Heat hopes to keep Davion Mitchell. And injury updates heading to Chicago, Ware fallout
According to someone with direct knowledge, the Heat ideally would like to keep point guard Davion Mitchell, an impending restricted free agent who has thrived in a bench role recently after his February acquisition from Toronto.
But the type of offers he gets in restricted free agency could force Miami’s hand.
Though everything is fluid, the Heat is operating under the belief that it likely will make Mitchell a $7.8 million qualifying offer that would be necessary for Miami to retain the right to match outside offers for the point guard this summer.
The one potential roadblock with retaining Mitchell: If another team makes him a sizable multiyear offer that Miami is reluctant to match. But Mitchell has been so productive that Miami could opt to give him a multiyear deal if that happens; Miami has outscored teams by 103 points when Mitchell has been on the floor over the past nine games.
Giving Mitchell money beyond next season would further eat into the Heat’s 2026 cap space, which stands at $43 million minus the cost of two first-round picks during the next two Junes, should Miami keep them both (one its own in 2025 or 2026, the other from Golden State). The Heat could surpass the cap to-resign Nikola Jovic that summer and could clear out maximum salary cap space in 2026 by trading Andrew Wiggins for a contract that expires after next season.
Mitchell did not offer an opinion recently when asked if a multiyear deal is important to him.
The $7.8 million qualifying offer — which is needed to make Mitchell a restricted and not an unrestricted free agent — would be on the Heat’s books this summer until he signs with Miami or signs elsewhere. If he re-signs with Miami, the $7.8 million would be replaced by his new salary.
That $7.8 million is a big deal because it would leave the Heat only $4 million below the 2025-26 luxury tax line, barring other (likely) roster moves. But Miami is inclined to extend that offer, with a final decision due by late June.
Mitchell, acquired from Toronto in the five-team trade that sent Jimmy Butler to the Warriors, is averaging 10.3 points and 5.2 assists and shooting 49.5 percent from the field and 45.3 percent on threes (39 for 86) in 27 games (14 starts) for Miami. He has averaged seven assists per game in his past eight appearances.
“Davion is a menace on defense. And offensively, he’s bringing a dynamic we haven’t had -- speed and transition getting the ball up, getting it up the floor,” Tyler Herro said.
Injury update
▪ Bam Adebayo, who missed Monday’s game against Philadelphia with back spasms, is listed as available for Wednesday’s key game at Chicago (8 p.m., FanDuel Sports Sun).
Wiggins, who has missed six games in a row with a hamstring injury, traveled with the team to Chicago and is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game. Haywood Highsmith (Achilles soreness) is probable, and everyone else on standard contracts is available except Nikola Jovic (hand) and Kevin Love (personal reasons).
Ware’s big night
▪ Even after Kel’el Ware produced 19 points, 17 rebounds and a block in Monday’s 117-105 win against Philadelphia, Erik Spoelstra told him he could have had 19 points, 19 boards and 9 blocks.
“I was joking, telling him he literally could have had 25 and 25,” Herro said. “There were a couple rebounds he missed. We don’t know what the limit is [with his ceiling]. That’s why we’re on him so hard. He’s obviously going to be really, really good in this league. So we’re hard on him every day, no matter how good he plays.”
▪ Even on a night when Adebayo and Wiggins were out, Herro picked his spots, shooting an efficient 8 for 14 against a defense trying to stop him. He reached the 20-point mark for an eighth consecutive game, a new career high.
“The game comes pretty easy to me right now,” Herro said. “I’m picking my spots, when to be aggressive.”
▪ Though Philadelphia guard Kyle Lowry was unhappy with his role at the end of his Heat tenure that concluded with him being traded to Charlotte for Terry Rozier 15 months ago, Spoelstra and Lowry have maintained a strong bond — evident when they embraced after Monday’s game.
“I understand how it ended with Kyle but there were some really good moments and Kyle and I developed a strong relationship going back to that Africa trip,” Spoelstra said. “We have a bond. He lives down here. We caught up for a while after the game in Philadelphia. I always root for him and his family. He’s a good dude.”
This story was originally published April 8, 2025 at 3:56 PM.
