The Miami Heat already made the splash that reshaped their roster, but the work may not be finished. With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo in place, Miami still has room to keep tinkering, and the two biggest paths to another move were laid out on the eve of NBA free agency.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Heat are exploring ways to trade Nikola Jovic and/or Norman Powell, with Powell’s route coming through a sign-and-trade. Those are the main levers left if Miami wants to push the roster into another version before summer gets away from them.
That doesn’t mean anything is locked in. Neither move is guaranteed to happen. But if the Heat are serious about opening the door to another addition, the cleanest way to do it appears to be through a trade.
There’s a clear reason Miami is operating this way now. The roster is already in a tighter financial spot after Andrew Wiggins opted in earlier in the day. The Heat were able to secure Wiggins on two cheap years with an extension, but that comes after a $30 million payday for this season.
That decision leaves Miami with only $12 of a possible $15 million to use from its mid-level exception. That may not sound like a massive difference, but on a multi-year deal, it can matter plenty.
Moving Jovic could be the simplest way for the Heat to create more room. His contract extension is expected to kick in this season, and dealing him would give Miami another avenue to maneuver. Powell, meanwhile, could help the Heat bring back a player on a cheaper contract who can cover minutes.
For now, Miami has already made its biggest move. But the roster still doesn’t look finished, and if the Heat do manage one more significant shake-up around Giannis and Bam, it likely starts with Jovic and/or Powell. With free agency about to begin, that’s the piece worth watching.
In Other News...
Former All-Star Just Put The Heat In A Very Awkward Spot
Ben Simmons is back in the conversation again, and this time Miami is part of it. The former No. 1 overall pick has spent the past several years trying to steady a career that once looked headed for stardom, only to be slowed by injuries and shooting issues after his rise with Philadelphia, a move to Brooklyn and a brief stop with the Clippers.
Now, after being waived by the Nets, Simmons is signaling that he wants another shot in the NBA and has been spending time in Miami while weighing his next step. For the Heat, that creates a familiar kind of offseason intrigue: a talented name with real upside, but also a long list of questions that would have to be sorted out before anything concrete could happen. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Free Agency Pressure Just Shifted To One Crucial Backcourt Call
As the NBA free agency window approaches, the Heats offseason to-do list is starting to take a clearer shape: add veteran shooting and another steady playmaker around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo. That means Miami is shopping in a backcourt market that has to solve more than one problem at once, with the team looking for players who can stretch the floor, settle possessions and lighten the load on a roster that still needs more reliable perimeter help.
Tim Hardaway Jr. brings the local ties that always make these pursuits feel a little more interesting, while Mike Conley fits the classic need for a composed floor general who can organize an offense when things bog down. Miami also has a longer list of names in the mix, from Landry Shamet and Anfernee Simons to Quentin Grimes and others, but the real challenge is finding the right balance of shooting and control before the market moves past them. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Suddenly Look Poised For Another Major Roster Shakeup
The Heat are heading into free agency with their usual appetite for a roster tweak, and this time the list of possible fits is long enough to suggest more than a routine shopping trip. Miami has already made a couple of small procedural moves by guaranteeing Dru Smiths contract and declining Jahmir Youngs option, while Andrew Wiggins is expected to remain part of the picture as the front office eyes ways to add more offense around its core.
What stands out is the kind of names attached to the search, from shot-makers like Anfernee Simons, Zach LaVine, Cameron Johnson, Tim Hardaway and Khris Middleton to the possibility of a bigger splash if the right door opens. The Heat are said to be aiming for at least two skilled three-point shooters, which makes the next few days about more than just filling the back end of the roster - it could shape how aggressively Miami decides to chase another significant shakeup. [Read more 🡒]