What’s in store for the Heat? Here’s a player-by-player breakdown entering 2022 offseason
The Miami Heat finished just five wins from an NBA championship this season. Now what?
The Heat’s current look features five players with guaranteed salaries for next season: Jimmy Butler ($37.7 million), Bam Adebayo ($30.4 million), Kyle Lowry ($28.3 million), Duncan Robinson ($16.9 million) and Tyler Herro ($5.7 million).
That list is also expected to include Max Strus ($1.8 million), Gabe Vincent ($1.8 million) and Omer Yurtseven ($1.8 million) when the Heat guarantees their salaries for next season, as expected. The Heat also has a decision to make on Haywood Highsmith’s non-guaranteed $1.8 million salary for next season.
Then there’s the uncertainty regarding P.J. Tucker’s future with the Heat, as he has a $7.4 million player option in his contract for next season that he’ll need to decide on this month.
Dewayne Dedmon, Udonis Haslem, Markieff Morris and Victor Oladipo will be unrestricted free agents this offseason. Caleb Martin will be a restricted free agent.
Next season’s salary cap and luxury tax line have not yet been set, but projections indicate the salary cap will be about $122 million and the luxury-tax threshold will be about $149 million. The Heat is expected to operate as an over-the-cap team and leverage the Bird Rights of its own free agents to bring some of them back, unless an offseason trade changes the math.
As an over-the-cap team, the Heat will have a few exceptions available to sign players: the $10.3 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception and the $4.1 biannual exception, but using either of those exceptions would hard cap the Heat at about $155 million. Using the $6.4 million taxpayer midlevel exception instead — a team can’t use the taxpayer midlevel exception or the biannual exception if it uses this exception — would not hard cap the Heat, but it’s going to be challenging for Miami to avoid a luxury tax bill in either scenario.
The good news for the Heat is the punitive repeater tax (when a team is over the tax at least three times during a four-year period) is not currently a concern. The last time Miami finished a season as a tax team was in 2019-20, as it avoided the tax in the last two seasons.
It’s also worth noting that the Heat holds the No. 27 pick, which it is eligible to trade, in the June 23 draft.
Here’s what the Heat has to work with this offseason, with a player-by-player breakdown …
BAM ADEBAYO, center
▪ Age: Turns 25 on July 18.
▪ Contract status: Due $30.4 million next season in the second year of a five-year, $163 million max contract extension he signed in the 2020 offseason.
▪ What to know: Adebayo averaged a career-high in points (19.1 per game) and shot attempts (13 per game) in his third full season as the Heat’s starting center. He also grabbed 10.1 rebounds, dished out 3.4 assists, racked up 1.4 steals per game, and provided his usual elite defense to finish fourth in the Defensive Player of the Year voting and earn a spot on the All-Defensive Second Team this season. But Adebayo played in a career-low 56 games this regular season as right thumb surgery forced him to miss seven weeks. The goal for Adebayo this offseason will be to continue to improve offensively. The next step in Adebayo’s evolution could be incorporating the three-point shot or more post moves into his offensive repertoire. Adebayo shot just 0 of 6 on threes and scored just 0.98 points per possession (63.3 percentile in the NBA) in post-up situations this regular season. Adebayo remains an important part of the Heat’s long-term plan as one of the NBA’s top young stars and two-way big men, but continued growth on the offensive end will be expected.
JIMMY BUTLER, wing
▪ Age: Turns 33 on Sept. 14.
▪ Contract status: Due $37.7 million next season before a three-year, $146.4 million extension begins in the 2023-24 season that will keep him under contract with the Heat through the 2025-26 season when he’ll be 36 years old.
▪ What to know: Butler is the Heat’s best player and he again proved this postseason that he’s one of the top two-way players in the NBA. Butler averaged 27.4 points on 50.6 percent shooting from the field, 7.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.1 steals in this year’s playoffs. He joined Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley and Kawhi Leonard as the only players in NBA history to average at least 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals while shooting better than 50 percent from the field during a playoff run. In two of Butler’s first three seasons with the Heat, he has elevated his game to lead the team to deep playoff runs — 2020 to the NBA Finals before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers and 2022 to the Eastern Conference finals before losing to the Boston Celtics. Butler is one of the few players in the league who is special enough to be the best player on a championship team. But with Butler turning 33 in a few months, it’s fair to question how long he can produce at this high of a level. The Heat’s goal this offseason will be to continue to improve the roster around Butler to make sure he has enough help to finally win his first championship.
