Heat guarantees Dru Smith’s full salary for next season. What it means for Smith and roster
The Miami Heat continues to show confidence in guard Dru Smith.
The Heat will guarantee Smith’s full $2.6 million salary for next season, according to a league source. Miami had a Sunday deadline of 11:59 p.m. to waive Smith and shed his $2.6 million salary cap hit for this upcoming season.
But the new-look Heat will move forward with Smith, who is preparing for his fifth NBA season after going undrafted out of Missouri in 2021. Smith, 28, is still eligible to be traded at any point.
After missing most of the 2024-25 schedule because of a torn Achilles, Smith returned for the start of last season and earned consistent playing time because of his pesky perimeter defense and steady offensive game in a backup point guard role.
Smith averaged 5.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 steals in 16.3 minutes per game while shooting 41.5% from the field and 29.5% shooting on threes in 70 games (one start) last regular season. Among players around the NBA who appeared in at least 50 games last regular season, Smith led the league in steals per 36 minutes.
After adding two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and veteran forward Bobby Portis in a trade, and drafting guard Ryan Conwell in the second round, the Heat’s current salary-cap breakdown includes nine players on standard contracts for next season: Antetokounmpo ($58.5 million for 2026-27), Bam Adebayo ($49.5 million), Nikola Jovic ($16.2 million), Portis ($14.5 million), Davion Mitchell ($12.4 million), Smith ($2.6 million), Pelle Larsson ($2.3 million), Myron Gardner ($500,000 of $2.6 million salary guaranteed), and Conwell (undetermined salary figure).
More roster decisions are coming for the Heat in the days ahead.
The Heat also has until Monday to extend a qualifying offer to forward Keshad Johnson, who spent last season on a standard contract with the Heat.
A qualifying offer allows the Heat to match outside offers for those players in free agency. If the Heat does not extend a qualifying offer, Johnson would become an unrestricted free agent this summer and the Heat would not have the right to match outside offers in free agency.
The Heat is also waiting on a decision from veteran forward Andrew Wiggins, who has until Monday at 5 p.m. to decide on his $30.2 million player option in his Heat contract for next season. If Wiggins exercises the option, he will return to the Heat on a $30.2 million expiring salary for this upcoming season and will also immediately be eligible to be traded.
Wiggins could also bypass the $30.2 million player option and renegotiate his deal into a longer contract with a lower starting salary. This would give the Heat, which is currently hard-capped at the first apron threshold, more room under to the first apron to fill out its roster.
Wiggins’ other option is to simply opt out, become an unrestricted free agent and sign elsewhere.
Wiggins also has until Monday to negotiate an extension that can be worth up to $177 million over four seasons. The extension can replace Wiggins’ $30.2 million option year with a lower salary and more guaranteed years attached to it, or even be tacked on to his $30.2 million option year with lower salaries in the coming seasons.
The four players on the Heat’s season-ending 15-man standard roster set to enter free agency this summer are Norman Powell (unrestricted free agent), Simone Fontecchio (unrestricted free agent), Jahmir Young (unrestricted free agent) and Johnson (restricted free agent). Wiggins would also become an unrestricted free agent this offseason if he bypasses his player option prior to Monday’s deadline.
Leaguewide free agent negotiations are permitted to begin Tuesday at 6 p.m.
