A look at the Miami Heat at the NBA trading deadline
MIAMI – The moment of truth has arrived for the Miami Heat and the rest of the league, with today at 3 p.m. the NBA trading deadline.
While it is not necessarily the ultimate finish line, with the buyout market running through the end of the month, it is a moment that will give Pat Riley, Andy Elisburg and the rest of the Heat front office the opportunity to take stock of where the team stands.
Throughout the day, the Sun Sentinel will provide updates in this space about moves and scenarios of impact to the Heat.
A complete update will be provided following the deadline in a separate piece at SunSentinel.com, with coverage at your doorstep in Friday’s print edition of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
The draft capital
The Heat entered the day with somewhat limited resources, not allowed by league rule to trade this year’s first-round NBA draft pick until after exercising a selection in June.
The Heat do not have an unencumbered first-round pick to trade until their 2030 selection.
The Heat also are limited with their future second-round capital, with only one unencumbered selection to offer, that being a 2026 Los Angeles Lakers’ second-rounder. Otherwise, the Heat can trade a conditional 2024 second-round pick of their own that is protected beyond No. 50, or a 2027 second-round pick that is the least favorable of second-round picks in that draft of those held by the Heat, Pacers, Rockets, Spurs and Thunder.
The money
When it comes to money moves, the long view includes the rights of Caleb Martin and Haywood Highsmith to become free agents this summer, and the impacts of such negotiations on future payrolls.
As for this season’s payroll, a potential objective would be to move off of the contract of guard Dru Smith, who is out for the season on the final year of his minimum-scale deal after December knee surgery.
The Heat also might prefer to move off of the contract of seldom-used center Thomas Bryant, but Bryant also has a player option on his deal for next season.
The roster
The Heat have operated one player short of the NBA’s 15-player limit on the standard roster, as a means to save against the luxury tax.
That means the Heat would be able to take in one more player than they send out, if needed, in a potential trade.
The Heat also are able until next month to swap out their players on two-way contracts, with Jamal Cain, Cole Swider and RJ Hampton currently holding those deals.
The buyout market
Teams are allowed to add players on the buyout market at any time, even beyond the trade deadline, but such players are eligible for the playoffs only if waived by March 1.
The Heat last season utilized the buyout market to add Kevin Love and Cody Zeller.
Because of the Heat’s position against the luxury tax, they cannot add a player on the buyout market this year who currently is earning in excess of $12.4 million, the NBA’s average salary.
Already done
The Heat moved ahead of the deadline on Jan. 23, when they acquired guard Terry Rozier from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for guard Kyle Lowry and a protected future first-round pick.
