Miami Heat Clearing Roster Room, Cap Obligations with Trades

Victor Oladipo and Max Strus are gone.

• By
  
  Dave Deckard
  
• on July 6, 2023 3:32 pm

The Miami Heat have traded two players in two days for minimal return, clearing roster space and saving dollars in anticipation of further moves. The Heat are the main target for Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, who has asked the Blazers to trade him after failing to come to an accord on the future of the franchise.

The Heat announced today that they are trading wing Max Strus to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a pair of second-round picks.

From the NBA.com press release:

Your Miami HEAT announced today that they have acquired a second round pick from the Cleveland Cavaliers (Lakers own 2026) and a trade exception in exchange for Max Strus. As part of the trade, the HEAT is exchanging second round picks with the San Antonio Spurs as Miami will receive a 2027 second round pick (least favorable of San Antonio/Houston/Indiana/Miami/Oklahoma City) and the Spurs will receive a 2026 second round pick (least favorable of Oklahoma City/Dallas/Philadelphia) that Miami received in the KZ Okpala trade in 2022. Additionally, Cedi Osman, Lamar Stevens, cash considerations and a 2030 second round pick (Cleveland’s own) are also going to San Antonio as part of the transaction.

Strus, who was originally signed by the HEAT on November 30, 2020, spent three seasons in Miami, appearing in 187 regular season games (49 starts) averaging 10.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 23.3 minutes while shooting 42.7 percent from the field.

The move comes one day after Miami traded guard Victor Oladipo to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a similar move:

OFFICIAL: The Miami HEAT have acquired a trade exception from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Victor Oladipo and second round picks in 2029 and 2030.

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