Miami Heat mailbag: A look at the situations of Victor Oladipo and KZ Okpala
The Miami Herald Heat mailbag is here to answer your questions this season.
If you were not able to ask this time, send your questions for future mailbags via Twitter (@Anthony_Chiang). You can also email them in to achiang@miamiherald.com.
@HeatHoopBubble: Did you hear anything from the Heat on how close Victor Oladipo is to getting back on the court?
Anthony Chiang: Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was asked for an update on Oladipo’s status following Thursday’s loss to the Boston Celtics. Spoelstra’s answer was, “I do not have an update.” That’s not surprising, considering the Heat is known to give few updates during a player’s rehab process.
It doesn’t seem that an Oladipo return is imminent, though. The expectation is still that he’ll play at some point this season. But Oladipo is not even traveling with the team yet on road trips. Before the start of the season, the hope internally was that he would be able to play in games by March. Remember that this is the second time Oladipo has had surgery to repair the quadriceps tendon in his right knee, so it’s important that Oladipo gets the time he needs to make a full recovery.
When asked for a timetable for his return on Media Day in late September, Oladipo didn’t have one. He simply said “hopefully sooner than later” and that he was only doing “super light stuff” at that time.
Oladipo’s potential return lifts the Heat’s ceiling because he has proven to be one of the NBA’s top two-way players when healthy. But at what point in the season that return happens is still unclear.
@BillStellman: Anthony. It appears it would be best in the interest of KZ Okpala and the organization that he be traded. Seems like a nice young man, but no role for him on the roster. Do you think a trade is coming and could they get a second-round pick for him?
Anthony: At the start of forward KZ Okpala’s third NBA season, he’s very clearly not part of the Heat’s rotation. He has logged just 16 minutes over four games this season, but they have all come in the fourth quarter of double-digit wins when the result was already decided. Okpala has played more minutes in the G League (572) than in the NBA (489) during his career. This is not what the Heat or Okpala expected when the team traded three second-round picks to acquire him on draft night in 2019.
But the reality is that Okpala is in the final season of a three-year, $4.2 million contract he signed prior to his rookie season. He’s due just $1.8 million this season, which is not exactly the large expiring contract that teams are looking for in trades. And it’s not like the Heat — right up against the luxury tax threshold — is in a position to take on money in an Okpala deal. The Oklahoma City Thunder does need to add $22 million in salaries just to reach the league’s salary-cap floor. But it’s hard to imagine the Thunder (owner of nearly all future picks) to give up a draft selection just to get $1.8 million closer to the salary-cap floor. Of course, there’s always the possibility of a larger Heat trade later this season, which could hypothetically include Okpala to help balance salaries in the deal.
Okpala still holds upside as a versatile defender at 6-8 and 215 pounds, and the Heat will continue to work to develop him. But the clock is ticking in the final season of Okpala’s contract.
