There’s no way the Miami Heat get off entirely easy, even if they eventually snare a superstar such as Giannis Antekounmpo.
As the Milwaukee Bucks’ self-imposed deadline to trade their franchise player approaches — the NBA Draft, which is less than three weeks away — Miami remains a prime contender for his services, with it well-known that they would give up everything of value but Bam Adebayo….
But that they don’t necessarily want to.
So we will see if the Heat can keep some of the core young pieces beyond just Tyler Herro and Kel’el Ware, who are almost certain to be included. Jaime Jaquez Jr.? Pelle Larsson? Kasparas Jakucionis? Davion Mitchell? How many will go, to satisfy the Bucks’ desires and salary cap restrictions — beyond the draft choices and draft swaps?
And what will be left?
That’s why the Heat must be prepared to creatively supplement the roster in the event a trade occurs. They will have some returning talent, especially if they can keep 2025-26 starters Norman Powell (a free agent) and Andrew Wiggins (who has a player option). And they will be able to use exceptions such as the Taxpayer Mid-Level of roughly $15 million, plus a Trade Exception of roughly that amount that they received in the Duncan Robinson trade last offseason.
But they still may have open slots.
And in an offseason in which only a handful of teams have significant cap space, it seems likely that some veterans will slip through the cracks, and be forced to take much less than they ever have.
Here are three players that might find their way to Miami:
1. Khris Middleton
A Heat killer in his prime as Antetokounmpo’s primary sidekick, Middleton has slowed considerably. But he did shoot 39 percent from three-point range while with Dallas last season, and at age 34, could still be a back of the rotation 3-and-D option on the right team — bringing his championship experience and toughness. He’s exactly the sort of end-of-career stable performer that the Heat target for contending rosters and locker rooms, and it doesn’t hurt that he and Giannis remain close. He may get more elsewhere but, if not, this makes complete sense.
2. Gabe Vincent
You remember him ….. starting for the Heat in the NBA Finals? It wasn’t that long ago. But then, after that season, Vincent wasn’t impressed with the Heat’s initial offer, and signed back home in California instead, with the Los Angeles Lakers. Injuries and inconsistency marred his tenure there, and he ended up in Atlanta. But now he’s a free agent. He won’t get nearly what the Heat were offering just three years ago. But, if the Heat need to give up either Mitchell or Jakucionis in a trade, they could bring back someone comfortable with their program and system, to compete with Dru Smith for a backup role. They know what he is, when he’s right.
3. Bruce Brown
The University of Miami product priced out of the Denver Nuggets’ range after winning a ring as a rotation player in 2023 — against the Heat. He signed with the Pacers but, as for Vincent, it’s been a whirlwind since. After time in Toronto and New Orleans, he landed back in Denver, and played 82 games on the minimum last season. Now turning 30, he still has some defensive ability and is not bad from behind the arc. And this might be the time to come “home.”
Add us as a preferred source on Google
