A couple of roster spots opened up as a result of the six-player, five-pick blockbuster trade that sent two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat this week.
While the deal has yet to be made official, including Antetokounmpo and newly-acquired Bobby Portis, the Heat has four open roster spots. But as the dust settles, they could lose their most recent All-Star.
ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst claimed on Get Up Monday that Norman Powell’s future in Miami appears to be fairly murky, barring a pay cut.
“They’re gonna lose their All Star, Norman Powell,” Windhorst said. “Unless he takes a crazy discount. He’s gonna be gone. They have to replace him.”
ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania shared a similar sentiment hours later on The Pat McAfee Show.
“We can probably take Norman Powell off of this starting 5,” Charania said. “The Heat are expecting him not to be there this offseason. There’s going to be interest in him. … Financially, it’s going to be very difficult to keep him.
“They’re going to have exceptions to use. They could participate in a sign-and-trade with Norman Powell this offseason. The Heat are operating as if he is going to end up in a sign-and-trade or end up elsewhere.”
Heat cannot afford to bring back Norman Powell:
Despite battling injury post-All-Star break, Powell was one of the Heat’s best offensive players. He averaged 21.7 points on 47.0 percent shooting and 38.0 percent from 3-point range. There’s long been mutual interest for a return, but how realistic is it now?
As a result of the Giannis trade, Miami is now hard-capped below the $209 million first apron. With 10 players on roster, they presumably have $9.5 million in luxury tax space and are $18 million below the first apron. That’s not including cap holds for Powell, Simone Fontecchio or Keshad Johnson (RFA).
Wiggins will have until June 29 to either exercise or decline his $30.2 million player option. He could decline it and re-sign for a smaller AAV for multiple seasons, opening up a little more wiggle room below the first apron. But the inclusion of Bobby Portis’ $14.5 million salary suddenly complicates Powell’s future if the Heat want to have access to their full $15.0 mid-level exception, barring another move.
Miami also has its $5.5 million bi-annual exception and its $5.6 million trade exception (expires Aug. 15) it can use. But utilizing either of those two exceptions pushes the envelope closer to the apron.
Sacrifice may need to be made somewhere. The immediate answer is Nikola Jovic. But an unintended sacrifice is Powell, whose shooting and two-level self-creation would help now more than ever.
We’ll see what happens over the next few weeks. If Powell doesn’t return, there are plenty of other ways the Heat could allocate their funds for shooting purposes. But the overarching question is: Will they?
***
To check out our other content, click here.
Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Twitter/X here!
Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Instagram here!
Check out Hot Hot Hoops on Facebook here!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel here!
- These 2 former All-Stars remain free agent options linked to Heat
- Why Heat still believe Nikola Jovic may have bounce-back season
- Heat star states that there is zero “disappointment” in failing to land LeBron James
- Heat star isn’t concerned with team’s lack of shooting entering new year
- Heat release 2026-27 preseason schedule, will begin in Quebec
- Former Miami Heat guard, 10-year veteran Josh Richardson retires
- Analyzing where this offseason ranks in Miami Heat history
I’m sure Riley thought about all of this before the trade and has one or more solutions in mind.
Hopefully, there is an NBA ready player of Larsson’s caliber available today at #41. Every little bit helps.
Talk is cheap we want norm back detroit does to.norms made enough $$$ i think hes gonna stay in the beautiful city of miamiHerro prob goes to detroit.Pelle is a downgrade from stormin norman.
Norm has been underpaid for the past few years. Giannis and Bam are overpaid and have made enough to last for generations, in my opinion. Let them take a cut in salary like Brunson did, unless a few million bucks are more important to them than winning one or more championships. At minimum, they should kick in the amounts they are saving in state taxes because they live in a tax free statre and not California. Jus sayin.
They can sell him on it being a shorter flight to Jamaica compared to from Detroit.
champ more likely here.warm weather in winter .big jamaican population down here. det or miami which city u rather live in.take a poll 90% miami.$$$ or better city ?
It isn’t about Powell’s preference. It’s all about the Benjamin’s. He’s earned a nice pay raise and isn’t getting any younger.
I don’t think Giannis would have approved the trade to Miami without a promise from Riley that he would assemble a contending team. Bringing both Powell and Wiggins back (or players of their caliber) would seem to be vital parts of that promise.
Note: Giannis and Portis were the last members of the 2021 Milwaukee championship team. Bam is the last member of Miami’s 2020 Finals team. It’s sad how there is no longer loyalty or roster continuity in the NBA.. It’s now all about greed and player egos There are far too few unselfish alpha players like Brunson in the league.