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The Miami Heat’s grip on the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference loosened a bit when they fell to the New York Knicks on Thursday night. Miami’s lead over New York shrunk to just one game after their February 2 loss at Madison Square Garden.
Battling to avoid the Play-In Tournament wasn’t where Heat fans expected their team to be at this point, after nearly making the NBA Finals last season.
If Miami wants to try and make a deep run again this year, then swinging a deal before next week’s trade deadline may be in their best interest.
On February 3, Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale listed off trade predictions for every NBA team.
When discussing the Heat, Favale explained that he expects that Dewayne Dedmon “will be offloaded”
“He (Dedmon) barely plays and doesn’t seem too happy, and turning his $4.7 million salary into a smaller number will afford Miami more wiggle room under the tax—which it’s currently inside $200,000 of hitting,” Favale wrote. “That extra breathing room will come in handy on the buyout market or in conjunction with other trades.”
Favale called out the more realistic possibility for Miami, saying that he believes they’ll look to cut costs.
“This is not a flashy prediction, and make no mistake, the Miami Heat’s offense could use someone flashy, he explained. “But the logistics that go into completing a glittery transaction are too complicated.”
A trade involving the big man not only makes sense because of his contract, but also because he’s clearly fallen out of favor with Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra. The two got into an argument during Miami’s matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder on January 10. Since then, Dedmon has not seen the court. Spoelstra even elected to roll out Udonis Haslem, who has appeared in just six games for the Heat this year, instead of playing Dedmon against the Knicks.
Heat Expected to Try and Slash Salary at Trade Deadline: Report
Favale’s prediction that the Heat will look to save some cash, aligns with what the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson reported earlier this week.
In an article published January 31, Jackson cited owner Micky Arison’s historical avoidance of the luxury tax as reasoning for fans to curb excitement about any potential blockbuster move.
“Heat owner Micky Arison historically has expressed willingness to pay a luxury tax only if his team is a legitimate championship contender,” Jackson explained. “He has paid the tax seven times, with a $52.9 million total payment over his nearly three decades of ownership.”
Jackson labeled the next year or so as a pivotal period for the organization.
“Miami has 14 months to figure this out, he said. “But it’s a lot easier to achieve it before the looming trade deadline; any deal done in June or beyond would help Miami only if its trade partner has the cap space to absorb a lot more money than it’s sending the Heat.”
Heat Have Shown ‘Consistent Interest in Bulls’ Zach LaVine: Insider
Should the Heat decide to make a splash at the deadline this season, Zach LaVine, of the Chicago Bulls, would be a name to keep an eye on, according to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer.
Fischer included Miami in a list of teams that have shown “consistent” interest in the 2-time All-Star.
“Zach LaVine, the Bulls’ two-time All-Star who’s in the first season of a five-year, $215 million maximum contract, would have no shortage of suitors if Chicago decided to move the 27-year-old guard before [the] deadline — despite some concern about his recovery process from offseason arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. The [Los Angeles] Lakers, Heat, [New York] Knicks and [Dallas] Mavericks have consistently been mentioned by league personnel as holding motivations to land LaVine if the time does arrive.”
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