This will be a pivotal offseason for the Miami Heat, who are coming off arguably since the Big 3, finishing 37-45. They were ousted in humiliating fashion in the postseason and need to pick a clear direction after trading away disgruntled star Jimmy Butler ahead of the trade deadline. Who are the eight best players they can trade this summer? Let’s dive into it!
8.) Jaime Jaquez Jr.
At this time last year, if you had told me that Jaquez would’ve been the Heat’s 8th-best tradable player, I would’ve thought you were crazy. Well, here we are. It was a very disappointing season for the Heat’s No. 18 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Jaquez regressed–in part due to injury–averaging just 8.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists on 46.1/31.1/75.4 shooting splits.
I don’t believe selling low is the wisest idea, but the 24-year-old will become extension-eligible next offseason. So the hope that he is able to develop counters when driving to rim, a consistent long-range shot while improving as an overall defender heading into 2025-26, all of which is far easier said than done.
7.) Duncan Robinson
Robinson, 31, is arguably the greatest shooter in franchise history. He also has $19.9 million expiring contract, with only $9.9 million guaranteed up until July 8. Depending on who you ask, that could be attractive to some suitors. But his last two seasons have been ruined by two different back injuries; that may not be a red flag, but it’s an orange flag, at best.
While he’s developed his all-around game and averaged 11.9 points on 39.4 percent shooting from 3-point range over his last two seasons, the back concerns for a player entering his age-31 season are a cause for a concern, which is why I dropped his down on this list. His value is in the eye of the beholder.
6.) Haywood Highsmith
Highsmith, 28, signed a two-year, $11 million deal with the Heat last offseason. Thus, he won’t be extension eligible, but his $5.6 million salary could make him an attractive asset. He averaged 6.5 points and 3.4 rebounds on 38.2 percent from 3-point range on a career-most 3.1 triple tries per game. Wings with a 3-and-D mold come at a premium, though I do think Highsmith took a step back defensively this season, which could hurt his value. Am I worried about it long-term? No. But I can’t justify him being a top-5 trade asset (as a player) over some of the other names mentioned.
5.) Nikola Jovic
You could argue that Jovic has the highest offensive ceiling of any of the team’s three-best young players (excluding Herro), but he has yet to play more than 46 games in a single season over his young career. He missed most of 2022-23 (rookie season) with a back injury, was out of the rotation for nearly half of 2023-24 and was limited to just 46 games this season due to ankle and hand injuries. Jovic, who turns 22-years-old in June, will become extension eligible this summer and was playing the best basketball of his career before fracturing his second metacarpal in late February. But his struggles with availability could hurt his value in negotiations, despite his intriguing size and skillset.
4.) Andrew Wiggins
I was very high on Andrew Wiggins’ fit with the Heat pre-Jimmy Butler trade and I remain high on him as a basketball player. However, I was wrong, albeit in a half-season sample of the 30-year-old wing. This isn’t a sell-high spot for Wiggins, which is why I have him at No. 4, even though I thought about dropping him lower. He only played 17 of the Heat’s 32 available games due to injury, one of the least healthy stretches of his career.
Wiggins never found his rhythm consistently on either end and averaged just 11.5 points in the playoffs against Cleveland. The last two years of his contract don’t exceed 18.5 percent of the cap, which I think has value. But I’m curious to see what the market thinks of Wiggins as he heads into his age-30 season.
2b.) Tyler Herro
You could argue for and against Herro being in this spot. I went back and forth with it. There’s no doubt that he had a career year, averaging career-mosts in points (23.9) and assists (5.5) while shooting 37.5 percent from 3-point range with a modified shot diet. However, Miami’s one-time All-Star was exposed on both ends in what was another disappointing postseason for him.
Herro, 25, will be up for an extension in early October, and if the Heat don’t have plans on paying him, they should explore the market (at the very least) to trade him. Learn from their mistakes from last summer with Butler–except you’d be selling him at lukewarm price (it’s not selling high after his disastrous playoffs). The prevailing question is: Can you find a suitor who’s potentially willing to extend him for $40-50 million per year as a secondary option in today’s two-apron economy?
2a.) Kel’el Ware
I have Kel’el Ware in this spot because there were flashes of very good with him as a rookie. The recently-turned 21-year-old averaged 9.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. It wasn’t a perfect season for the Heat’s No. 15 overall pick–the motor concerns that plagued him pre-draft creeped up toward the tail-end, and his fit with Adebayo was murky (at best)–but he showed flashes of an All-Star caliber big this season.
Ware will have to do 125 percent of the work to get 100 percent of the credit due to his motor, but if he’s able to consistently get stronger, improve his shot mechanics and defensive positioning, the sky is the limit. The (physical) tools were all there, now but there is still plenty of work to do to put it all together.
1.) Bam Adebayo
Every player has a price. Though Adebayo is, very clearly, the Heat’s No. 1 trade asset. There are very few players I see the organization actually trading him for, so it’s not worth entertaining if you’re an opposing front office trying to make a deal with Miami. Save yourself the trouble. The Heat’s captain doesn’t come without his warts, but he’s an elite two-way big who shot over 40 percent from 3-point range over his final 40 games. Adebayo is the backbone to everything the Heat does defensively, where he makes others better; there’s a reason why they finish as a top-10 defense every year.
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DAYAM! COOPER FLAGG TO DALLAS!
They were in the #11 slot and had a 1.8% chance of getting #1 pick! As others have pointed out, Miami would have been in that slot if it had intentionally tanked instead of allowing the players to bust their butts to beat Atlanta in O.T. for a playoff spot. Oh well.
Terry not included coz of his performance, or non-performance, but can be a filler for $ matching. Title should be best trade assets. Sorry.
Meanwhile….Mavs getting the “flag”?!!
The best candidates to trade are the players you don’t need.
I would hold the players on rookie contracts listed (Jaquez, Jovic and Ware) out of that conversation at least one more season for further evaluation. If a team makes Miami an offer they can’t refuse, that’s a different story.
Of the remaining 5, Highsmith and Wiggins should definitely be on the table. I would also add Rozier to that list. What is the best deal Miami can get for each? Preferably younger players, draft picks (likely 2nd rounders) and cash. Otherwise, keep them until their contracts expire at the end of the season.
Robinson is a different matter entirely. His contract has a player and a team option.
Player Option: Robinson can opt out before June 29, 2025 and become a free agent.
Team Option: If Robinson opts in, his 2025-2026 salary of $19,888,000 is partially guaranteed for $9,888,000. If he chooses to opt in, Miami can:
pay him the guaranteed amount and allow him to become a free agent, thus saving $10,000,000; sign him at his full salary and keep him as a vital member of the rotation; orsign & trade him before the NBA’s July 8, 2025 moratorium date. (A player on a partially guaranteed contract with a team option can be traded before the moratorium date but the team must exercise the option before the trade, so the player cannot be a free agent if traded.)
Of the remaining 3, Herro, Bam and Wiggins, all should be on the table only if better options are available. However, It makes no sense to add a better defender for Herro who is not a good 3 point shooter and at least a 20 ppg scorer. Likewise, it makes no sense to swap Bam for a better scorer if the player is not also a strong defender who is able to stretch the floor. Finally, it makes no sense to trade Wiggins if Miami cannot get a similar/younger player in return and/or one or more first round picks.
Trades should make teams better, not leave them in the same situation or worse off.