Miami Heat Offseason Thread Vol. 4: Fraudfather Snoozin 2.0

[batterybro42]

I’m excited about Ware and what he can be with this group. To me it all depends on Bam and his actual viability as a 4. I’d be interested if somebody can find stats for Bam at the 4 or while being defending by smaller players, and if there is truly merit there.

Miami can get I think average Center production out of Ware as a Rookie, and if it means Bam takes a leap by not being defended or responsible for rim protection anymore that’s a huge plus.

Haven’t really gotten to see Bam work alongside another Big, I’m hoping the Olympics give us a glimpse of what Bam is capable of not being confined to the NBA 5 responsibilities

[Hallstar]

So the battle of Keshad Johnson at 6'7 230 vs Haywood Highsmith at 6'5 220 has begun.

Keshad Johnson isn’t in the same stratosphere as Highsmith. Johnson looks like a damn ninja turtle running around zero chance he’s a switchable or a plus defender onto any athletic wing who can actually handle the ball. Let him guard Tatum for a few possessions before you guys start talking crazy.

He can at best be a steady bench guy who plays the 3-4 in lineups, he isn’t some defensive stopper

Dudes stiffer than a 2 by 4

Running around like Dwight Howard after the back injuries

Some of yall don’t watch summer league or these guys beyond highlights and it shows. Highlights lie, that’s why they are highlights

Everyone sees their own version of events lol.

[greg4012]

The team should be better with development and more known about their games on both Jovic and Jaquez Jr. Doesn't mean a whole lot for Miami this year when other teams got dramatically better or were just much better than Miami last year.

We're in the middle of a transition. We're gonna be okay Bam and Friends gonna be fun.

Better pick it up, he's a few days from 27. I'm not sure what the FO has been waiting for that completely changes how they'll acquire talent, they've been treading water for half a decade with Butler and also treaded water for 3-4 years before that.

Got a feeling in 2-3 years (Bam being 29/30, same age as Butler was when he got to Miami) this board will start talking about moving Bam for assets.

Start?

This board has never stopped talking about that. Same with Butler.

I got a feeling in 2-3 years Miami will have the most dynamic frontcourt rotation in the NBA

[Kobewade11]

Wow...
Paul George talks about how his negotiations happened over the last year but Clippers gotta Clip. Seems they weren't willing to pay him much until the season was over, they got to a number George felt good with (150 for 3 years) staying in LAC since he wanted to stay there and they said they wanted him to retire there... so he asked for a no trade clause because if he's not getting one, they're going to move him (they did this to Blake Griffin) and if they move him, he might as well get all the money he can get. LAC said no the NT and no to more money so George went to a team he liked for more money. It's pretty simple and LAC really F'd up with George. So expect Kawhi and possibly Harden to be back on the trade market in 6 months to 2 years (although Harden is only signed for 2).

Spoiler:

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Kawhi kinda strikes me as a guy that is just happy to keep cashing checks in his hometown

Yeah, but P.George was willing to do that too on the same less than max 3 year contract that Kawhi got but understood the Clippers did this to Griffin just 6 months after selling him on resigning to retire there also and tried to protect himself by asking for a NTC for taking less money to stay, LAC didn't want that, they were already eying to move him. I expect LAC to have a fire sale at some point after next year (first year in their new arena) or possibly during the season if they're not doing good to keep the new arena filled its inaugural season.

We’ll see. I’d expect them to try trading for another guy or being a player in FA, I think they have $$$ the next couple of offseasons

[AirP.]

This time I don't really blame them on an overpay, they didn't know what other offers he had, and they badly needed a wing defender, they put themselves in a situation where they couldn't really chance it with a lower offer.

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[MettaWorldPanda]

So the battle of Keshad Johnson at 6'7 230 vs Haywood Highsmith at 6'5 220 has begun.

Keshad Johnson isn’t in the same stratosphere as Highsmith. Johnson looks like a damn ninja turtle running around zero chance he’s a switchable or a plus defender onto any athletic wing who can actually handle the ball. Let him guard Tatum for a few possessions before you guys start talking crazy.

He can at best be a steady bench guy who plays the 3-4 in lineups, he isn’t some defensive stopper

Dudes stiffer than a 2 by 4

Running around like Dwight Howard after the back injuries

Some of yall don’t watch summer league or these guys beyond highlights and it shows. Highlights lie, that’s why they are highlights

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I watch every single minute of summer league and I agree with the tweets above.

[AirP.]

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[Bishop45]

Goodluck, young man!

[Rapaz]

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Loopy muppets like Barry Jackson cannot begin to comprehend the utter brilliance of The Godfather’s plan. Highsmith’s contract was no mistake; there is no “blame” to give.

Pat’s resplendent endgame will soon be revealed for the world to see.

Patience.

[MettaWorldPanda]

Zach LaVine’s trade kicker if math of 15% of 43 mil is correct is like 6.4 million lol. We are not trading for that.

[3ammy3uck3ts]

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Loopy muppets like Barry Jackson cannot begin to comprehend the utter brilliance of The Godfather’s plan. Highsmith’s contract was no mistake; there is no “blame” to give.

Pat’s resplendent endgame will soon be revealed for the world to see.

Patience.

Let the old man cook in peace, he clearly has a plan!!!!!

