After the Miami Heat’s near-$6 million one-year deal of Tim Hardaway Jr., the Heat front office addressed much needed shooting depth. Especially after the news to follow the next day.
ESPN’s Shams Charania announced Norman Powell’s departure from Miami, with the veteran guard opting to sign with the Chicago Bulls on a two-year $45 million contract.
Powell was named a 2026 All-Star this past season after a strong first half tenure in South Florida. Unfortunately, injuries and role change impacted Powell’s second half of the year, where he saw a dip in his numbers across the board and wound up finishing with just 58 games played. Ultimately, the Heat’s Giannis Antetokounmpo trade and Andrew Wiggins’ extension made a Powell return financially impossible, despite initial mutual interest in re-signing.
However, the addition of Hardaway Jr. now becomes significantly more crucial with what he brings to the table.
Tim Hardaway Jr. was named a Sixth Man of the Year finalist this past season.
Hardaway finished the 2025-26 campaign with averages of 13.5 points on 45% shooting and 41% from deep in 26.6 minutes. Even at the age of 34 years old, he was impressively very durable in his bench role with the Denver Nuggets— appearing in 80 games out of the 82-game season.
He is a productive veteran presence that will now be key to a Giannis-led rotation with his floor spreading ability. Hardaway’s 41% from 3-point range came on 6.9 attempts per game, proving that he is capable of shooting the ball efficiently on high volume. He can do so both off the dribble and as a spot up shooter.
Not to mention, Hardaway’s arrival now comes full circle with the Heat organization— as his father, Tim Hardaway Sr., has his number 10 jersey retired in the rafters of Kaseya Center.
He may not replicate Powell’s numbers by any means, but he can absolutely help fill in that backcourt shooting void with both Powell and Tyler Herro departing.
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- Report: Heat expected to have “fresh conversations” with DeMar DeRozan
- LeBron James chooses 76ers over Heat, signs two-year deal
- Pat Riley discusses Tyler Herro’s Heat exit and repeated trade rumors over the years
- Former LeBron James Heat co-star makes his pitch on where the free agent should sign
- Can the New York Knicks Repeat? The NBA Already Has Next Season’s Odds
Welcome to another episode of “The Drama Queen.”
While Miami waits for the conclusion of a long, drawn out decision making process, I hope the team doesn’t lose out on James as well possible vet minimum players such as Beal, Middleton, DeRozan or others. What do they say about “a bird in the hand?”
Latest odds on LeBron’s next team:
Cleveland Cavaliers: +130Golden State Warriors: +150Miami Heat: +600Philadelphia 76ers: +700Denver Nuggets: +1200Washington Wizards: +1500New York Knicks: +2000Minnesota Timberwolves: +2000San Antonio Spurs: +2500
Simons to 76ers two years at like $12.3. Dang that is close to what we probably could have done, but he didn’t want to wait AND thinks 76ers have a good chance in the east. He wouldn’t be wrong if not for Embiid’s decomposing body.
Sixers have guards coming out of their bootays.
Reports say we are looking at KCP and/or Levine if he were to get bought out. I can’t imagine the Kings buying out DeMar and Levine. If they did buy out Levine, I would go after him and hope to get him on the cheap to build his value back up. He would only be asked to do what he does well and not try to carry or lead a team, which he doesn’t do well.
I just read (seriously) that at the time of the JB trade, Bill Simmons was getting a colonoscopy! Talk about a doubleheader!
You hate to see it 😉
Scuse me while I kiss the sky. He evidently complained to the doctor that his ring was scratching him. The doctor responded: “That’s not my ring, it’s my watch.”
(I’ll be here all week)
I don’t think I’m going on the ledge by saying we can probably put not getting Simons at like 90%. I’ll leave a 10% window in case his dream has been to play with Bron and he comes for 1 year.
We know about Beal, that’s real. I think we circle back to this rumor of the Kings buying out DeRozan. I could see the Heat make a move to try and sign if considering all other options are toast. He shot 32% from 3, compared to a Beal who shot 36%, but I would take him at this point. I think Pelle could start and then rotate DeMar and THJ.
