Heat Check mailbag: After missing out on LaVine could Tyler Johnson be a fit for Kings?

With the Heat summer-league team off on Monday it seems like the perfect time to tackle questions from our readers in this week's Heat Check mailbag:

Q: Hey Manny, realistically do you see any radical changes coming for the team? — @FernSig01

A: Fernando, if you're asking me if I see a roster shakeup on the horizon for this coming season, my response is no. Pat Riley is certainly trying to make moves. On one hand he's trying to land that transformational player. On the other, he's also trying to put the Heat in position to stay under the luxury tax by season's end while also finding a way to keep Wayne Ellington and Dwyane Wade, if he chooses to return for a 16th season. Landing a transformational player is obviously a lot harder than clearing some cap space.

So, if you're seeking a radical change don't bet on it. We've all heard about Kawhi Leonard wanting out of San Antonio. The issue for the Heat is how strongly Leonard's camp has been about him wanting to play in Los Angeles. One thing that caught my ear in a recent podcast by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowksi is how difficult it is for anyone even in the Spurs' organization to deal with Leonard's advisers — including his uncle and his agent.

The Heat has a better shot — I think — at potentially trading for someone like Jimmy Butler. That's assuming he really wants to leave Minnesota and head back to the weaker Eastern Conference. Minnesota isn't a place that's going to attract marquee free agents and I would assume a trade with the defensive-minded Tom Thibodeau could be worked out.

Q: Any possible two-way players making a name for themselves on the Summer League roster? — @DuvalierJohnson

A: Other than former Michigan forward Duncan Robinson, not really. The fact Robinson has been in the starting lineup in the Heat's first five summer league games alongside Bam Adebayo, Derrick Jones Jr., and Derrick Walton Jr. is a sign to me the coaching staff wants to see how he can play with guys who have been on the 15-man roster and who already know Miami's system.

With Ellington's future with the team unclear and Luke Babbitt also out there in free agency, it's clear Miami is prioritizing shooting as its No. 1 need when it comes to two-way deals and potentially the last spot on the roster. Robinson, 24, doesn't need a lot of coaching. He's mature, smart, and proving he can do a lot more than just shoot. The fact he's 6-8, 215 pounds is also a plus, according to Chet Kammerer, the head of the Heat's scouting department.

That said, anybody can pluck Robinson off the Heat's summer league team at any point and sign him to a two-way deal or even a roster spot. So, if the Heat really likes him, they might want to act quickly.

Q: Is Dion Waiters going to change this team? We missed him BADLY last season. — @DPHEAT3

A: Dion has actually been out here in Las Vegas rehabbing and training and trying to get back in time for the start of training camp. There's no guarantee he'll be ready for it. He had major ankle surgery to fix things he not only injured with the Heat but also in high school and college.

Look, at his best, I think Dion has the potential to be the Heat's best player. His first step is as explosive as anyone's in the league and he's unafraid to take the big shot in crunch time. He also helps create space for shooters.

If Dion, 26, is able to come back and be the guy we saw from January 10, 2017 to March 17, 2017 when he averaged 17.8 points, 5.0 assists, and shot 45 percent from the field, including 42.6 percent from three-point range, then he will most certainly make an impact and put Miami on another level.

What the Heat ultimately lacked last season was a second penetrator and playmaker beyond Goran Dragic. Who knows how the playoff series with the Sixers would have turned out if Dion were healthy. Miami would have certainly had a better chance to win that series.

Q: How does a healthy Waiters and Rodney McGruder affect everyone’s minutes? Is Melo only an option if it is through a trade? — @Zachabdo12

A: I'll answer the last question first. The only realistic way Carmelo Anthony ends up on the Heat is as a free agent. The Thunder is looking ultimately to cut their tax bill. So they won't want to take on salary in a trade and Miami cannot just absorb Anthony's monster $28 million salary without sending something back in the deal.

As for minutes, that's ultimately the biggest issue here for the Heat when it comes to Melo, Ellington, or even Wade. The Heat clearly likes McGruder and what he provides in terms of leadership, hustle, and defense. He was really starting to come around as a three-point shooter in practices before his injury last season. Waiters as I mentioned above is highly valued, too, based on what he did for a couple months during the 2016-17 season.

With a bunch of guards on this team (there’s already five when you count Dragic, Waiters, McGruder, Tyler Johnson, and Josh Richardson) I find it tough to imagine that both Wade and Ellington will be back next season unless one of the five already on the roster is moved. Realistically, the deepest that coach Erik Spoelstra could go in terms of rotation most nights with his backcourt is six – and that’s stretching it.

Q: With the Kings missing out on Zach LaVine does that provide an opportunity for Tyler Johnson to be traded there? — @unkstreetz

A: There's no doubt in my mind Johnson, 26, could be a nice consolation prize for Sacramento — if it's really willing to take him at the $19.3 million that he's owed each of the next two seasons. Sacramento has about $18 million in cap space and Johnson, who is from the Bay Area, would provide a little veteran leadership for a young team.

The Kings last season brought in 40-year-old Vince Carter and 36-year-old Zach Randolph to do that. Johnson would be different in that he would actually be a part of the rotation and play alongside these young players as they grow. But at this point it's really unclear how the Kings feel about Johnson as a player and if they think he would really help them and their direction. It's also unclear if they would require the Heat to send them a draft pick in the trade, too, for taking on Johnson's big salary. My guess is Riley would not go for that last part.

Also important to note, if Johnson went to Sacramento he would be the Kings' highest-paid player. He also has a $1.5 million trade kicker that would boost his salary if he's traded.

This story was originally published July 9, 2018 at 3:16 PM with the headline "Heat Check mailbag: After missing out on LaVine could Tyler Johnson be a fit for Kings?."