The Heat still have work to do before opening night, and the front office’s shopping list is pretty clear.
Miami currently has 12 players on standard contracts, which means the roster isn’t close to finished yet. Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald report that team president Pat Riley has pointed to three specific needs: “another real play-maker,” a three-point “marksman,” and a big man who can stretch the floor or protect the rim.
If LeBron James decides Miami is the destination, that would solve the play-making piece in a hurry. If he doesn’t, the Heat’s fallback plan is less certain. DeMar DeRozan is being viewed as a possible Plan B, though a source told The Miami Herald that Miami has not given the veteran forward any promise that it will chase him if James goes elsewhere.
The shooting market is part of the equation too. Miami has been linked to Klay Thompson, but there’s no indication yet that the Mavericks are prepared to buy him out.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope of the Grizzlies and Buddy Hield of the Hawks are also on the radar as possible floor-spacers, though either one would likely have to reach free agency first. Bradley Beal, already a free agent, is another name in the mix.
There’s also been some talk that Kevin Love could follow James to Miami if LeBron chooses the Heat. Jackson and Chiang note that the idea shouldn’t be dismissed, but they also say the front office has not pursued that path so far.
James, meanwhile, is in no hurry to make his next move. Agent Rich Paul said Monday that he “won’t be rushed” into a decision, and ESPN’s Dave McMenamin added Tuesday on SportsCenter, “I’ve been told from a source, ‘Nothing happening today,'”
Elsewhere on the free-agent board, Jonathan Kuminga remains in play for the Lakers, but the money still doesn’t line up. Lakers reporter Jovan Buha said on The Herd that the gap between what Kuminga wants and what Los Angeles is willing to offer is still real.
“My understanding was (the Lakers) could have cleared about $10MM in cap space to sign him to a two-year, $20MM deal and he was not interested in that,” Buha said. “I’ve heard that he’s been looking for closer to $20MM (per year).
Doesn’t have to be exactly $20MM, but closer to that - north of $15MM.”
Buha also noted that, because of the Lakers’ current cap situation, they would need a sign-and-trade to land Kuminga, and that would require the Hawks’ cooperation.
And in another move involving a former first-round pick, Aleksej Pokusevski is back on the open market after reaching a mutual agreement to part ways with Partizan. Aris Barkas of Eurohoops reported the split.
Pokusevski, the 17th pick in the 2020 draft, spent four seasons in the NBA before joining the Serbian club in 2024. He played a limited role in 27 EuroLeague games last season, putting up 3.7 points and 2.1 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per game.
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Miami now finds itself in that race with real pressure attached, because the same kind of defensive big the Heat need is drawing interest from multiple contenders. The appeal is straightforward: a low-cost addition who can shore up the middle without forcing a major financial commitment, but with several teams circling, the Heat may not get the luxury of waiting for the market to come to them. [Read more 🡒]
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Antetokounmpo made clear he views Riley as one of the games iconic figures, and he even stopped by Rileys office as part of the process. For a franchise that has built its identity on stars buying into the culture, the next question is how this new partnership translates on the floor and whether Miami can turn another marquee addition into the kind of run that keeps its championship standard alive. [Read more 🡒]