Two qualities the Heat must display, and one the franchise must abandon, this summer
As the Heat tries to pull itself out of this play-in malaise, we’re hoping the organization displays two qualities it has exhibited, at times, during an immensely successful 30 years under the Pat Riley/Arison family stewardship and now must demonstrate again more than ever:
1). A house-on-fire-type urgency and maniacal aggressiveness when opportunities arise, something Riley displayed in acquiring Alonzo Mourning two months after he took the job in 1995 and Shaquille O’Neal a decade later.
2). Outside-the-box thinking, including prioritizing collecting draft assets (in certain circumstances) and a willingness to pay a tax for a third year in a row (but remain below both aprons) even though Riley has suggested the Heat is trying to avoid a tax next season because Miami would be required to pay the onerous repeater tax if it’s a tax team the next two years.
With regard to No. 1, if Giannnis Antetokoumpo asks for a trade when he reportedly meets with the Bucks this week, Miami needs to immediately call Milwaukee to see if the Bucks like any of the Heat’s assets (nothing should be off limits) and discreetly contact his agent (who is also Bam Adebayo’s agent) to determine if Antetokounmpo wants to be in Miami.
The Heat immediately must call Memphis to determine if the Grizzlies are willing to sell a bit low on Ja Morant; and New Orleans, to ascertain if the Pelicans are willing to sell very low on Zion Williamson. (New Orleans is now inclined to keep him, NBA writer Marc Stein reported.) The Heat must call Boston to see who’s available as the Celtics prepare for the possibility of slashing payroll.
The Heat should be calling Charlotte to see what it would take to remove the protections on the single first-round pick owed the Hornets in the regrettable Terry Rozier deal and gauge the Hornets’ receptiveness to moving it from 2026 or 2027 to an unprotected 2032 pick, with a carrot thrown in (cash? A second-rounder? Jaime Jaquez Jr.)?
That information is critical for Miami so that the Heat could quickly execute that deal with the Hornets if a team with a disgruntled All-Star asks Miami for a fourth first-round pick and puts a deadline on it.
(The Heat can offer four first-rounders in a trade agreed to by draft night only if Charlotte agrees to push the Heat pick back to 2032, which can be done officially after next month’s draft and unofficially before. Otherwise, Miami can offer only three first-rounders by draft night or two after the draft.)
▪ With regard to thinking outside the box, Miami shouldn’t simply try to acquire Kevin Durant, or just one good player, and call it a day. (This team is more than one move away.)
The Heat should be calling teams interested in Miami’s draft pick at No. 20, because trading that pick and another carrot for a 2027 first-round pick — and simultaneously removing the protections on the 2027 pick owed Charlotte — would allow Miami to trade four first-round picks (2026, 2028, 2030 and 2032) as early as the day after the draft.
Serious thought must be given to every player whose name is swirling in trade rumors, even if it requires adding salary and paying a tax again next season after paying one the past two.
Boston reportedly might trade Jrue Holiday or Kristaps Porzingis because of a desire to trim payroll, per ESPN. Sacramento, meanwhile, will explore moving DeMar DeRozan, who drew some Heat interest last July.
If the assets required in return are inconsequential, DeRozan would make some sense, at least to consider, despite his lack of a three-point game. He averaged 22.2 points and shot 47.7% this season and has started at least 74 games each of the past four years. His contract has two years left at $24.5 million and $25.7 million.
The Celtics, with their current roster, face a combined salary and luxury tax bill of more than $500 million for next season. Taking on the final three years of Holiday’s contract seems foolish, considering the numbers ($32.4 million, $34.8 million and a $37.2 million player option) and his age (34).
But Porzingis, due $29.2 million and $30.7 million the next two seasons, would be worth considering if he gets a clean bill of health, even more so if Miami trades Kel’el Ware (in a package for an All Star) or less likely, Adebayo, in a bid for Antetokounmpo.
Miami had interest in Porzingis two years ago but didn’t make an offer to the Wizards because it thought it had a good chance to acquire Damian Lillard instead that offseason. An energy-sapping illness limited Porzingis’ effectiveness and playing time in recent weeks, including during the playoffs, but he had a very good season: 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 41.2% on threes.
