After their 2023 run to the NBA Finals as the eighth seed, the 2023-24 season felt like a massive disappointment for the Miami Heat. Being just three wins away from an NBA championship less than a year ago placed some obvious and reasonable expectations on this team to make a deep run yet again this past season.
Instead, the Heat wound up in the same eight seed spot as the season prior, but this time they were heavily outmatched against the Boston Celtics in the first round. Unable to replicate their miracle run from the previous year, Miami went home early with some major questions to answer. Namely, how can they take advantage of playing in what is decidedly the weaker of the NBA’s two conferences?
One way will of course be upgrading the roster this summer. There have already been several names suggested as potential free agent targets for the Heat, and addressing key deficiencies could help this team get back to being a consistent regular season winner going forward. If Miami pulls off a dream offseason, this is what their starting lineup could look like come October.
Center: Bam Adebayo
There will be plenty of tempting names on the free agent market this summer, but one position the Heat will not want to adjust is center. Bam Adebayo remains one of the best defensive big men in the association, and he has obviously been one of the staples of this team’s success over the last half-decade.
Bam’s ability to be one of the few players in the league capable of switching 1-through-5 on defense is an incredibly valuable skill, and one that translates to the postseason in a big way. He creates an instant matchup problem for nearly any of Miami’s opponents the moment he steps on the floor.
We know that Pat Riley will do whatever is necessary to build this roster into a winner, and the only way Bam could conceivably be moved is if a massive offer for a big-name star comes in. Even then, he would likely be hesitant to pull the trigger in the name of retaining consistency.
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Miami Heat offseason mailbag: If not Donovan Mitchell, then who?
And who will the Heat target in the NBA Draft?
By Wes Goldberg | May 24, 2024
Cleveland Cavaliers v Boston Celtics – Game One
Cleveland Cavaliers v Boston Celtics – Game One / Maddie Meyer/GettyImages
Welcome to the Miami Heat offseason mailbag! Every week, I’ll jump on here and try my best to answer your questions and provide some explanations during what should be an eventful summer. Let’s do it.
As always, thanks to everyone who sent in questions on X. It’s also where you can send future mailbag questions.
Who does the Miami Heat have the best percentage of obtaining in the offseason (please don’t say Donovan Mitchell)?
— Sarah Ramsingh (@SarahRamsingh) May 23, 2024
Donovan Mitchell.
JK. But maybe?
I’m assuming you’re talking about All-Star caliber players. If so, it’s difficult to pinpoint who will really be available and who we think could be available.
A few examples of the latter: Everyone on the Suns. Phoenix isn’t blowing this up yet, and I don’t see any of those stars asking out after one full season. I also don’t buy that LeBron James would actually leave LA, no matter where his son is drafted.
The reporting around the Paul George situation has been interesting but, even if he took meetings as a free agent, the Heat don’t have the cap space to sign him and it would be tremendously difficult to acquire him via sign-and-trade because of their position against the second tax apron.
Zach LaVine is still available but I don’t see the Heat going in that direction.
Brandon Ingram almost certainly won’t be back with the Pelicans, and I do think he’s gettable. What would New Orleans say to an offer of Tyler Herro, Nikola Jovic and two first-round picks?
The concern with Ingram is that he’s injury-prone – something Pat Riley made clear he wants to avoid – and thrives in the same mid-range area on offense as Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. It’s not a great fit, and I’m not sure he’s the guy the Heat want to go all-in on.
One of the Hawks guards is almost surely getting traded this summer. Atlanta asked for a lot for Dejounte Murray at the trade deadline and didn’t get it, but then Murray went on to average 24.5 points on 45% shooting (36% on 3s), 8.7 assists, 5.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals after the All-Star break. Will that stretch motivate teams to offer more for Murray this summer?
Then there’s Trae Young. The Lakers are the team most often linked to Young and he’d be a good fit there. You could talk me into the fit in Miami. Young might be the best pick-and-roll facilitator in the league, is a willing shooter, and would immediately turn the Heat’s offense into a top-15 outfit (if not better with some good shooting). But defense is a concern and so is his reputation. Also, I’m skeptical that the Hawks would want to trade their current franchise player within the division if all things are equal.
