The Miami Heat are heading into free agency with a fresh kind of flexibility, and the rumor mill around them is already moving fast. With Giannis Antetokounmpo now in the fold, the front office’s next job is clear: fill out the roster, work through the NBA’s salary rules, and keep adding the kind of shooting and scoring this group will need.
One of the biggest pieces of news is Andrew Wiggins. Shams Charania reported that “Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins intends to a sign a three-year, $64 million contract to stay with the franchise, with a player option in the third season, sources tell ESPN.
Heat executives and Wiggins' agents at CAA sports Steven Heumann and Andrew Morrison, as well as Richard Clarke, came to terms on a critical commitment.” That deal, and the pay cut attached to it, opens the door for Miami to be aggressive.
The Heat are expected to chase at least two skilled three-point shooters in free agency, according to @flasportsbuzz. Among the names linked to Miami are Tim Hardaway, Khris Middleton, Landry Shamet, Anfernee Simons and Quentin Grimes.
The report also noted, “The Heat will have interest in Tim Hardaway when free agency begins at 6PM on Tuesday, according to a source…. Miami has been strongly linked to veteran NBA forward Khris Middleton…..
The Heat is expected to try to add at least two skilled three-point shooters in free agency. Other options, listed here, include Landry Shamet, Anfernee Simons and Quentin Grimes, among others.”
Simons is another guard Miami could pursue if he’s willing to rebuild his value. Bobby Marks had reported that Simons could end up with the Heat. He had a down season, dealt with several injuries and still carries defensive concerns, but on a team-friendly deal, the fit makes sense for Miami.
Zach LaVine is also in the mix. With the Kings looking to potentially shed salary, Miami could target the scoring guard. LaVine’s agent is Rich Paul, who has hinted that one of his players could land in Miami.
Another name drawing attention is Cameron Johnson. Michael Scotto reported, “As the Nuggets navigate getting below the second apron, sharpshooting forward Cam Johnson has drawn trade interest from several teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, and Orlando Magic, league sources told HoopsHype. The 30-year-old forward shot career-highs from the field (.480) and beyond the arc (.430) and is on an expiring $23.06 million contract for the upcoming season.”
LeBron James has also been mentioned in the rumor swirl, with a reunion in South Beach described as looking more likely. LeBron is expected to have options, including Golden State, Cleveland and Miami.
Miami has already made some roster decisions on the margins, too. Anthony Chiang reported that the Heat will guarantee Dru Smith’s full $2.6 million salary for next season.
Miami had until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday to waive him and clear the cap hit, but instead kept him on the books. Smith, who went undrafted out of Missouri in 2021, is preparing for his fifth NBA season and is still eligible to be traded.
The Heat also declined the $2.41 million option on Jahmir Young.
And before the Giannis deal came together, Miami had interest in Ja Morant, according to Kevin O’Connor.
With Wiggins staying and taking less, Miami now has room to keep reshaping the roster. The Heat are positioned to be active, and the names already tied to them suggest they’re not just looking for depth - they’re hunting for shooting, scoring and another swing or two to keep this new-look team moving.
In Other News...
Heat Just Got Linked To A Familiar Reclamation Swing Around Giannis
Lonnie Walkers name is back in the NBA conversation after a season overseas, and that naturally puts the Heat on the fringe of the discussion. Miami has been hunting for backcourt shooting, and Walker fits the kind of low-cost, high-upside lane the team has not been afraid to explore in the past. He has already logged time with multiple NBA teams, and his stint in the EuroLeague only adds to the sense that he is the sort of player who might benefit from a fresh start.
For Miami, the appeal is obvious enough. Walker has the kind of familiarity with the league that can make a reclamation swing feel less risky, and the Heat also have a track record of squeezing value out of players other clubs have moved on from. If the door opens, this would not just be about adding another guard, but about seeing whether the right environment can still unlock a productive version of a player whose career has already taken a few turns. [Read more 🡒]
Former Heat Scorer Suddenly Linked To A Team No One Expected
One of the more interesting Heat-adjacent names to surface this week is Norman Powell, whose next stop could come in a place not many would have circled just a few months ago. The 33-year-old guard remains a proven scorer and a dangerous perimeter threat, which is part of why his market is drawing attention as Chicago lines up with more than $30 million in cap space and a clear need for shooting before the 2026-27 season.
What makes the Bulls' interest more complicated is the fit. Powell would bring immediate offense, but a long-term commitment would force Chicago to weigh age, role and flexibility against the appeal of adding a ready-made bucket getter. For a rebuilding team trying to stay disciplined with its books, that is the kind of decision that can look simple on the surface and get a lot murkier once the contract conversation really starts. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Fans Wont Like Where The Jaylen Brown Buzz Is Heading
The Jaylen Brown chatter that has hovered around Denver is trending away from becoming a Nuggets reality, at least for now. Sources say a Brown-to-Denver deal is highly unlikely because the Nuggets do not have the draft assets to make it work, even as Brown has drawn interest from several teams around the league and Cameron Johnson looks increasingly likely to be moved soon.
Miami is among the teams keeping tabs on Johnson, which gives the Heat another front-office lane to monitor as the market shifts around Denvers roster. The Celtics have also had past interest in Aaron Gordon, but the kind of three-player framework that would tie Gordon, Johnson and Brown together does not line up cleanly on payroll or fit, leaving plenty of talk and not much of a clear path just yet. [Read more 🡒]