It’s not a realistic path for the Heat to chase Kyrie Irving or Jrue Holiday if the goal is to fix the point guard spot, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.
Irving’s contract is the first major obstacle. He’s making $39.4MM this season, and if Dallas ever did make him available, Miami would likely have to send out three players just to make the money work.
The Mavericks already have 15 guaranteed contracts, and Jackson notes they would almost certainly ask for a first-round pick as part of any deal. The Heat don’t have a tradeable first-rounder to offer.
Holiday doesn’t look much more attainable. The Trail Blazers are highly unlikely to buy him out, and his salary makes any trade complicated anyway.
He’s owed $34.2MM this season and has a $37.2MM option for 2027/28. Miami would need to move multiple salaries to Portland, and with the team hard-capped, replacing that outgoing money would be a problem.
Portland would also be looking for draft assets the Heat don’t have.
Andrew Wiggins, meanwhile, is already enjoying the idea of lining up with Klay Thompson again. Jackson relayed Wiggins’ comments from a social media video posted by the team: “He’s one of the most competitive people I played with,” Wiggins said.
“To have him on the squad is going to be amazing. He brings that championship mentality to the team.
This is a year that we can do something special, and he’s someone that can be a big part of it.”
Miami does have a little room to maneuver, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel notes. The Heat have enough cap space to add a 15th player on a veteran’s minimum contract, though they may want to keep that spot open for a buyout addition or for trade flexibility later on.
Another possible source of room could come in January if the team chooses not to fully guarantee Myron Gardner’s contract. Gardner’s deal carries a $500K guarantee on a $2,584,539 salary.
Winderman also made the case that Pelle Larsson could be worth an extension if the price is right. A reader raised the concern that Nikola Jovic’s four-year, $62.4MM extension might already look heavy after an underwhelming season from Jovic, but Winderman pointed to the rising cost of solid bench pieces. He also noted that Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr. could hit free agency next summer, giving Miami another reason to think about securing Larsson long term.
In Other News...
Heat Could Finally Get Another Shot At A Draft Target
The roster trim in Memphis could open a door Miami has been watching for a while. Walter Clayton Jr., whom the Heat were reportedly interested in during the 2025 draft, is expected to be waived as the Grizzlies work their training camp roster down to 15 players, putting a familiar name back on the market for a team that already had him on its radar.
Claytons path has moved quickly since his rookie season, when he averaged 7.8 points and four assists after being traded mid-season from Utah to Memphis. If he does become available, the Heat will at least have a realistic chance to revisit a player they considered before, even if the next step depends on whether another team jumps in first. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Still Have One Big Bench Decision Left Around Davion Mitchell
The Heat have spent the summer sorting through the last piece of their roster, and the focus has landed on the backcourt. With Ben Simmons off the board after signing with Sacramento, Miami is still weighing what kind of guard best fits the final opening, while Davion Mitchell remains part of the larger conversation about how the bench should be shaped.
Gabe Vincent has come up as a familiar name, and Cam Payne is also viewed as a possible option for adding experience and leadership in reserve minutes. Even with those possibilities in play, Miami is still taking its time on the decision, and the way it fills that spot should tell plenty about how the team wants to stabilize its guard rotation for the season ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Gabe Vincent Reunion Buzz Gives Heat Fans A Real Backcourt Debate
Gabe Vincents name is back in the mix as the league starts looking ahead to the 2026-27 season, and for Heat fans, the fit is easy to understand. He knows Miami, he has playoff experience, and his game has always been built around being a steady complementary guard who can handle the ball and knock down shots when the pressure rises. After a difficult 2025-26 season with the Hawks, he still profiles as the kind of veteran piece contenders tend to circle when they want backcourt depth without changing the whole rotation.
The interesting part for Miami is that the conversation is not happening in a vacuum. Golden State and Minnesota have also been mentioned as possible landing spots, which means the Heat would not be alone if they decide Vincent still makes sense for a reunion. For a team that values familiarity and situational reliability, the question is less about remembering what he once was in Miami and more about whether his current value still matches what this roster would need next. [Read more 🡒]