Miami Heat: Why trading for P.J. Tucker doesn't make sense

P.J. Tucker Heat Clippers — (Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)

A disgruntled P.J. Tucker is currently away from the Los Angeles Clippers, seeking a trade that will place him in a situation where he can impact winning. According to Law Murray and Kelly Iko of The Athletic, the Heat are reportedly one of the teams who have held trade conversations for him.

None of this means they’re actually going to trade for him ahead of next February’s deadline, but let’s present the argument as to why it’s non-beneficial for both sides. Why not?!

A P.J. Tucker trade is not mutually beneficial from Heat perspective:

Recall, Tucker was one of the most beloved Heat players throughout the 2021-22 season, his only season in Miami where he had arguably the best of his career.

The 6-foot-5 forward averaged 7.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, shooting a career-best from 3-point range (41.5 percent) and from the floor (48.4). He helped lead the Heat to their second conference finals appearance in three years and bled #HEATCulture™.

He out-played his two-year, $14.4 million deal he signed ahead of that offseason. In the summer of 2022, he declined his $7.4 million player option followed by signing a three-year, $33 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, using their full mid-level exception. It was over $6 million than the Heat’s max offer due to owning his non-bird rights, amounting to roughly $26.5 million.

Tucker chased his last big payday, and rightfully so. At that stage of their careers, especially when they’ve been underpaid, players should!

He was eventually traded away from Philadelphia nearly a year ago today in the big James Harden-Clippers blockbuster. Tucker never found a consistent on-court role with Los Angeles, and became unhappy.

“I feel like I still got a lot to contribute to a team to be able to win, whether that’s here or somewhere else,” Tucker said in Dec. of 2023, according to ClutchPoints.com. “I know myself, my worth. I know what I bring. I know what I’ve brought. I know what I can continue to bring. And with that, I want to be able to go to a good team that I can be able to help that.”

He was openly frustrated that he wasn’t moved ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline, wasn’t bought out (because of his contract) and the situation still has no resolution eight months later. Tucker, 39, is a respected veteran voice in any locker room–but he clearly wants consistent minutes on a title contender.

Let’s say he was bought out and signs for the minimum tomorrow: Who would he get minutes over? I’d argue he wouldn’t (nor should) get minutes over Jaime Jaquez Jr., Josh Richardson (when healthy), Duncan Robinson, Haywood Highsmith, Alec Burks or Kevin Love, who’s yet to appear in a game this season due to personal reasons (we hope everything is okay!). If you say Thomas Bryant, would a 39-year-old who’s nearly a half-foot shorter than Bryant help when the team already struggles against opposing backup bigs?

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra already good problem on his hands with his bench depth; it may have been strange, but we saw Haywood Highsmith, a legitimately impactful 3-and-D role player, get DNP-CD’d Saturday against Charlotte. That doesn’t even mention rookies Kel’el Ware, Pelle Larsson and Keshad Johnson, the likely frontrunner to convert from a two-way into the team’s final roster spot come the New Year.

It’s not beneficial for that reason alone, if Tucker is legitimately campaigning for a consistent role. He’s well within his right to, though I don’t think the current state of the Heat would offer that, barring multiple injuries.

That doesn’t even factor in his contract. Tucker’s on the books for $11.5 million this season on a hard-capped Clippers after they signed Derrick Jones Jr. to the MLE and Nic Batum to the bi-annual. Miami, on the other hand, is right on the border of the second apron.

The Heat wouldn’t be able to take back more salary than they trade out, nor would they be able to acquire any of Los Angeles’ first-round picks outright because of the Stepien rule. It doesn’t seem likely that Miami would trade Robinson ($19.4M) for Tucker and a collection of role players while its only tradable players (until Dec. 15) are Kel’el Ware, Jaquez, Richardson and Jovic. Pass.

Miami’s already one of the oldest teams in the league. Acquiring an older veteran, who hasn’t been impactful in two years nor helps the team’s most dire weakness (offense), doesn’t solve anything. Again, it would maybe slightly different if he was bought out and signed for the prorated minimum to keep Miami under the second apron, though the initial conundrum (role) could still percolate.

Despite the unfortunate end, Tucker’s 2021-22 season should be remembered as one of the more fun ones in recent Heat history. While he embodies what the organization’s built its backbone on, it’s no longer beneficial for either side to put on the same hat–now or in the future.