Getty Pat Riley, master of all Miami Heat trade rumors
When it comes to Miami Heat trade rumors, the right fit for Pat Riley’s bunch has been difficult to find. The Heat would surely like to acquire another star player, but doing that is easier said than done. For one thing, the Heat are picky, firmly believing they have the pieces on hand to again compete for a championship. They’re not going to make a trade for a trade’s sake.
For another thing, the team is wary of major financial commitments as it looks ahead to tougher luxury tax rules coming online in the NBA, and weighs the impact of a Bam Adebayo contract extension. You’re not going to get a star, though, without needing to be ready to pay him a lot of money over a long period of time.
Could the Heat, then, instead focus on trading for role players? It could be the best option, even if the team prefers to find its role players in the bargain bin.
But one role player does potentially check a lot of the boxes the Heat need checked: 24-year-old point guard Collin Sexton of the Jazz. And longtime Heat insider Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald outlined a way for the Heat to get him.
Miami Heat Trade Rumors Tempered by Finances
Sexton would be an interesting case as Miami Heat trade rumors go. He was a star in Cleveland, where he averaged 24.3 points per game in 2020-21 and formed a talented young backcourt with Darius Garland. But Sexton tore his ACL 11 games into the next year, the Cavaliers had a breakthrough season at 44-38, and he entered restricted free agency the following summer.
He went to Utah as part of a sign-and-trade, and has had a mostly reduced role since then. Perhaps the Heat could grab him and restore him to his former glory.
As Jackson wrote: “Combo guard Collin Sexton, 24, would give the Heat quickness at point guard, something lacking on the roster beyond two-way player R.J. Hampton. But it’s questionable if Miami would consider taking on the remaining 2 1/2 years of his contract, at $17.3 million, $18.1 million, $18.9 million. Sexton has been playing his best ball of the season in the past week, with games of 20, 26 and 27 points, with 13 assists and four turnovers.”
Would Collin Sexton Be an Upgrade on Kyle Lowry?
Still, there could be some substance to this potential move. Jackson laid out a potential swap that would not only bring in Sexton, but also another potential rotation player, in exchange for Kyle Lowry.
Now, that is another factor to weigh in any Miami Heat trade rumor that crops up—how eager are the Heat to part with Lowry, really? Any major deal would almost have to include his salary, but he is playing very well lately. It could be better to simply keep him.
Here’s how Jackson outlines it: “Collin Sexton and expiring contracts of Kelly Olynyk or Talen Horton-Tucker for Lowry’s expiring deal and something else of value would work within the cap. But it would leave the Heat with just $4 million to $10 million in space under the luxury tax line next summer, leaving Miami with little flexibility to re-sign Caleb Martin.”
So, again, long-term financial considerations could torpedo any hope of a deal like this. But then, if any Miami Heat trade rumor is to come to fruition, the Heat are probably going to have to worry about future tax considerations in the future.