The Miami Heat reportedly plan to reunite Giannis Antetokounmpo with his former Milwaukee Bucks teammate Khris Middleton, as they build out the roster around their new franchise star and Bam Adebayo.
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Heat have already internally discussed Middleton as one of the players they’ll sign to a veteran minimum deal.
“They’re gonna have several minimum guys on the roster,” Windhorst said on his “True Hoop” podcast of the Bucks.
“One name I’ve already heard attached to them is Khris Middleton, who obviously has a long history with Giannis and Bobby Portis (also traded to Miami).
“I don’t know if Middleton will get there — but those are the kind of signings they’ll be looking to make,” added the insider.
Miami Heat Face Restrictions
Windhorst feels that, much like the Big 3 Miami Heat in 2010, the first year of the Giannis era in South Beach may not have a complete roster. Due to Andrew Wiggins‘ $30.3M player option, the Heat have limited flexibility to improve the roster around max players Adebayo ($49.8M) and Antetokounmpo ($58.4M).
“It may take them a year or two to build a proper roster,” Windhorst admitted.
Over the next few months, the Heat have five roster spots to fill after shipping out four players to Milwaukee. Since the Heat are hard-capped at the first apron, they may struggle to retain free agent Norman Powell unless they’re willing to pay severe luxury-tax penalties. Per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, they’ll need Wiggins to either opt out of his player option or renegotiate his contract to free up money for others.
Miami Heat Could Lose Norman Powell
“… Miami keeping Powell comes with financial restrictions,” Marks wrote late on Monday. “Because the Heat used more than 100% of the traded player exception in the deal for Antetokounmpo, they are hard-capped at the first apron. Miami is a projected $18 million below, with up to five roster spots to fill.
“It is unlikely Miami can fill out the rest of the roster with players signed to the veterans minimum while staying under the threshold and still have room to sign Powell.
“To create additional flexibility, Andrew Wiggins could decline his $30.2 million player option and sign for less but with an additional season tacked on. For example, a new two-year, $45 million contract for Wiggins would put Miami $38 million under the first apron.”
Windhorst also sounded the alarm on the Heat retaining Powell, who made his first All-Star appearance last year and is due for a big payday.
“They’re gonna lose their All-Star, Norman Powell. Unless he takes a crazy discount, he’s gonna be gone,” Windhorst said on “Get Up” on Monday.
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