The NBA schedule is back to its regularly-scheduled programming this year with an 82-game season, which means December 15 is suddenly a very big day for the Miami Heat.
Wednesday marks the first day players signed during the offseason can be traded, and the Heat, which signed 11 players in free agency, suddenly has a lot of options to make some power moves.
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Will Miami’s front office, which includes Pat Riley, Andy Elisburg, and Adam Simon, start working to make a blockbuster trade? For numerous reasons, this seems highly unlikely.
GettyTyler Herro #14 and Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat slaps hands in the second quarter against the Atlanta Hawks in preseason action at FTX Arena on October 04, 2021 in Miami, Florida.
In fact, it’s best to bet on no one going anywhere. When the February 10 NBA trade deadline approaches, that will be a different story, but for the time being, the following players who were signed or extended with the Heat in August have locked in job security:
Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, P.J. Tucker, KZ Okpala, Kyle Lowry, Max Strus, Markieff Morris, Omer Yurtseven, and Gabe Vincent.
CALEB MARTIN POSTER IN CRUNCH TIME 🔥
The Heat’s two-way players, Caleb Martin and Marcus Garrett have always been eligible to be traded at any time, per Sun Sentinel‘s Ira Winderman, but with the former proving to be “the Heat’s ultimate value contract,” and the latter’s contract not counting toward the luxury tax, it makes sense for both to stay put.
3 Heat Players Have Veto Power Over Possible Trades
GettyDewayne Dedmon #21 of the Miami Heat celebrates a three pointer against the Milwaukee Bucks during the first half at FTX Arena on October 21, 2021 in Miami, Florida.
Three veteran Heat players also become eligible to trade on Wednesday, however, they also hold veto rights: Dewayne Dedmon, Victor Oladipo, and team captain Udonis Haslem.
The idea of Haslem going anywhere is laughable. In addition to death and taxes, you can count on the “OG” remaining closely tied with the Heat, even after retirement.
Dedmon has proved himself to be Miami’s most reliable backup center for Bam Adebayo, and with the All-Star out with a hand injury, the veteran’s place on the roster is air-tight.
As for Oladipo, the Heat will want him to return to action before moving him around. Miami took a gamble keeping him for the 2021-22 NBA season, and they’ll want to see if it pays off once he’s cleared to play.
2 Heat Stars Can’t Be Traded Until January
GettyMiami Heat teammates Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler, Duncan Robinson chat during a 2021 game in Milwaukee.
Two core members of the Heat’s starting lineup signed monster extensions over the summer, but neither can be dealt until January 2022: Jimmy Butler and Duncan Robinson.
Butler, who signed a four-year $164 million extension, is eligible to be traded on January 7, but not going anywhere. While the five-time All-Star is out injured due to a bruised tailbone, he’s in the midst of one of the campaigns of his 10-year career, averaging 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game.
As for Robinson, who signed a five-year $90 million contract extension this summer, he’s eligible to be traded on January 15. While the sharpshooter is having an uneven season this season thus far, he’s drilling just 33.3% from beyond the arc on 8.5 attempts per game, as reported by Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang, a far cry from the 44.6% he shot on threes during the 2019-20 season or the 40.8% he shot from the three-point range last season — his job remains safe.
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Heat Eligible to Trade Almost Their Entire Roster on December 15