This year the Lebron decision is being sponsored by Rip Van Winkle tea.
LeBron who supposedly regrets the decision, just runs the decision through the media instead of TV. Dominating headlines, etc.
Other free agents, just sign with the intended team. LeBron gets pitches, lets rumors flow, etc.
Fun times.
I was initially annoyed but I’m not anymore. We’re not getting any one that has signed as they are getting more money than the Heat can offer. Waiting for Lebron is the correct move, especially if he says he’ll come for $5 million. Simons isn’t coming for $5. Whoever will come has no issues waiting for a minimum.
I’m not mad, I just think it’s funny, he has run every free agent move of his career like the decision, but acts like ESPN took advantage of him.
I still don’t think it’s likely, but as you indicated, you aren’t getting many game changing players for near league minimum.
Simons agreed to close to what we had, though slightly more. Yeah, we are looking at mins and buy outs, on top of waiting for Lebron.
Report that Mavs, Warriorrs and Heat are after Simons. I checked and Dallas appears to have the full mid-level at $15, so they have the most to offer Simons. I don’t think it looks good unless by some miracle Simons feels like treating us like a make-a-wish foundation.
ssshh
Apologies, I made a mistake. Warriors also have the full MLE.
I didn’t verify this, but assuming it’s true – maybe Jaylen Brown, just isn’t good?
https://x.com/tomhaberstroh/status/2072509477710954584
They win over 70% of the games he misses, nearly 86% of the games he misses in the last 3 years.
Haberstroh needs no verification. 🙂
Brown said all those reports were just turning him into a beast. Translation, I will hog the ball even more.
I don’t often see eye to eye with 2015, but he pointed that out some months ago. Credit where credit is due.
I also don’t often drink beer, but when I do, I drink Dos Equis. 😎
I agree. I still think the Celtics are worse today than before the trade, but those are damning numbers without context (who’d they play, when were the games, etc).
I think they are much worse. The only redeeming factor I can see is the expiring contract.
So Wiggins and a First for Butler is a better return than
Paul George two late firsts and two seconds
Butler was being suspended from the team. Insisted on going to a couple at most teams.
Was older.
Logic is the beginning of wisdom, not the end.
~ Leonard Nimoy ~
THE DECISION
LeBron’s is down to 3 apparent choices: Cleveland, Golden State and Miami. If I was a betting person, I would bet on him selecting Miami. Here’s why:
Q. Which route to the finals is easier, the East or the West. A. The East
Q. How important is familiarity with the current organization, coaching staff and system? A. Very
Q. Which city has the best weather? A. Miami (Cleveland is cold and S.F. is gloomy like London).
Q. Which team would do the best job of developing Bronny? A. Miami
Q. Which team would be most formidable if it added LeBron? A. Miami
Q. What team is Bradley Beal linked to? A. Miami
Q. Which city checks all the boxes? A. Miami
I may be wrong but I feel both James and Beal will decide to play for Miami on minimum $ contracts.
Imagine if the Miami roster was as follows:
Works for me.
That would be awesome. I agree, Miami would be the most logical place. Does LeBron have to take the minimum to come here?
Pretty close. A couple of million more than minimum. Still have 3 slots open. Lebron, Beal and Bronny. Bronny’s 2026-2027 contract is only partially guaranteed. I don’t imagine Lakers will want keep him around now with daddy gone.
Bronny’s contract is fully guaranteed by the Lakers, in this scenario do you have the Heat trading for LeBron and Bronny? If so, you’ll have to come off a player and likely picks (to take that player), unless it’s Wiggins).
Also in this scenario you have LeBron taking what $5M? and Beal minimum?
I think there is little chance LeBron ends up here.
You may be right. Logic doesn’t always apply in these situations. Lakers just guaranteed Bronny’s contract. Either way, unless LeBron returns to L.A., they will be on different teams this season. Neither James nor Beal need the money. However, both would like a shot at a ring or two.
I’ve been a Heat fan since before the Heatles. I’ve watched this team play against KG and Paul Pierce without LeBron on our side. I saw Tatum and Kyrie and I saw Isaiah Thomas get stabbed in the back. But of all the Celtics, I think Jaylen Brown was the best. That dude could defend like hell and always stepped up for big games. At this point, I’m more worried about the Sixers than the Celtics.
