NBA Trade Deadline: 5 teams now relying on free agency
By Tom West
Miami Heat
The Heat didn’t need to make a host of moves at the NBA trade deadline this season. They have a lot of talent in place despite what their 29-24 record suggests and making too many changes would probably set them back and impact their chemistry. That shouldn’t have been their goal at this stage of the season as the 5th seed in the East, and the way they addressed their financial problems is what they needed to do.
The Heat have started making adjustments to improve their salary cap and luxury tax situation to prepare themselves for free agency. Which, given the expiring contracts of some of their major talent, is going to have a serious impact on their future.
On Tuesday, they made a trade to send Chris Andersen to the Grizzlies to remove his $5 million salary. Then, on deadline day, the trade with the Portland Trail Blazers to send away the newly acquired Brian Roberts (picked up from the Charlotte Hornets in the three-team team trade with the Grizzlies two days earlier) and a 2021 second-round pick saved them $6 million thanks to receiving cash considerations.
As Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel has discussed, the Heat reduced their team salary by the necessary $11 million to go below the tax:
"With the trading of [Mario] Chalmers, [Chris] Andersen, [Jarnell] Stokes, [Brian] Roberts and previously Zoran Dragic and Shabazz Napier since the 2015 offseason, the Heat trimmed the needed $11 million from their payroll to drop below the tax… The dip below the luxury tax was a forward-thinking approach that better positions the Heat for 2016 free agency, opening possibilities with sign-and-trade transactions and salary-cap exceptions."
While these financial moves put the Heat in a better position for free agency, there’s still a lot for them to worry about this summer.
First, the matter of Dwyane Wade’s contract will need to be addressed. He’s currently making $20 million and when he becomes a free agent in a few months time, it’s hard to see that the Heat would really consider letting him go. It’ll take a hefty salary to keep him around, but it’s surely something Miami will want to do, especially as Wade is still playing well with good efficiency this season. Not to mention the obvious matter of him being a team legend.
The next big issue comes with the uncertain future of Hassan Whiteside. Without getting into the details and the problems with his mindset and his lacking intensity on the court at times, he’s a defensive star with immense potential. He’ll be commanding a max contract from someone in the NBA this summer, and seeing as the Heat missed their chance to trade him for other assets, they leave themselves facing a decision over his future. Of course, they don’t have to re-sign him, but if not they’ll have lost him for nothing.
If they do re-sign Whiteside for such a large sum, though, it hurts their chance to make a push for other top free agents like Kevin Durant.
Despite being no worse off personal wise after the deadline and helping themselves financially, the Heat still have a lot to handle when free agency strikes.
Next: New Orleans Pelicans