DEWAYNE DEDMON, center
▪ Age: Turns 33 on Aug. 12.
▪ Contract status: Will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. The Heat has Dedmon’s early Bird rights, which allows Miami to exceed the salary cap to re-sign him to a contract with a starting salary of up to about $11 million but for no less than two seasons. The Heat can also sign him using the non-Bird exception with a starting salary of up to $3.1 million or just bring him back on a minimum contract worth about $2.6 million.
▪ What to know: Dedmon has been the Heat’s backup center since he joined the Heat as a free agent late in the 2020-21 season, providing much-needed quality minutes when starting center Bam Adebeyo has been on the bench. The Heat outscored opponents by 3.5 points per 100 possessions with Dedmon on the court this regular season. Dedmon’s ability as a roller, screener and rebounder have helped Miami survive the non-Adebayo minutes. But Dedmon’s minutes weren’t as positive this postseason, as opponents outscored the Heat by 1.2 points per 100 possessions with the Dedmon on the court in the playoffs in large part because of defensive issues. Dedmon even fell out of the rotation in the East finals. Instead, Miami went small and used 6-5 forward P.J. Tucker as its backup center and Dedmon did not play in Games 5, 6 and 7 of the conference finals. Bringing back Dedmon as Adebayo’s backup makes sense for the Heat if the price is right, but how far Miami’s front office is willing to go could depend on how much confidence it has in Omer Yurtseven potentially stepping into the backup center role.
UDONIS HASLEM, forward
▪ Age: Turns 42 on June 9.
▪ Contract status: Will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. The Heat has Haslem’s Bird rights, so it can exceed the salary cap to re-sign him up to his maximum salary.
▪ What to know: If Haslem wants to return, he will likely be back on a minimum contract again. He’s still undecided on whether he wants to return for a 20th NBA season and will take some time this offseason to make that decision. But Haslem did tell the Miami Herald in November that he has a goal of reaching the 20-season mark because of the historical aspect of it and it’s also a milestone his late father, Johnnie Haslem, wanted him to reach. Vince Carter, Robert Parish, Kevin Willis, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and Jamal Crawford are the only players in NBA history to play in at least 20 NBA seasons. LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Haslem could join that list next season. Haslem has served as a Heat captain in 15 consecutive seasons, the longest tenure in team history. If Haslem does return, it won’t be to play significant minutes. He has played in just 28 games since the start of the 2018-19 season. The last time the Heat’s locker room did not include Haslem was in the 2002-03 season.
TYLER HERRO, guard
▪ Age: Turned 22 on Jan. 20.
▪ Contract status: Due $5.7 million next season in the final year of his rookie-scale contract. Herro is eligible to sign a contact extension with the Heat worth as much as $181 million over five seasons this offseason, with a first-year salary (2023-24) of $31.2 million. He can sign for five years — instead of four — only if he gets a max contract.
▪ What to know: Herro closed the regular season as the Heat’s second-leading scorer with a career-high 20.7 points per game in a bench role to win the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award. Herro did it while shooting a career-best 44.7 percent from the field and 39.9 percent from three-point range, while averaging a career-high four assists. But Herro’s production dipped this postseason, as he averaged just 12.6 points while shooting 40.9 percent from the field and 22.9 percent from three-point range and 2.8 assists in this year’s playoffs. A groin injury also forced Herro to miss part of the East finals. While Herro faced adversity and didn’t live up to expectations in the postseason, he was arguably the team’s most consistent and dynamic scorer in the regular season. Herro will continue to improve and the 22-year-old hopes to be a starter next season. With All-Star potential, Herro is important as one of the few three-level scorers on the roster. But how much is the Heat willing to give Herro as part of an extension? Herro will naturally seek a max extension from the Heat, but recent history indicates he may not get it. Jaylen Brown signed a four-year, $107 million extension with the Boston Celtics in the 2019 offseason and Mikal Bridges signed a four-year, $90 million extension with the Phoenix Suns last offseason. The Heat and Herro have a mid-October deadline (the final day before the start of the regular season) to reach an agreement on an extension. If an extension isn’t agreed to by then, Herro will become a restricted free agent in the 2023 offseason. As a talented young player entering the final season of his rookie deal, Herro is also one of the Heat’s most attractive trade chips so he’ll likely be mentioned in plenty of trade speculation again this summer.
HAYWOOD HIGHSMITH, forward
▪ Age: Turns 26 on Dec. 9.