In another life, I might feel bad for Celtics fans. But fuck those guys. I’m glad they just made a dumb trade. I hope they overvalue those picks and never trade them and build from the middle of the draft for the next half decade. And I hope the Heat step on their heads as they climb the Eastern Conference Playoff Ladder
KARMA (YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW / WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND)
If it hadn’t been for Boston attempting to compete with Miami for Giannis, the Heat might have gotten away much cheaper. (e.g, keeping Jakucionis and a pick). Furthermore, putting Brown’s name out there even after the awesome year he had, clearly demonstrated to him and everyone else Boston has no loyalty to its players.
In exchange for Brown, Boston received Paul George, two first-round picks (2028 and 2031) and two second-round picks (2028 and 2030).
Paul George is just a good player now. Brown is still a superstar. But, I find Brown to be one of the dirtiest players in the league, an offensive foul machine if they ever called instigating contact correctly.
You’re right that the Celtics cost us in our trade for Giannis. And it was disloyal to Brown. It made me think they didn’t like him as a person. I recall a game last year that we were beating the Celtics and Brown took over the game. But, to do so, he started throwing elbows everywhere. And just before that happened, our cameraman focused on Brown sitting on the bench glowering. He looked like a madman, a psychopath. And when the C’s put him up for trade, I thought about that angry face.
You are right, there must have been some good reason why they did this. I don’t think that their front office is incompetent. And you’re right about Brown being one of the dirtiest players.
for whatever reason they had to get brown out of the building.some in boston are saying tatum wanted him out.he never requested a trade .not sure what happened but something internally going on that only few people privy to.
I agree with you. There is something strange in those trades.
First, Philly extends Embiid, which is nonsense. Then they pull a brilliant trade for Brown, get rid of George.
Why did they extend Embiid? That was crazy. Embiid hurt them so much in the Knicks series. He couldn’t move at all. It took effort for him to get from one end of the court to the other. When it was time to rebound, he just stood like a statue, even when the ball was close to him. In my opinion his knees are only going to get worse. That kind of loyalty to a player is commendable, but the Sixers are going to pay a huge price because of all the money Embiid eats up.
BOS had to get off his contract, and got 2 good firsts in return. PG was the salary match but is also a better offball shooter, a better defender, and will be an expiring contract after this year.
those firsts might not be to high.pg is old and pretty much washed when hes healthy.for a top 10 player that is pennies on the dollar.i dont think bost fans pissed jb was traded its just what they got for him.anyway their problem weve got to solve our 2g problem.
It was the best trade they could find. Getting those draft assets is big, they could have gotten nothing or had to attach assets to move his contract a year ago or a year from now.
keep the mofer was their best option he had heckuva year last year.but i remember what dipo did to him in a playoff series.theres something fishy going on with brown situation why they wanted to dump a top 10 player
Nothing fishy about the situation at all. Brown has one of the most expensive contracts in the NBA at 35% of the cap. With Tatum out last year Brown was 2nd in the league in FGA per game, averaged 28.7 ppg but Celtics were 5 points worse with him on the floor. Media like Bill Simmons built up Brown into a MVP candidate and Giannis equivalent, this trade shows that was a media created perception.
Compare Brown’s -5 on off to Derrick White +8, who was viewed internally by BOS as the most valuable player according to Windhorst. Factor in Brown’s contract relative to production, his pending extension that the Celtics weren’t going to agree to and then look at Brown’s comments that it was his favorite year after losing in round 1 and those are the reasons he had to be traded.
And Larsson is the answer at the 2, the guy Spo said last year was the best cutter/off-ball mover on the team since Jimmy.
he is a good cutter no doubt but his shooting has to improve they dont call it shooting guard for nothing
Bingo. Expiring contract.
Some Warriors ‘insider’ wrote it is 50/50 that LeBron goes to Warriors or Cleveland. And report earlier said Denver has thrown their hat into the ring.