[3ammy3uck3ts]

Zach LaVine’s trade kicker if math of 15% of 43 mil is correct is like 6.4 million lol. We are not trading for that.

We’re dumb and don’t make moves period for the most part so I’d say you’re right, we’re not trading for anyone “they like their team”

[MettaWorldPanda]

Zach LaVine’s trade kicker if math of 15% of 43 mil is correct is like 6.4 million lol. We are not trading for that.

We’re dumb and don’t make moves period for the most part so I’d say you’re right, we’re not trading for anyone “they like their team”

It’s sad cause i think he’d be a really good fit here. Just makes a boat load of money

[3ammy3uck3ts]

Zach LaVine’s trade kicker if math of 15% of 43 mil is correct is like 6.4 million lol. We are not trading for that.

We’re dumb and don’t make moves period for the most part so I’d say you’re right, we’re not trading for anyone “they like their team”

It’s sad cause i think he’s be a really good fit here. Just makes a boat load of money

I’ll take him at his money wiping out Herro and Duncan’s any day, especially considering he’s coming with at least a 1st. Unfortunately the FO doesn’t see it that way and Lavine doesn’t fit the top 75 player ever criteria they have for trading Herro

[Rapaz]

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A thing of beauty. The haters will say it’s a thing of “booty,” but they can drop and kiss The Godfather’s 9 ringzzz.

[Bishop45]

Ty coming in angry this year, we should start him off the bench

[AirP.]

If Butler carries through with intentions to become a free agent next summer (with the Heat holding no right to match offers), Miami would have 10 players under contract for 2025-26 if it doesn’t trade one of the 10 in the months ahead: Bam Adebayo ($37.1 million), Tyler Herro ($31 million), Terry Rozier ($26.6 million), Duncan Robinson ($19.9 million), Jaime Jaquez Jr. ($3.9 million), Nikola Jovic ($4.4 million), Kevin Love ($4.1 million), Haywood Highsmith ($5.7 million), Pelle Larson ($1.9 million) and Kel’el Ware ($4.5 million).

That adds up to $139.1 million. Cap holds - required by the NBA to fill open roster spots up to 12 - would add another $2.4 million to Miami’s cap, leaving the Heat at $141.5 million in commitments.

The 2025-26 cap is projected to be $154.6 million, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

So that’s just $13 million in cap space -- not nearly enough to add an All Star -- if Butler simply signs elsewhere. Miami could create $10 million more in space by waiving Duncan Robinson, who has only $9.8 million guaranteed in 2025-26. But waiving Robinson would be poor asset management and likely not worth the net loss.

Spoiler:

Players in line to become free agents in 12 months who are not max players but could command something well above the minimum include Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell, Milwaukee Bucks players Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis and Khris Middleton; Atlanta center Clint Capela; Boston center Al Horford; Nets wing Ben Simmons; Oklahoma City guard Alex Caruso; Cavaliers guard Caris LeVert; Detroit guard Tim Hardaway Jr.; Indiana guard T.J. McConnell; Minnesota center Naz Reid; Clippers guard Terance Mann and center Ivica Zubak; Washington guard Malcolm Brogdon.

Players who could command deals closer to the max next summer, if they don’t sign extensions first, include Dallas guard Kyrie Irving (if he opts out of $43.9 million for 2025-26); Knicks players Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle; New Orleans forward Brandon Ingram; Denver guard Jamal Murray, Denver forward Aaron Gordon (if he opts out of $22.8 million for 2025-26); Indiana center Myles Turner, and Utah center Lauri Markkanen. In this no-Butler scenario, the Heat wouldn’t have nearly enough cap space to sign any players from this group into cap space but would have the ability to make sign-and-trades for any of them, should they be available and wish to come to the Heat.

https://sports.yahoo.com/heat-loses-butler-next-summer-200111750.html

[MettaWorldPanda]

2nd apron 188.9 million
Current salary 187.5 million
1st apron 178.1 million
Duncan Robinson salary -19.4 million dump
Miami Heat salary- $168 million

Have access to 5.2 million and money to sign a player to vet minimum 3.3 with 15th spot. Stay out of tax all together resetting repeater clock. We should be calling Ainge off the hook to take on Duncan.

[greg4012]

So the battle of Keshad Johnson at 6'7 230 vs Haywood Highsmith at 6'5 220 has begun.

Keshad Johnson isn’t in the same stratosphere as Highsmith. Johnson looks like a damn ninja turtle running around zero chance he’s a switchable or a plus defender onto any athletic wing who can actually handle the ball. Let him guard Tatum for a few possessions before you guys start talking crazy.

He can at best be a steady bench guy who plays the 3-4 in lineups, he isn’t some defensive stopper

Dudes stiffer than a 2 by 4

Running around like Dwight Howard after the back injuries

Some of yall don’t watch summer league or these guys beyond highlights and it shows. Highlights lie, that’s why they are highlights

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

I watch every single minute of summer league and I agree with the tweets above.

Yooo Keshad's 3 pt celebration is excellent

[Wiltside]

It’s like the Heat looked at our 2023-24 roster and decided to bring back the worst parts of it.

Love - looked old and past it. Vet leadership role only.

Bryant - can’t defend a lick.

Highsmith - limited and overused.

I can’t hate the HH deal too much given it’s a lot cheaper than I expected. But I’d 100% rather see the younger guys getting reps.