Miami

Can Miami Heat maximize their NBA trade exceptions?


Q: The Heat now have three trade exceptions. What does that mean? Will the Heat be able to use them in any meaningful way? – Andrew, Coral Gables.

A: Doubtful, to the degree that I’m surprised that when the Heat announced the trades involving Victor Oladipo and Max Strus they highlighted the creation of those exceptions (which occur when salary is sent out but equivalent salary is not brought back in with a trade). The Heat have three trade exceptions available, one at $4.7 million from last season’s trade of Dewayne Dedmon to the San Antonio Spurs, one at $9.5 million from Thursday’s trade of Oladipo to the Oklahoma City Thunder, and one of $7.3 million from Thursday’s sign-and-trade of Strus to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Those exceptions cannot be aggregated (you can’t add them together). As it is, the Heat are so hard up against the most punitive elements of the luxury tax that spending even one of those exceptions could significantly elevate the pain threshold under the new collective-bargaining agreement. Of course, if Damian Lillard is added, then all bets could be off, with those exceptions potentially put into place to replenish the roster spots of those potentially sent out for Lillard. The exceptions also could be put into play in a multi-team Lillard trade.



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