Oh yeah, Sixers too
brown maxey joel thats 3 max contacts theyve aproned out no?
Walking wounded (Embiid and George) are unreliable (injury prone).
lebron likes warm weather now.jimmy liked tennis goat likes golf.not sure u can play golf in january in sf u can in miami
if pelle or hardaway is starting thats not a good thing.a bc of dav and pelle will not get us jewelry.might have to wait til next year for my ring
Pelle did well in the starting lineup last season, but if we get a player who would be a better choice, that’s fine.
pelles not an nba starter on champ level team hes good for coming off bench 15 mins a game especially when u have a pg thats avg single digits his career rc
Here we go again. He is definitely going to get more than 15 minutes a game. Same way Tyler did, Pelle will.
theres a reason we were playin team post jimmy.tys d one of many.if u want jewelry pelle has to come off bench.him and dav bc starters getting 30 mins a game im not getting fitted for jewelry
Don’t blame being a play in team on Pelle. And for 2 years running, you’ve come up with the same “we can beat any team in the east” bs. I’m can probably go back into the archives and copy and paste those statements of yours. But I don’t need to because everyone here knows you’ve written it. Every day it’s a new story with you. At least you are consistently inconsistent.
Today Pelle isn’t good enough.
Game 1 of the season “Spobot play Pelle, he’s hot”
Game 2 of the season “Spobot, cut Pelle he can’t shoot”
HFL consistently inconsistent.
Tyler AND Powell’s d. Pelle is a much better defender than either.
We were a play-in team with Jimmy too.
Pelle with a 3PT shot can be a starting SG/wing on a contender
I love Pelle, as I think he does so many little things right. He’s always doing more positive things than negative. But, I do think it’s not ideal to have him start, for ball handling alone. But, his three ball and his drives are both good, not great. I like him as a seventh man, who can spot start, as his optimal use.
He was already among the best on the team at driving and drawing fouls last year, I would look for that to take a leap this year. He’s definitely going to be more than 7th man IMO on this team, just for his defense alone.
Barry reports the Heat have been in contact with Brad Beal. He did turn down $5.6 mil from the Clippers, which is like a max contract compared to what we could offer. 😛
I would wait for Bron and then circle back with Beal. It seems to me that if we are in contact with him then discussions have taken place regarding timing. I think this goes until about the 5th or 6th of July. The quietness on any other player joining the Heat is interesting.
im betting middleton comes 2q greeks boy
That guy Hayes on nba tv said Beal is coming to us. If he does, you will know that guy has inside information. I think he does have inside info because of the way he said what he said, like he knew. .
Wow, the C’s get worse but Philly better. Good thing Embiid is such damaged goods and eats up so much salary because they are about as good as a team can be otherwise.
Ha! Exactly. If Embiid was a proven healthy player they would be a hard out in the playoffs. He will be a lion in winter by that time.
We blew up the Celtics lol
Stand by with the defibrillator for Perkins. 😆
lol! He’s going through some things.
A tad biased considering he provides commentary and analysis for the Celtics’ regional coverage (NBC Sports Boston).
hope hes ok anybody but iman shumperjovic
espn loves perk.besides windhorst he gets the most air time during nba season.he was on tonight checks still flowing
Conwell signed for 3 years. Last year is team option.
Excellent! People that sleep on him will get a wake up call later.
Celtics trade Brown to 76ers for George and some picks. Weird. I think it changes nothing now. Maybe Celtics can turn one of those picks into a star but that is way down the line
What am I missing for the celtics?
Aside from the palace intrigue about Brown being up for trade for Giannis was correct.
It doesn’t make sense.
Nobody wanted to give them ish for Brown and they took what they could get. I could see thinking if Embiid gets hurt one of the picks could turn out to be good but Maxey and Brown could probably carry them to .500, so weird.
I’m so happy for Bill Simmons
He was dying to break that the Celtics were in on Giannis and ended up lighting his house on fire.
Don’t forget Edgecombe and Maxey Jr (Philon).
Surprised Boston didn’t get Philon as well. Seems to be a big downgrade for them, at least in the short term. Can’t imagine Tatum is happy.
