Miami Heat in a lull between Bradley Beal and Damian Lillard
MIAMI — If the outside perspective is that the Miami Heat struck out on Bradley Beal, is it because the team believes that Damian Lillard is waiting on deck?
In that regard, expect Miami Heat president Pat Riley, in his first media session in almost a year on Tuesday at Kaseya Center, to offer … little clarity.
He can’t, with Lillard and Beal both under contract to other teams.
Similarly, Riley is somewhat limited in discussing impending Heat free agents such as Gabe Vincent and Max Strus, with the free-agency negotiation period still a week away.
Instead, Riley’s media session is being cast by the Heat as an “end of season recap.”
So there should be ample thoughts on Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and the climb from No. 8 seed to the NBA Finals, as well as the retirement of 43-year-old team captain Udonis Haslem.
Potentially, most intriguing regarding the returning roster could be Riley’s take on guard Tyler Herro, who could serve as the lynchpin to a potential Lillard trade, should the Portland Trail Blazers prove inclined for such a move.
As it is, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra last week largely glossed over the decision not to play Herro in the deciding Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets, after Herro had worked back for eight weeks to receive the needed clearance following hand surgery.
Of course, had Sunday gone differently, with the Washington Wizards having accepted a Heat package of players and picks for Beal, it would have been difficult to cast Riley’s session as anything but forward thinking.
Instead, the Wizards opted for the 2023-24 expiring contracts of Chris Paul and Landry Shamet from the Phoenix Suns and a middling package of mostly second-round draft picks.
That left the Heat not only without the type of scoring upgrade in Beal that could have proven so helpful in the NBA Finals, but also still with the onerous contracts of Kyle Lowry and Duncan Robinson that stand at a pay grade beyond productivity.
If the next play is for Lillard, it likely would be a package built around Herro, salary-cap filler (Lowry? Robinson?) and an assortment of first-round picks that could include the No. 18 selection in Thursday’s NBA draft.
As it is, Herro cannot be traded under his new salary until July 6 and Lillard, 32, cannot be dealt until July 9, based on an extension previously signed.
But machinations can be handled in advance, with the first sign of what could follow likely to come at No. 3 in Thursday’s draft, to see if Portland makes a trade for a veteran to augment Lillard or if the Blazers continue to stock quality youth as part of a post-Lillard era.
Lillard has offered praise for the Heat’s playing style, as well as for Adebayo, with the two teammates on USA Basketball’s gold-medal team at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Unlike Beal, however, Lillard does not hold a no-trade clause, and therefore can only influence, but not dictate, the Blazers’ direction if the trade market is explored.
Lillard is due $45.6 million next season, $48.8 million in 2024-25, $58.5 million in 2025-26 and a player option for $63.2 million in 2026-27, when he will be 36.
Even if the Heat were able to offload the remaining $58 million over three seasons on Robinson’s contract, the addition of Lillard would push the Heat into previously untold luxury-tax payments for the franchise.
Riley often has stressed the Heat owner Micky Arison is willing to spend when the team is in championship mode, with it interesting to see how the team now approaches the new, onerous limitations on high payrolls being introduced on July 1.
Currently under contract for the Heat for next season are: Butler ($45.2 million), Adebayo ($32.6 million), Lowry ($29.7 million), Robinson ($18.1 million), Herro ($27 million), Caleb Martin ($6.8 million) and Nikola Jovic ($2.6 million).
In addition, Victor Oladipo holds a $9.5 million player option for next season and Haywood Highsmith has a $1.9 million non-guaranteed contract for next season.
Impending Heat free agents are Vincent, Strus, Kevin Love, Cody Zeller, Omer Yurtseven, Jamal Cain and Orlando Robinson, with Haslem retiring.