As explained here, Miami has an attractive chip in Duncan Robinson’s nonguaranteed contract, which makes trades a bit more complicated but would lower a team’s payroll (and tax bill) by at least $10 million if the acquiring team releases him before July 8 and would likely lower a team’s tax bill significantly even if the acquiring team kept him. That could come into play in a potential Heat pursuit of Durant.
It also could potentially help Miami if Porzingis or Holiday is shopped, because the Robinson contract would reduce Boston’s tax bill substantially.
But the Heat must decide if it’s willing to go into the tax to make this type of move.
There’s a difference between paying the tax, which is costly only for ownership, and crossing the first apron, which makes trades more difficult and comes with other onerous restrictions, including in the buyout market.
The Heat has finished as a luxury tax team in each of the past two seasons. The onerous repeater tax is triggered when a team crosses the luxury tax threshold in four straight seasons or four times during a five-season period. The Heat has always found a way to avoid the repeater tax, which carries much higher tax rates.
Riley suggested the Heat might exit the tax for a year and go back in later in the decade.
But a willingness to pay the repeater tax might open up opportunities, as long as Miami falls in that $8 million window between the luxury tax threshold and the first apron.
Here’s where Miami stands:
The Heat has $176.2 million committed to 12 players, not counting Davion Mitchell (who would be a restricted free agent if he gets an $8.7 million qualifying offer from Miami), Keshad Johnson (has a $1.9 million team option) and Alec Burks (will be an unrestricted free agent).
Adding Tyler Herro’s incentive bonuses, that brings the total to $178.7 million. Keeping Johnson raises it to $179.6 million. If Miami keeps its pick at No. 20, that brings the payroll for 14 players to $183.6 million.
That $183.6 million leaves Heat about $4 million below the projected $187.9 million tax line and about $12 million below the $195.6 million first apron and $24 million below the $207.8 million second apron.
If there’s a move to be made that significantly improves Miami that results in the Heat paying a tax but not crossing the first apron, the Heat needs to do that.
Keep in mind that a team would become hard-capped at the first apron if it makes a trade where it takes back more than 110% of the salary it sends out. If Miami trades Robinson before July 8, all of his salary counts on Miami’s books and but only half counts on the books of the team acquiring him, which complicates matters but wouldn’t prevent a Durant trade.
But the Heat couldn’t surpass the first apron, even if it wanted, in such a transaction.
Once hard-capped, teams cannot use exception money and cannot take back any more money than it sends out in trades.
▪ The Heat also needs to curtail a quality that has been damaging in the past decade: Displaying excessive trust in players who flashed over a half season, a full season or two seasons, resulting in enormous financial outlays that proved somewhat regrettable (James Johnson, Dion Waiters, Hassan Whiteside, Justise Winslow, Robinson) or, in Erik Spoelstra’s case, sticking too long with players who didn’t deserve the playing time (Rozier).
It’s good to have faith in people, to appreciate the admirable qualities of players. But the Heat has done that to a fault in recent years, resulting in overvaluing of assets.
Should the Heat be shopping Adebayo or Herro? No. But if a perennial All-Star becomes available — a player any reasonable person would say is a cut above Adebayo or Herro — don’t allow loyalty or fondness for either player, or the Heat’s love of stability, or its appreciation for Adebayo as the standard-bearer of “Heat culture,” to torpedo the right basketball move.
Should the Heat actively look to move Ware or Nikola Jovic? No. But if they stand in the way of acquiring an in-his-prime All-Star, don’t let the dream of what they might become dash the opportunity to acquire a proven in- his-prime star.
Quinn in play
Heat assistant coach Chris Quinn and former Heat lead assistant David Fizdale are reportedly among eight people who made the second round of finalists for the Suns’ head coaching job.
Quinn, Spoelstra’s lead assistant, has been considered for several head coaching jobs in the past.
This story was originally published May 19, 2025 at 4:04 PM.
