After an improbable run to the NBA Finals, the Heat face an offseason filled with important financial decisions, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
Miami has just seven players with guaranteed salaries for next season, but Victor Oladipo is almost certain to pick up his $9.5M option after suffering a knee injury in the playoffs and the team is expected to exercise its $1.9M option on Haywood Highsmith.
With an estimated cap hit of about $3M for the No. 18 pick, the Heat will have roughly $176M committed, putting them well over the projected $162M luxury tax line and in sight of the new $179.5M second apron.
Kevin Love, Max Strus, Gabe Vincent and Cody Zeller are all headed to unrestricted free agency, while Omer Yurtseven will be restricted if Miami makes a $2.26M qualifying offer. In addition, Miami has already been linked to potential trades involving Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal.
“The goal is to win a championship, and this organization will do anything possible for that to happen,” Bam Adebayo said at Wednesday’s exit interviews. “I feel like everybody in here knows it’s a business. And that’s why you cherish the moments you go through with your teammates, with your brothers because you never know what can happen next year.”
There’s more from Miami:
- The Heat hold Bird rights on Vincent and Strus, so they can go over the cap to re-sign them, although that would increase their tax bill, Chiang adds. Both players indicated that they plan to explore all their options. “Money plays a role, place plays a role, situation plays a role,” Vincent said. There’s a lot of things that factor in and I think it will all take care of itself throughout the summer.”
- Tyler Herro didn’t address reporters Wednesday, but coach Erik Spoelstra expanded on his decision to not use him in Game 5, per Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Herro received medical clearance Monday afternoon after missing nearly two months following hand surgery. “It’s also my job, as the head coach, to protect him, and do what we think was best for the team,” Spoelstra said. “… And there’s no knowing for sure, but I do know that that was just a totally unusual circumstance that you can’t compare to anything else. But the good news is he’ll have a great offseason and he’ll be fully ready to go next year.”
- With trade rumors flying around the Heat, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald proposes a scenario in which the team could acquire both Lillard and Beal while keeping Adebayo and Jimmy Butler.
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