This is the worst trade since Luka got traded.
Bad trade for sure. I really cant imagine why.
WTF? They gave Brown away. Miami could have made a better offer before the Bucks trade.
If that’s the going rate for stars, Heat got fleeced for Giannis.
But it’s hilarious to see a Celtics team blown up 2 years after winning it.
Any way you look at it, Miami gave up too much. Unlike teams such as OKC, Houston and others, the Heat no longer has new draft picks to bring in every year. Miami will have an aging team with no reinforcements on the way except for undrafted players, G Leaguers and whatever they can obtain via peripheral trades. When the term “putting all your eggs in one basket” is used, this is it. It’s now or never. There are only two outcomes, win it all or fail.
Miami’s odds will go up significantly, if Lebron thinks his best chance for another ring or two is with Miami, not elsewhere. Like Riley, he is concerned about his legacy. It will be interesting to see how this all turns out.
One of the greatest names in sports is being waived – Leaky Black.
Heat’s first summer league game is Friday. It will be interesting to see how Conwell and the undrafted players do.
I am on a bet that Conwell will eventually start getting some minutes during the season. Not early on, eventually. I look forward to watching the youngsters.
I agree. The number of minutes will be determined by how Miami fills those last 3 slots.
And, if he makes an impact every time he gets an opportunity, as well as what he shows in practice. He’s a bit streaky, but aggressive and not afraid to bang with anyone.
Hayes to Jazz, Harris to Spurs. KCP working on deal with Memphis to become a free agent.
Oubre to Pacers.
I understand due diligence, and if there’s a realistic chance of getting LeBron, you have to give it your best shot. But I don’t understand this “I’m not in any rush” approach by him and his camp. There are only a few teams that really fit what he is looking for – first and foremost, an opportunity for a ring, then climate, team makeup, coach, ownership. There is no reason to drag this out endlessly. Players that can help the Heat are coming off the board by the hour. They can’t allow this to become The Decision Part 3, where we lose out on players of need.
Drama queen… but its a dangerous game. Most of the teams will need to move players and assets to get him, but nobody will do that without clear commitment from him.
So offers are… vet minimum unless you commit if we do this and that.. if not thank you.
Good comment. It’s not even a likely expectation that James would come here for peanuts. We should be working on other ideas, and if they aren’t accomplished, and LeBron decides to join us, fine. Otherwise, we have important roster weaknesses that should be addressed asap.
I was stressing but I’m not anymore. The guys I thought we could afford have gone for more, so I’m good waiting for Bron. Anyone that would come is going to be waiting around anyway since it’s minimums
So far nobody the Heat can afford has come off the board lol
Yes. Beal, Simons, Middleton, Vincent, even Cain, who played pretty well in the playoffs.
Hmm, Cain not available?
Been crazy where guys I had as potential options have all signed for more than we had hoped. Landing LBJ would change everything, while really not causing us problems waiting to sign FAs the more I think about it. Simons isn’t signing for $5 mil. Beal might and Simmons would come on a minimum, as an example.
Anfernee Simons is still available
Good player. Almost definitely too rich for our blood.
Wizards are saying AD is staying in D.C. Getting a little hotter in Miami
Grimes got 4 years $60M, pretty sure Miami would never have been in the mix.
norms alot better player than thjr.need bradley beal asap or middleton.or holiday.2 of 3 would be nice
They are actually very similar players for their careers.
Norm 14 PPG, Hardaway Jr. 13.7 PPG. Both don’t do much else, but Hardaway leads in Assists, Rebounds, and turnovers; Powell leads in Steals and Blcks.
Powell does shoot a much higher percentage than Hardaway Jr
hardaways a 3pt guy norms 3 level scorer thats the diff.
I do not want Middleton. I prefer to roll the dice on Beal having a healthy season. Holiday is not coming here. He is under a large contract with the Blazers.
At least Simons hasn’t signed yet, so that avenue is still open.
u know sports new name 4u
ok beal or simons gotta get one or the other i need to have one for the thumb this year..do u know what team started expression one for the thumb no googling pls
You’re still short a finger, aren’t you?