Miami Heat Surprisingly Trade Away Critical Rotation Player

Highsmith, 28, has been with the team since 2021-2022. Because they didn't receive any salary in return, the Heat went from being $1.63 million over the luxury tax line, to now being $3.98 million below the threshold.

The move came as a surprise to many. Highsmith has been a staple in the Heat's rotation for a few seasons now, and even accounting for the recent injury, some are wondering why it took a second round pick to move an expiring, low-cost contract for a useful player.

Although it was known that the Heat were looking to avoid potentially paying repeater tax penalties after being in the luxury tax multiple times over the last few seasons, the tax bill doesn't come in until the end of the season.

This may signal some truth to all the rumors suggesting that the Heat were considering waiving-and-stretching a player's salary to get below the tax line, since the deadline to waive-and-stretch a player is on Aug. 29.

Considered one of the better perimeter defenders in the league, Highsmith averaged 6.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.9 steals in 74 games for the Heat last season. Additionally, Highsmith was a key contibutor in the 2023 Finals run.

Along with the aforementioned $5.6 Traded Player Exception and additional open roster spot created, the Heat can now sign Kai Jones to a mininimum contract if they want to and stay below the luxury tax line.

Miami Heat Sign Dynamic Point Guard To Exhibit 10 Contract

As the offseason nears closer and closer to wrapping up, the Miami Heat continue to fill out their training camp roster. Multiple reports announced the Heat's signing of 26 year-old point guard Ethan Thompson to an Exhibit 10 contract late Wednesday night.

Thompson is a 6’5” point guard, (195 pounds), with a 6’6” wingspan. He shot 39 percent on 8.4 three point attempts per game for the Osceola Magic in the G League last season. For the season, he averaged 18.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists.

The season before, he averaged 22.8 points, 5.1 assists and 4.5 rebounds,1.5 steals for the Mexico City Capitanes, leading to a spot on the All-NBA G League Third Team.

The Exhibit 10 deal is an un-guaranteed minimum contract that allows teams to invite players to training camp, giving them a chance to have their contract converted into a two-way deal. As of right now, the Heat have two of their three two-way spots filled with Myron Gardner and Vlad Goldin, but those slots are not set in stone. Additionally, veteran Heat guard Dru Smith, rehabbing from a torn Achilles, is no longer eligible for a two-way contract.

Thompson was previously on a two-way deal with the Orlando Magic and was waived about three weeks ago. He averaged 10 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.8 steals in 24.1 minutes in Summer League, converting on just 29 percent of his field goals.

This went hand in hand with the Heat's G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, acquiring Thompson's rights in a trade with the Osceola Magic earlier in the night. He will likely end up playing for the Skyforcee if the Heat deem him unworthy of their final two-way spot. The Heat can roster three more players through the end of preseason before they make those decisions.

Thompson played four years at Oregon State, where he averaged 15.7 points, four assists and four rebounds as a senior in 2021 before going undrafted.

In high school, Thompson’s high school team eliminated LaMelo and LiAngelo Ball’s Chino Hills team in the regional semifinals before winning the California state championship in 2017.

He went on to lead the Ballislife All-American Game in scoring, dropping 32 points on 14 of 18 shooting. Afterwards, he represented Puerto Rico at the 2016 FIBA Under-18 Championship.

Thompson also represented Puerto Rico in the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup and 2023 FIBA World Cup.

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