Following the blockbuster trade of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Miami Heat will be forced to navigate a not-so-smooth cap flexibility for further offseason additions.
The “Antetokounmpo trade tax” has put the Heat in a limited spot and with a hard cap in play, the franchise is targeting experienced players on minimum or near-minimum deals to help Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.
According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, there are two veterans the Heat can take a look at and have key interest in.
“Khris Middleton and Bradley Beal are definitely players we’re looking at that could join Miami on the minimum,” he said.
Miami has already begun its post-Antetokounmpo trade plans with several moves and deals in the past week. Andrew Wiggins reached an agreement on a three-year, $64 million contract extension.
Norman Powell moved to the Chicago Bulls, while Simone Fontecchio was re-signed on a one-year deal. Tim Hardaway Jr. agreed to a one-year deal to join from the Denver Nuggets.
The Miami Heat’s Potential Move After Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade
GettyWASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 05: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks is fouled by Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards during the second half at Capital One Arena on March 5, 2023 in Washington, DC.
After Powell’s exit, Miami still has needs at the wing and in shot creation. The cap implications of the Antetokounmpo trade meant that the Heat are operating with roughly $12 million in usable mid-level exception space and have to rely on veteran minimum contracts for further roster building.
The franchise already used $6.5 million to agree to a deal for Hardaway Jr., who provides the shooting touch alongside Fontecchio for support. They can use the remaining to target one more addition in the wings in Middleton or an additional shooting in Beal.
Middleton is a former teammate of Antetokounmpo, and his current contract situation positions him as a candidate for a reduced deal after hitting the free agency market.
Beal is also in a similar position and the Heat could take a shot at signing him. The three-time NBA All-Star recently opted out of his $5.6 million player option with the Los Angeles Clippers to enter unrestricted free agency.
The Heat still have up to two to three spots to fill in their roster, but have already approached very close to the luxury tax limit. Miami is also keeping a close eye on unrestricted free agent LeBron James, which means they could well be hard-capped at the first apron.
How Potential Additions Can Impact Miami
Middleton, 34, is a good shout for more reasons than having a connection to Antetokounmpo. He was part of the Bucks 2021 championship success as one of the main contributors. He has since moved past his peak production days in Milwaukee, but can add mid-range scoring as well as playmaking option.
Beal, 33, at some point was one of the highest scoring guards in the league. He fits into the Heat strategy of getting more shooters around their two frontcourt stars. His scoring form has dropped since leaving the Washington Wizards, but he could be a reliable presence to add shooting range.
The Heat can go for both stars to fill up two remaining slots to have the minimum 14 standard contract players on the roster. However, with James’ latest news and a move back to South Beach highly possible, the franchise may have a priority in trying to sign him first before other additions.
Report: Miami Heat Eye 6-Time All-Star Duo to Pair With Giannis Antetokounmpo