If the Miami Heat end up needing one more jolt, there’s still a pretty clear path for the front office to take.
That fallback move would involve bundling Bobby Portis and Nikola Jovic, plus some draft capital, in a deal for a higher-salary player. It’s the kind of all-in swing that sits in the background for now, but it remains available if the Heat decide they need to shake up the roster again.
Longtime Heat reporter Wes Goldberg and NBA salary cap analyst Yossi Gozlan recently dug into Miami’s offseason and landed on that exact possibility as the bigger move still on the table. As Goldberg put it, "The bigger swing available to them: bundle Bobby Portis and Nikola Jovic with draft capital for a $30M player. Goldberg doesn't think that's the plan or even the first choice, but says Miami knows the option exists and values having it."
For now, though, there’s no reason to expect the Heat to rush into that kind of decision. The addition of Klay Thompson last week looks like the final surprise from the front office, and this is almost certainly the group Miami will bring into Giannis’ first season.
That doesn’t make the roster a problem. The Heat may not match the depth of the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder, but with health on their side, they should still be able to compete in an Eastern Conference that has gotten better.
Still, the point Goldberg and Gozlan were making is a useful one: if Miami hits a rough patch, the mechanism to alter the roster again is right there. Moving Portis and Jovic together would give the Heat the flexibility to chase a player making around $30 million a year, which isn’t necessarily max-star territory, but could still open the door to a major upgrade.
So while fans shouldn’t be waiting for another big change anytime soon, the Heat do have one more aggressive move tucked away if the season demands it.
In Other News...
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For Miami, the appeal is in how the pieces fit rather than in any single name on the page. The analysis points to possible starters and backups, recent production, and health as the real variables, which is exactly what makes this matchup worth watching if the Heat are trying to see what this reshaped group looks like when the opponent can punish every weak spot. It is one thing to project a lineup on paper and another to find out how it holds up when the Sixers start pressing those edges in an Eastern Conference showdown. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Richards Already Gives Heat Fans Reason To Watch This Bet
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Richards also brings a recent track record that makes the bet a reasonable one to watch. After being traded to the Chicago Bulls, he averaged nine points and eight rebounds per game, and now the question is whether that production can translate into a meaningful role in Miami. For a team always looking to squeeze value out of late additions, his fit could become one of the more interesting camp stories. [Read more 🡒]
Klay Thompsons Heat Pressure Just Got Even More Public
Klay Thompsons arrival in Miami has already added a different kind of spotlight to the Heat, and not just because he is entering his 14th NBA season. After joining the team following a buyout with the Dallas Mavericks, Thompson now finds himself at the center of the familiar question that follows any veteran scorer: how much is left, and how much of it can still translate on a good team with real expectations?
Mychal Thompson has helped frame the discussion publicly, pushing back on the skeptics by suggesting opponents should simply leave Klay open and find out for themselves. It is the kind of remark that turns a basketball conversation into a test of pride, and it only sharpens the pressure around a player coming off a career-worst statistical season while still carrying an important role in Miamis plans. [Read more 🡒]