The Heat’s search for shooting is still the biggest summer question hanging over the roster, and the options on the board are thin. Miami wants a high-volume scorer to help replace the recently departed Tyler Herro and Norman Powell and to give Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo more support, but the team doesn’t have much financial room to work with.
One path that had some buzz was a possible Zach LaVine situation in Sacramento. LaVine has one year and $49MM left on his contract, and there was some hope the Kings might waive and stretch him. That idea does not appear to be gaining traction, though, because reports say Sacramento is not interested in taking that route right now.
Even if Miami wanted to get creative, the numbers make it difficult. The Heat have only about $7MM left from the mid-level exception, and it’s unlikely that LaVine agreeing to give some of that back to the Kings would be enough to sway them.
As Ira Winderman wrote for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, that kind of setup looks more realistic for a smaller deal, like Klay Thompson, where the remaining money could be reduced to a more manageable buyout figure for the Mavericks. Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald also noted that the Kings are not under financial pressure to move off LaVine’s contract before it runs out next season.
For now, any real chance of LaVine ending up in Miami would depend on how much the 31-year-old is willing to give up to make it happen.
If LaVine is a long shot, the Heat still have work to do. They need to fill at least two roster spots with their remaining $7MM, and Chiang pointed to three names worth a look: Bradley Beal, DeMar DeRozan and Thompson.
Beal brings outside shooting and the ability to play either guard spot, but his availability is the issue; he hasn’t reached 60 games played since the 2020/21 season. DeRozan is still producing even as he nears 37, though he wouldn’t solve Miami’s three-point needs. Thompson remains the cleanest shooting fit, but he’s no longer giving much in other areas and would need a buyout before becoming available.
There’s also a broader reason Miami isn’t being written off despite the roster questions. Winderman noted that Erik Spoelstra’s coaching is a major factor in how this group could function. Spoelstra has already shown he can do a lot with less, and his track record includes adjusting on the fly and getting real value out of players who aren’t stars.
That matters here, because the Heat’s summer additions have sparked both excitement and doubt. The defense could be brutal for opponents. The offense, on the other hand, comes with real concerns because the team is short on ball-handlers and shooters.
As for Keshad Johnson, the third-year wing and Slam Dunk Champion has been around Heat players plenty this summer, but the team’s preference seems to be using its remaining roster spots on more established veterans, according to Winderman’s mailbag. Johnson could still come back on a two-way deal, though that would require him to accept one after spending the last two seasons on a standard contract.
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