▪ Contract status: The Heat has to decide on the $1.8 million team option in Highsmith’s contract for next season, which could become partially guaranteed this summer.
▪ What to know: Initially signing with the Heat as a COVID-19 replacement player in late December, Highsmith then signed two 10-day contracts with the team before Miami used the final spot on its 15-man roster to sign him for the rest of the season in March. Highsmith, who went undrafted out of Wheeling University in 2018, played in just five NBA games during his career before appearing in 19 regular-season games with the Heat this season. He totaled 43 points on 16-of-46 (34.8 percent) shooting from the field and 9-of-28 (32.1 percent) shooting on threes, 26 rebounds, six assists, two steals and three blocks in 163 minutes with the Heat this regular season. In the G League this season, Highsmith averaged 13.6 points while shooting 49.4 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from three-point range, 5.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and one block in 17 games with the Delaware Blue Coats. As part of the Heat’s developmental plan for Highsmith, he told the Miami Herald that the work has been focused on “defense and shooting threes” to resemble “a little bit of P.J. Tucker.” It seems like this is all leading up to Highsmith having an opportunity for a big role on the Heat’s summer league team as he works to prove he deserves a spot on the 15-man roster next season.
KYLE LOWRY, guard
▪ Age: Turned 36 on March 25.
▪ Contract status: Due $28.3 million next season in the second year of a three-year, $85 million contract he signed last offseason.
▪ What to know: Lowry made the impact many expected him to make in his first season with the Heat. His ability to run the offense allowed Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler to look for their own shots more often. Lowry’s hit-ahead passes, ability to make pull-up jumpers and defense also made the Heat better. Lowry averaged 13.4 points while shooting 44 percent from the field and 37.7 percent on threes, 4.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.1 steals this regular season. The Heat was also 2.5 points per 100 possessions better when Lowry was on the court. The problem was that he missed 19 regular-season games, mostly because of personal reasons. Then Lowry strained his left hamstring early in the postseason and that forced him to sit out eight playoff games. When Lowry did return in the East finals, he clearly wasn’t himself as he averaged 9.4 points on 28.6 percent shooting from the field and 26.7 percent shooting on threes. With Lowry turning 37 in the middle of next season, his best days are very likely behind him. But he proved this season that he can still help lift the Heat to a higher level. Lowry just needs to find a way to be available when it matters most — the playoffs.
CALEB MARTIN, forward
▪ Age: Turns 27 on Sept. 28.
▪ Contract status: Will become a restricted free agent this offseason, as long as the Heat extends a $2.1 million qualifying offer to Martin ahead of free agency. As a restricted free agent, Miami will have the right to match outside offers up to the $10.3 million mid-level exception to retain Martin.
▪ What to know: Somehow the Heat was able to add Martin by signing him to a two-way contract last offseason. Martin quickly became the NBA’s best two-way contract player, with his blend of athleticism and size making him a versatile weapon on both ends of the court. To make sure he was eligible for the playoffs, the Heat converted Martin’s two-way contract into a standard deal in February. Martin averaged career-highs in points (9.2) and rebounds (3.8) this regular season while shooting a career-best 50.7 percent from the field and raising his three-point percentage from last season’s 24.8 percent to 41.3 percent in his first season with the Heat. Injuries slowed Martin toward the end of the season, but he was still part of the rotation for most of the playoffs. One thing is for sure, Martin won’t need to settle for a two-way contract this offseason. Because the Heat does not hold Martin’s Bird rights and doesn’t have cap space, Miami has limited resources if it chooses to re-sign him. The Heat can bring him back using the non-Bird exception with a starting salary of up to $2.2 million or the $4.1 million bi-annual exception, but more likely would need to turn to either the $6.4 million taxpayer mid-level exception or $10.3 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception to keep him based on the type of offers he’s expected to receive on the free agent market.
MARKIEFF MORRIS, forward
▪ Age: Turns 33 on Sept. 2.
▪ Contract status: Will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. The Heat does not hold Morris’ Bird rights, which limits the resources it has to resign him.
▪ What to know: After signing a one-year minimum deal to join the Heat last offseason, the belief was that Morris would bring another veteran presence to the rotation. Morris started the year in the rotation, but a shove in the back from NBA MVP Nikola Jokic in early November derailed his season. Morris went on to miss the next 58 games because of the effects from the shove and never was able to regain his spot in the rotation when he finally made his return in March. He played a total of just three minutes in the playoffs. It turned into a lost season for Morris, and he may have to again settle for a minimum contract or something close to it this offseason because of that. Whether the Heat is the team that signs him to such a deal this summer remains up in the air.
