Heat guard Tyler Herro declined to speak to reporters after Monday’s loss, but his body language suggested that he was disappointed not to get into Game 5 after receiving medical clearance following a two-month recovery process for a broken hand, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Head coach Erik Spoelstra explained after the loss that the physicality and intensity of the game made him hesitant to call on a player who hadn’t suited up since mid-April. However, he also didn’t sound certain that he made the right decision by not using one of Miami’s best scorers in a game in which the team finished with just 89 points.

“It’s just a really tough call and I’ll probably have to wrestle with that all summer,” Spoelstra said, adding that the intensity in the Finals was “totally different” from the first round of the playoffs, let alone the regular season. “… That’s the hardest-played, most physical competition you can have. And that would be a tough thing for a guy that’s been out for two months that hasn’t had any kind of ramp-up. But that won’t save me from thinking about that for the next few weeks.”

Here’s more on the Heat:

Jimmy Butler, who sprained his ankle earlier in the postseason, wasn’t willing to use that injury as an excuse after Monday’s loss, telling reporters that his ankle was “fine” and had “zero” to do with his 5-of-18 shooting night, per Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Butler also didn’t necessarily agree with the idea that the Heat need to make offseason moves to improve their offense. “No. We just missed shots,” he said. “That’s what this league is about. We make two, three more shots. … We did enough to win.”
In his preview of the Heat’s offseason, Bobby Marks of ESPN.com (Insider link) says that re-signing Gabe Vincent should be a top priority for the front office, which will have to decide whether bringing back Max Strus is a necessity or a luxury.
One under-the-radar decision the Heat will have to make before the end of June is whether or not to extend a $2.3MM qualifying offer to center Omer Yurtseven, Winderman writes for The Sun Sentinel. That QO would make Yurtseven a restricted free agent. He has shown some promise but was limited to just nine games this season due to ankle surgery, so it’s hardly a lock.
While winning a championship would’ve been a storybook ending for his 20-year NBA career, Udonis Haslem isn’t unhappy about how his final season ended, according to Winderman. “I tell the guys, I have no complaints, I have no regrets. I’m thankful,” Haslem said. “They gave me a final season that I will never, ever forget. That’s all I can ask for.”
Assistant general manager Adam Simon and the rest of the Heat’s draft staff had been trying to “stay out of the team’s way” while bringing in prospects to the Kaseya Center for workouts since last week, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. With the Heat’s season now over, the draft preparation can take center stage — the club owns the No. 18 pick in next Thursday’s event.

Tyler Herro Available To Play In Game 5

June 12th, 2023 at 6:11pm CST by Arthur Hill

6:11pm: Herro is available tonight, according to Erik Spoelstra, but the coach wouldn’t commit to playing him, Tim MacMahon of ESPN tweets.

“It’s all hands on deck,” Spoelstra said. “We’re going with our normal rotation, and then we’ll see how things play out.”

11:34am: The Heat have changed Tyler Herro‘s status to questionable for tonight’s Game 5 of the NBA Finals (Twitter link), prompting speculation that he might be ready to return from hand surgery.

Herro is expected to be in uniform and will attempt to play, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Team officials are hoping that he doesn’t suffer a setback before tip-off and that he can manage the pain in his right hand, Woj adds.

The shooting guard has been sidelined since April 16 when he broke two fingers in the opener of Miami’s first-round series with Milwaukee. He had surgery five days later and was projected to miss at least six weeks.

Herro was originally listed as out for Game 5, but he was able to participate in another full-contact practice session on Sunday. His performance apparently convinced team officials that he’s ready to attempt a comeback.

The Heat need a boost in three-point shooting from their backcourt after Gabe Vincent and Max Strus misfired badly in Game 3 and 4. They combined to shoot 4-of-27 from the field in the two losses at Miami while scoring a total of 12 points.

Heat Notes: Comeback, Love, Role Players, Herro

June 11th, 2023 at 6:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Heat are facing a 3-1 deficit in the Finals. Only one team has ever won in the Finals after trailing by that margin but Miami’s coaches and players are unfazed by the odds, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes.

