The Miami Heat are making a clear bet in free agency: hold back now, wait for something better later.
That approach showed up in their decision not to meet the asking price for Anfernee Simons, a player linked as a possible replacement for Norman Powell and Tyler Herro. According to Barry Jackson, Miami was unwilling to pay Simons the kind of money he ultimately received from the Philadelphia 76ers because the Heat are hoping a more appealing veteran option becomes available soon.
Per source, Anfernee Simons would have welcomed Heat interest but Heat conveyed in past 24 hours that it would be willing to give him only the minimum. (I would have done it to provide a younger player, explosive scoring, but Heat ultimately decided no.)
It's a gamble. To me,…
- Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) July 2, 2026
That choice makes some sense if Miami believes a player like DeMar DeRozan or Zach LaVine could surface more cheaply after buyouts. There’s also the possibility the Heat are keeping flexibility for LeBron James if he decides he wants to return to Miami.
Beyond the names already floating around, the front office may simply be working on another path that hasn’t leaked yet. The Heat have been unusually public about their pursuit of Giannis, but most of their business still happens out of sight.
Still, it’s a risky play.
There’s no guarantee any of the names being discussed - or anyone else - becomes a real option for Miami. If that happens, the Heat could wind up regretting the decision to pass on usable help when it was available.
That matters because the first year of the Giannis era needs to count. Giannis is deep enough into his prime that Miami can’t treat year one like a waiting period. With Giannis and Bam Adebayo in place as the foundation, the Heat still need more firepower around them if they want to look like a real title threat immediately.
Pelle Larsson, Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell, and Tim Hardaway Jr. give the roster a decent starting point, but that group still needs two or three more pieces before it feels finished.
So far, Miami has passed on several free-agent names that would have made sense on paper. The organization may be holding out for better fits down the line. Whether that patience turns into a smart move or a costly miss will define how this first season with Giannis is judged.
In Other News...
Heat Linked To Another Scoring Move With Big Roster Pressure
The Heats offseason board keeps getting crowded, and thats before the front office even settles on the shape of the roster around Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Miami has been in contact with Bradley Beals camp as it looks to add shooting, while also sizing up other backcourt and wing options that could fit alongside its stars. With only about $6.5 million in cap space to work with for a free agent, the margin for error is thin and the list of realistic moves is shrinking fast.
Khris Middleton and Anfernee Simons remain names to watch, though the Heats conversations there have not exactly moved at the same pace. Miami also is keeping an eye on LeBron James free agency as a possible reunion path, which only adds another layer to a summer already defined by big names and limited flexibility. For now, the Heat are doing what contenders often do when the options are scarce: staying connected, staying patient and hoping the right scoring fit eventually comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Tyler Herro Just Added Drama To Miamis New Era
The Heats blockbuster move for Giannis Antetokounmpo was supposed to mark the start of a new era in Miami, but the conversation has quickly shifted to the player sent out in the deal. Tyler Herro is now in Milwaukee after a trade that reshaped both rosters, and the aftershocks have been immediate as the Bucks sort through their next steps and the Heat try to settle into life with a new centerpiece.
Herros name is already lingering in the background of the post-trade fallout, not just because of where he landed, but because of the noise around him since the deal. Milwaukee is reportedly open to moving him as it begins a rebuilding phase, which only adds another layer to a trade that already carried plenty of drama for Miami, even before the dust had a chance to settle. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Fans Can Only Laugh At Bostons Stunning Trade Return
Bostons offseason took another jolt when ESPNs Shams Charania reported that Jaylen Brown is heading to Philadelphia in a deal that brings Paul George and a bundle of future picks back to the Celtics. For Miami fans, it lands as one more twist in a summer that already tilted their way after the Heat landed Giannis Antetokounmpo, and it keeps the balance of power conversation in the East squarely on the front burner.
What makes this one especially eyebrow-raising is the destination, with Brown moving to a conference rival at a time when Boston still has plenty of questions to sort through around Jayson Tatum and the rest of the roster. The Celtics may like the long view of the return, but replacing Browns production is no small task, and the Heat have every reason to sit back and enjoy how this offseason has played out around them. [Read more 🡒]