The Miami Heat have been linked to no less than 12 possible trade deals reported throughout the league and Duncan Robinson, one of the league’s best three-point shooters, knows he’s not safe.
While Robinson is a firm part of the Heat’s starting lineup alongside All-Stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, he’s also one of Miami’s most attractive trade pieces alongside young boy wonder Tyler Herro.
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Robinson, 26, opened up about being mentioned in rumored trade deals on his The Long Shot podcast. On the heels of the multiple reports discussing the Heat giving up Robinsons to obtain Houston Rockets’ P.J. Tucker, the Michigan alum says he can’t escape hearing about these rumors.
“One thing I don’t have a shortage of, moments of being humbled in my basketball career, thinking that I got it figured out and quickly realizing that I don’t,” Robinson said on The Long Shot. “At this point, if I weren’t able to apply that to my situation now then I would just be doing myself a serious disservice. Of course, anyone who says that they’re able to block it out entirely is just lying.”
“Of course, it’s everywhere, so even if you turn off your phone or you delete social media, which I do, it’s unrealistic to say that it’s gone,” Robinson continued. “Because you know it’s happening and you know that it exists. I think the important thing is to just keep the main thing the main thing.”
Robinson is averaging 12.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game thus far this season. During the offseason, he will enter restricted free agency and is expected to receive a big pay bump from his current three-year, $3 million contract. According to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson, NBA officials believe Robinson will receive an offer “anywhere between $15 million and $20 million annually… His Heat cap hit will be only $4.7 million in 2021-22 regardless of his salary.”
Analyst Says the Heat Should Hang Up the Phone if Robinson Is Part of the Asking Price for P.J. Tucker
Getty Duncan Robinson of the Miami Heat speaks to the media during 2020 NBA All-Star – Practice & Media Day at Wintrust Arena on February 15, 2020.
Whether or not Robinson remains locked in with the Heat largely depends on which player the Heat are trying to obtain. If Wizards All-Star Bradley Beal becomes available, it would make sense for Miami to offer up a blockbuster deal that would likely have to include Robinson.
As for the rumors surrounding Rockets’ P.J. Tucker, it would be offensive for Houston to even ask for Robinson to be included in a deal.
ESPN analyst Bobby Marks said on Friday, “Miami kind of makes the most sense,” for Tucker to land. However, “The Heat are not going to trade Duncan Robinson or Tyler Herro for three months of P.J. Tucker. That does not make sense at all. If I was in the front office in Houston, I wouldn’t even ask for that. I mean, it’s kind of a little bit of an insult. It’s kind of like, if I’m Pat Riley, I’m basically kind of hanging up the phone here.”
Robinson’s Name Was Previously Tossed Around Amid Trade Rumors Surrounding James Harden
GettyMiami Heat star Duncan Robinson is a major factor in whether or not a trade for James Harden is feasible, according to recent reports.
Before Houston Rockets’ star James Harden was traded to the Brooklyn Nets, there were multiple reports linking him to the Heat with Robinson and Herro mentioned as trade pieces.
While speaking with J.J. Redick on The Old Man and The Three podcast, Robinson acknowledged the “challenge” of staying focused on the game while being inundated with gossip reports that your team is willing to give you up as soon as the eight-time All-Star becomes available:
It’s a real challenge. I know Tyler [Herro] and I talked about it, too. There was definitely a stretch in training camp where you couldn’t pick up your phone without it being on there in some capacity so it’s definitely a challenge, but I don’t know, I’m sure you’ve [Redick] dealt with it throughout your career. I guess you just try and block it out as much as you can. It’s unrealistic to think it can be blocked out entirely but that’s just kind of the nature of the profession.
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Miami Heat Star Opens Up About Being Traded Before the Deadline