“Everybody is counting us out. We’re used to that,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “But ultimately it has to be decided between those four lines. The crowd is not going to decide it. The narratives are not going to decide it. Whatever the analytics are about 3-1, that ain’t going to decide it. It’s going to be decided between those four lines, whose game can get to whose game and ultimately win at the end. That’s what our guys love. So we’re looking forward to it.”

Game 5 will be played in Denver on Monday night. If the Heat force a Game 6, it will be played on Thursday.

We have more on the Eastern Conference champs:

Speaking of that one time a team rallied from a 3-1 Finals deficit, Kevin Love is well aware of how such a comeback could take place. He was a member of the 2016 Cavaliers that rallied to beat the Warriors in the last three games of the series, Chiang notes in the same story. Love sees similarities between those Cavs and these Heat. “I think there’s a lot to be taken from that situation,” Love said. “Naturally, when your back is up against the wall, you start to look for answers, solutions. But we’re a team that has been super resilient.”
Caleb Martin, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus haven’t been able to impact the Finals the way they did the first three playoff series, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel points out. The Heat know they’ll need more from their role players and perimeter shooters to beat Denver three straight times. “(The Nuggets) definitely made an adjustment to try to stay at home on three-point shooters,” Spoelstra said. “It’s not the first time we have faced that. I think that’s a great compliment to them and how important they are to our offense. We just have to do it better.”
Tyler Herro is listed as out for Game 5, Winderman tweets. The 23-year-old sharpshooter still hasn’t received medical clearance to play in the remaining games, though he did undergo another contact workout on Sunday, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports. Herro hasn’t played since breaking his hand in the opening round of the playoffs.

Heat Notes: Vincent, Strus, Draft Picks, Herro, Lillard

June 10th, 2023 at 5:09pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat’s starting backcourt has fallen into a shooting slump at the worst possible time, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Gabe Vincent and Max Strus played vital roles in Miami’s climb from the play-in tournament to the NBA Finals, but they were held to a combined 12 points in the Game 3 and 4 losses while shooting 4-of-27 from the field.

Strus was despondent in the locker room after Friday’s contest, according to Jackson. He missed all four of his shots on a scoreless night and was removed from the game for good with 4:25 left in the third quarter.

“I’m pretty disappointed,” he said. “But sitting here and sulking about it is not going to do anything. Got to toughen up and bounce back. Look forward to the next opportunity and try to stay positive.”

Vincent scored a combined 42 points in the two games at Denver, but has managed just nine since the series shifted back to Miami. He shot 3-of-16 over the last two games and got into early foul trouble both times.

“Gabe’s been unbelievable this whole playoff run,” Kyle Lowry said. “Gabe is a tremendous basketball player. Our league is a make-or-miss league, and you have a guy in Jimmy Butler who is going to continue to pump confidence into him. I’m going to pump confidence into him. He’s going to come out and have a great game in Game 5.”

There’s more on the Heat:

Miami could have up to four first-round picks to trade this summer, which would be the most in several years, Jackson adds. He notes that the Heat could give themselves extra flexibility by working out an agreement with the Thunder to waive the lottery protections on the selection that Miami owes to OKC in 2025 or 2026.
The Heat have shown that they can succeed without Tyler Herro, who has been injured for nearly the entirety of their playoff run, and Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel states that it should be much easier to trade Herro than it was last offseason. The poison pill restriction in Herro’s contract will expire at the end of the month, meaning his salary will be counted as $27MM for trade purposes, rather than the $5.7MM he’s currently earning on his rookie contract. Winderman points out that Herro’s $130MM extension kicks in next season, and any team that trades for him will have him under contract for the next four years.
Team president Pat Riley should be aggressive about trying to acquire Damian Lillard from the Trail Blazers this summer, argues Manny Navarro of The Athletic. Earlier this week, Lillard listed the Heat as one of his preferred destinations if he does get traded.