Which brings us back to Mitchell. The word out of Cleveland is that the Cavs are increasingly confident that they can sign him to an extension this summer. Some of that is surely posturing by the Cavs – but how much, exactly? If Mitchell tells the front office he won’t re-sign, they’ll have no choice but to at least explore the trade market. Mitchell, because he can be a free agent next summer, has some say in where he ends up. The prevailing thought is that he’d be willing to sign long-term in Miami. Then it comes down to whether the Cavaliers are interested in what the Heat can offer in a trade.
So, sorry, but the answer is Mitchell.
With it looking like Mitchell is going to extend, what are some other moves the Heat can make to avoid running it back and hoping for health again?
— The Trained Eye (@MiamiH3atle) May 23, 2024
Alright, so in a world where Mitchell does extend… What then?
The Heat can explore the other options we already covered, but those might not be ideal or realistic.
They should explore breaking up the trio of Rozier, Herro and Robinson. While all are good players, their skill sets are a bit redundant. Could the Heat move one of them to address another hole on the roster?
What would the Nets give up for Herro? Does Cameron Johnson interest the Heat? Could they ask for Dorian Finney-Smith and draft picks?
What would teams in need of spacing – such as the Bulls, Pistons, Hornets, Thunder, Jazz, etc – give up for Robinson?
Maybe all this amounts to moving deck chairs, but this roster is stale. There’s something to be said for refreshing Miami’s feng shui.
Hypothetical, you have 2 trade options:
Trade Herro, Jacquez or Jovic & picks for over 32 top 25 level player
Or
Trade Jimmy for a under 26 quality starter level player, draft picks & filler
Which way would you go? Where would the heat go?
— Brian ‘BC’ Castaldo (@BC_Castaldo) May 23, 2024
What are you getting at, Brian? A top-25 player who is 32 years old? So you’re talking about Kawhi Leonard, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Paul George and Damian Lillard.
Of that group, Kawhi, Steph and KD aren’t going anywhere. I have my doubts about LeBron leaving LA. George, as we covered, is extremely difficult for Miami to acquire. I think Lillard gives it another year in Milwaukee.
And I’m not trading Jimmy Butler just to shake things up. If the Heat trade Butler, it will have to be because they (a) don’t want to commit to the max extension and (b) Butler seeks that money elsewhere. In that case, Miami’s hands might be tied.
But in that scenario, I’d be looking to turn a Butler deal into a multi-team trade, where the Heat get assets back for Butler that they can use to trade for a star who is on Bam Adebayo’s timeline.
Assuming the Heat keep their 2024 first round pick, which 3 prospects do you think they are zeroing in to draft next month? TY
— 🐼 (@GrizzlesG) May 23, 2024
Mock drafts from ESPN, Bleacher Report, the Ringer and CBS all have the Heat taking a guard with the No. 15 pick, whether it’s Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham, USC’s Isaiah Collier or Duke’s Jared McCain.
Based on how the Heat have approached the draft the last couple of years, though, I’d expect them to look strongly at adding more size. That was a priority when they drafted Nikola Jovic in 2022 and Jaime Jaquez Jr. in 2023 and, with Caleb Martin and Haywood Highsmith possibly leaving in free agency, they will still have a need for perimeter depth.
Some of the wings projected to go around Miami’s pick are Colorad’s Tristan De Silva and Cody Williams, Kansas’ Johnny Furphy and Providence’s Devin Carter.
This draft is also deep with high-upside centers like Kel’el Ware, Yves Missi, Zach Edey and DaRon Holmes II, if the Heat wanted to find a long-term backup for Adebayo.
But these are just guesses. It’s too early for an informed opinion on who the Heat might be eyeing.
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Miami Heat offseason mailbag: If not Donovan Mitchell, then who?
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Reported Cavs’ ask in Donovan Mitchell trade could be hard for Heat fans to accept
According to a report, the Cavs would ask for one of the Miami Heat’s brightest young players in a trade for Donovan Mitchell.
May 20, 2024
Cleveland Cavaliers v Boston Celtics – Game One
Cleveland Cavaliers v Boston Celtics – Game One / Maddie Meyer/GettyImages
If Donovan Mitchell refuses to sign an extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers and he’s shopped this summer, the Cavs are expected to seek a package including young players and picks, according to Hoops Wire.