MYCHAL MULDER, guard
▪ Age: Turns 28 on June 12.
▪ Contract status: The Heat holds a team option for Mulder’s two-way contract for next season.
▪ What to know: Mulder is a familiar face. He took part in training camp and appeared in two preseason games with the Heat before being waived prior to the start of the 2019-20 regular season. Mulder found his way back to the Heat after impressing as a member of the Heat’s G League affiliate this season, earning a two-way contract from Miami in March. Three-point shooting is viewed as Mulder’s most intriguing skill, as he has shot an impressive 38.7 percent on 7.1 three-point attempts per game in four G League seasons. He’ll spend the offseason in the Heat’s developmental program and is expected to have a chance to prove himself in summer league with the hope of eventually becoming the organization’s next undrafted success story.
VICTOR OLADIPO, guard
▪ Age: Turned 30 on May 4.
▪ Contract status: Will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. The Heat has Oladipo’s Bird rights, so it can exceed the salary cap to re-sign him up to his maximum salary.
▪ What to know: Oladipo didn’t make his season debut until March 7 following an 11-month recovery from surgery to repair the quadriceps tendon in his right knee. As expected, finding a role for Oladipo that late in the season was not easy. So he eventually fell out of the Heat’s rotation and began the postseason out of the rotation. But it didn’t take long for Oladipo to begin earning consistent playoff minutes, as he logged double-digit minutes in each of the Heat’s final 15 playoff games as a reserve. Oladipo was far from perfect as he worked to find his rhythm after missing most of the season, but he did enough to contribute on both ends. He averaged 10.6 points while shooting 36.8 percent from the field and 27.4 percent on threes, 3.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game this postseason. After spending the last few offseasons rehabbing his knee injury, a full summer to work on his game and conditioning should help him. With Oladipo’s Bird rights, the Heat has no restrictions on what it can offer Oladipo up to his maximum salary despite being over the cap. But there will be a line Miami doesn’t want to cross as it looks to avoid a huge luxury tax bill. Whether Oladipo returns to the Heat next season will likely depend on the outside offers he receives on the free agent market.
DUNCAN ROBINSON, forward
▪ Age: Turned 28 on April 22.
▪ Contract status: Due $16.9 million next season in the second year of a five-year, $90 million contract he signed last offseason.
▪ What to know: Robinson started 67 games this season before Max Strus replaced him in the starting lineup in late March. Robinson then went from playing a consistent role off the bench to being completely out of the rotation in the playoffs and eventually playing an inconsistent role off the bench in the East finals. Even though Robinson’s three-point percentage dipped to 37.2 percent this regular season after making more than 40 percent of his threes in the previous two seasons, he’s still considered an elite outside shooter. But defense continues to be an issue for Robinson, as teams hunted him repeatedly on that end. Robinson’s three-point shooting is still useful for the Heat, especially since its two best players are not known for their outside shooting. But the fact that Robinson is the fourth-highest paid player on the roster and may not even be a starter or in the rotation next season based on the way this season ended makes this situation worth monitoring. Will the Heat look to deal Robinson to get his salary off the books?
JAVONTE SMART, guard
▪ Age: Turned 23 on June 3.
▪ Contract status: The Heat holds a team option for Smart’s two-way contract for next season.
▪ What to know: Like Mulder, Smart is a familiar face. Smart spent summer league and training camp with the Heat last offseason. He was waived by Miami just before the start of the 2021-22 regular season, but went on to earn a two-way contract from the Heat in February after some high-scoring performances for the organization’s G League affiliate. Smart averaged 21.1 points per game on 41.8 percent shooting from the field and 32 percent shooting on threes in 25 G League games this season. Next up for Smart is a full offseason in the Heat’s developmental program and likely another summer league opportunity to prove he deserves to stick around for next season.
MAX STRUS, wing
▪ Age: Turned 26 on March 28.
▪ Contract status: The Heat has until June 29 to decide on the $1.8 million team option in Strus’ contract for next season.
