This potential Heat target reportedly will not shake free this summer

There are two areas that the Miami Heat are searching for a boost with their roster: shooting and playmaking.

With the departures of all three of Tyler Herro, Norman Powell and Jaime Jaquez Jr.— they leave behind some of those holes to supplement Miami’s new Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo duo. The Heat remain with three open roster spots and are expected to address both of those issues, along with keeping tabs on a potential backup big man addition down the line as well.

Klay Thompson, DeMar DeRozan and Bradley Beal are the three most frequently linked targets for the remainder of this offseason, although Miami may have assuredly hoped one more shook free in Sacramento Kings’ guard Zach LaVine. The former All-Star opted into his near-$49 million player option earlier this summer and rumors had him as a potential buyout candidate.

Unfortunately, that reportedly will not be the case, according to ESPN reporter Anthony Slater:

“The Kings have no interest in buying out [Zach LaVine’s] contract, and he’s expected to be a major part of the rotation entering the season… LaVine has expressed excitement about sharing the court with rookie [Darius Acuff] as he aims for a bounce-back season.”

– Anthony Slater via ESPN

Zach LaVine is still worth monitoring moving forward

LaVine would have been a beautiful addition to the Heat after trading for Antetokounmpo.

He is a true three-level scoring threat and former two-time All-Star at the heart of his prime at 31 years old. LaVine is coming off 2025-26 averages of 19.2 points on 48% shooting and 39% from deep. He’s dealt with injury concerns over the last few years, but could possibly benefit from a change of scenery. The skill set he brings to the table is essentially a more veteran version of Herro.

He is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, and could be someone that the Heat can get their hands on to start year-two of their new Giannis build.

Even if LaVine wasn’t able to shake free now, another losing season from the Kings could change that notion midseason— where buyout rumors may eventually emerge once again. With Miami looking for shooting and playmaking, LaVine is someone that provides a combination of both those qualities.