The Miami Heat have several young players and can trade two future first-round picks, in addition to the 15th pick in this June’s draft starting on draft night.
According to Hoops Wire, the Cavs would ask for first-team All-Rookie member Jaime Jaquez Jr., Tyler Herro and picks in exchange for Mitchell.
From the report:
“If Mitchell decides not to extend with the Cavaliers and Gilbert and Co. opt to trade the guard out of fear of losing him for nothing in 2025, the Lakers, Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, New Orleans Pelicans, Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies are expected to try to trade for Mitchell, sources told Hoops Wire.
Gilbert and Koby Altman would look for a lucrative package of multiple draft picks and one or two young players with star potential in a Mitchell trade.
For example, a source told Hoops Wire that the Cavaliers would ask for Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. from the Heat in Mitchell trade talks if it gets to that point. ”
From Cleveland’s perspective
Prioritizing Jaquez over Nikola Jovic makes sense for a Cavs roster already stocked with two starting big men in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. In the event of a Mitchell trade, Jaquez could step into the starting lineup alongside Darius Garland, Max Strus, Mobley and Allen.
Herro’s contract would be needed to facilitate the deal, and he makes sense for a Cavs roster that would be losing a ton of scoring by sending Mitchell out.
From Miami’s perspective
Trading away Jaquez, the steal of the draft who was recently named to the NBA’s All-Rookie First Team, would hurt, but it’s the sort of young player an organization has to include in a deal for a talent like Mitchell.
The Heat did not have a single scorer rank in the top 44 of scoring per game last season, while Mitchell was ninth in scoring at 26.6 points per game. Adding him to a lineup with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo would give Miami three complementary stars to build around.
Could teams like the Nets, Pelicans, Rockets and Grizzlies beat Miami’s offer? The Rockets are stocked with draft capital and intriguing young players, but would they be willing to give those things up to speed up their process?
Mitchell also has some say in where he gets traded. While he does not have a no-trade clause, he can scare teams away from trading for him by letting them know he would not sign a long-term extension.
Most expect that Mitchell would be happy to give the Heat a long-term commitment. But there is also growing noise out of Cleveland that the Cavaliers are more confident that they can get Mitchell to agree to an extension.
NEXT: 3 Trade scenarios that could bring Donovan Mitchell to the Miami…
New team emerges as potential landing spot for Miami Heat star target
By Wes Goldberg | May 22, 2024
Houston Rockets v Cleveland Cavaliers
Houston Rockets v Cleveland Cavaliers / Jason Miller/GettyImages
After moving up from the No. 9 to No. 3 pick during the NBA draft lottery, the Houston Rockets have a more valuable asset that it can use to make a dramatic improvement to the team.
According to the Athletic’s Kelly Iko, the Rockets are expected to explore all avenues with the No. 3 pick, ranging from using it on a top rookie in this class, trading back, or using the pick to land a star player.
One such star could be Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell. League sources told Iko that the Rockets “have been monitoring his situation for months.”
The Houston Rockets are a team to watch when it comes to the futures of Donovan Mitchell and Jimmy Butler.
If Mitchell refuses to sign a long-term extension in Cleveland, the Cavaliers are expected to listen to trade offers for the All-Star scorer.
“Such a move for an All-NBA type player would be more suitable than for others who could potentially be available — New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram and Brooklyn’s Mikal Bridges — for example,” Iko writes.
But if Mitchell is off the table, it’s fair to wonder if the Rockets would call the Miami Heat about Jimmy Butler. Like Mitchell, Butler is also up for an extension this summer and, if he and the Heat can’t come to an agreement, it isn’t crazy to envision teams like the Rockets calling about Butler’s availability.
Butler is from the Houston area and one figures that current Rockets coach Ime Udoka would relish the opportunity to coach the competitive Butler.
A deal including the No. 3 pick, Dillon Brooks, Steven Adams and a young player such as Tari Eason would match the salary requirements and help the Heat infuse young talent into the roster.
Or the Heat could potentially flip that package to a third team for a star to replace Butler.
While this may seem like a stretch right now, things can change quickly in the NBA. Depending on how extension negotiations for Mitchell and Butler play out, and what Houston decides to do with the No. 3 pick between now and draft night, these organizations could connect this summer.