▪ What to know: Considering Strus moved into the starting lineup in place of Duncan Robinson with a few weeks left in the regular season and was a starter throughout the playoff run, it’s obvious that the Heat will exercise the option in Strus’ contract for next season at such a team-friendly salary. Strus averaged career highs in points (10.6), rebounds (3), assists (1.4) and minutes (23.3) while shooting a career-best 41 percent on 6.5 three-point attempts per game this regular season. He was one of only six NBA players to shoot 41 percent or better on at least six three-point attempts per game, along with Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving, Memphis’ Desmond Bane, Chicago’s Lonzo Ball, Los Angeles’ Luke Kennard and Brooklyn’s Joe Harris. Strus’ numbers weren’t as impressive in the playoffs, as he averaged 10.9 points while shooting 37.4 percent from the field and 33.2 percent from three-point range. But while Strus is known as an outside shooter, what sets him apart from three-point specialists is he’s athletic and skilled enough to also play inside the arc and he’s a capable defender. The real question here is: Will Strus again be a full-time starter next season?
P.J. TUCKER, forward
▪ Age: Turned 37 on May 5.
▪ Contract status: Holds a $7.4 million player option for next season in his contract with the Heat. Tucker has a June 29 deadline to decide on the option.
▪ What to know: Since losing forward Jae Crowder in free agency during the 2020 offseason, the Heat has been looking for a replacement with a similar skill set to fit alongside center Bam Adebayo in the starting frontcourt. Tucker proved to be that and more this season, as he helped space the floor with his efficient three-point shot from the corners, surprised with his ball-handling and passing and served as another quality versatile defender with his 6-5 and 245-pound frame. Tucker averaged 7.6 points on 41.5 percent shooting from three-point range, 5.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 71 regular-season games (70 starts). In the playoffs, Tucker shot 45.1 percent from deep and was used as the primary defender on Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum and Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden. Considering that Tucker was a starter who helped lead the Heat to the East finals, he probably believes he deserves a salary higher than his $7.4 million player option for next season and he’s probably right. But whether Tucker actually opts out of his contract at 37 years old and negotiates with the Heat for more money and years or even considers outside offers is still to be determined. The Heat doesn’t have Tucker’s Bird rights and cap space isn’t an option, but can use the non-Bird exception to offer Tucker a contract with a starting salary of up to $8.4 million that can be from one to four seasons long. Of course, the Heat also has the $10.3 million mid-level exception that it can use to bring back Tucker.
GABE VINCENT, guard
▪ Age: Turns 26 on June 14.
▪ Contract status: The Heat has until June 29 to decide on the $1.8 million team option in Vincent’s contract for next season.
▪ What to know: Starting point guard Kyle Lowry missed a lot of time this season for various reasons and Vincent proved to be a very capable fill-in. Vincent averaged career-highs in points (8.7), rebounds (1.9), assists (3.1) and minutes (23.4) while shooting career-bests from the field (41.7 percent) and three-point range (36.8) this regular season. The Heat posted a 24-11 record in the games that Vincent started this season, including the eight playoff starts he made in place of Lowry. Vincent has improved as a point guard who can be relied on to run the offense but also can play off the ball when needed. He can space the floor with his solid three-point stroke and has developed into a pesky perimeter defender. Like Strus, the Heat’s offseason decision to exercise the option in Vincent’s contract for next season at such a team-friendly salary will be an easy one.
OMER YURTSEVEN, center
▪ Age: Turns 24 on June 19.
▪ Contract status: The Heat has until June 29 to decide on the $1.8 million team option in Yurtseven’s contract for next season.
▪ What to know: Yurtseven has quickly turned into one of the Heat’s most intriguing developmental prospects. He earned a spot on the 15-man roster this season with his dominant summer league display last year. Then Yurtseven didn’t disappoint when starting center Bam Adebayo was forced to miss seven weeks in the middle of the season because of thumb surgery. Yurtseven strung together 14 consecutive games with double-digit rebounds before Adebayo returned in January, which is the longest such streak by a rookie in Heat history and stands alone as the second-longest overall streak in team history behind only Hassan Whiteside’s string of 19 consecutive games in 2017. Yurtseven also grabbed at least 12 rebounds in 11 straight games while Adebayo was out, which is the longest such streak in Heat history. Once Adebayo returned, Yurtseven dropped out of the rotation and spent the rest of the season watching most games from the bench. But even in his limited playing time, Yurtseven showed elite rebounding skills and the potential to be an above average scorer at the position, while his defense continues to be a work in progress. If Turkish national team commitments don’t get in the way, Yurtseven’s plan is to again represent the Heat in summer league as he continues to work toward more consistent playing time in the NBA. The expectation is the Heat’s decision to exercise the team option in Yurtseven’s contract for next season will be an easy one.
This story was originally published June 3, 2022 at 1:46 PM.
