Getty Danilo Gallinari #8 of the Atlanta Hawks
The NBA free agency window has officially opened, and pandemonium is expected to ensue, especially with the news of Kevin Durant demanding a trade from the Brooklyn Nets. Expect the Heat to be in the mix of teams vying for the former MVP. However, the possibility of a Heat deal is limited due to them being unable to have a key asset available to trade to the Nets.
The Miami Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman tweeted, “As @BobbyMarks42 has pointed out this week, the Heat cannot include Bam Adebayo in any deal for Durant, since the Nets already have Ben Simmons as a designated-contract player. Only way for Bam to go to Nets in a Durant deal would be for Nets to also trade Ben Simmons.”
Durant isn’t the only forward the Heat are being linked to. The team has reported interest in veteran forward Danilo Gallinari.
Gallinari to the Heat?
The Heat were reported to be interested in trading for Danilo Gallinari prior to him being dealt as part of the Atlanta Hawks-San Antonio Spurs trade for Dejounte Murray. Gallinari, who was part of the deal, is expected to be waived by San Antonio and enter the free agent market. Once he enters the market, the Heat are one of the three most likely teams to add the 33-year-old forward.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports Gallinari is seeking the mid-level exception and has three teams on his list of destinations: the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, and the Celtics.
Gallinari averaged 11.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in Atlanta while also shooting 38.1% from beyond the arc. The Italian forward isn’t the same player he once was but could be a good presence for the Heat’s second unit. After losing PJ Tucker in free agency today, Gallinari could be a veteran replacement for the Heat.
Other Heat Free Agency News
The Heat have already been active in free agency. Soon after the free agency window opened, it was announced that they had resigned Victor Oladipo to a one-year, $11-million deal.
Free agent Victor Oladipo has agreed to a one-year, $11 million deal to return to the Miami Heat, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
Following Oladipo’s deal, it was announced by Shams Charania that they have also agreed to a deal that brings back big man Dewayne Dedmon.
Free agent center Dewayne Dedmon has agreed to a two-year, $9 million deal to return to the Miami Heat, agents Mike Silverman and Brandon Grier of @steinbergsports tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
“Free agent center Dewayne Dedmon has agreed to a two-year, $9 million deal to return to the Miami Heat, agents Mike Silverman and Brandon Grier of @steinbergsports tell @TheAthletic @Stadium,” Charania tweeted.
The Heat also were informed of an unfortunate departure with the news that veteran forward PJ Tucker will leave to join the Philadelphia 76ers. That one hurts for the Heat, in one year, Tucker was a beloved piece of this years Heat squad.
“Free agent PJ Tucker is finalizing a three-year, $33.2 million fully guaranteed deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, his agent Andre Buck (@andrebuck14) told @TheAthletic @Stadium,” Charania Tweeted Thursday evening.
How the rest of the NBA free agency period goes for the Heat will be seen soon. The team is still linked to Caleb Martin, who they extended a qualifying offer to. Kevin Durant remains a possibility, and apparently, no Heat player is off-limits during trade discussions.