The Miami Heat are expected to be bargain hunters in free agency, and one name that surfaced as a potential target may price himself out of their range. ESPN’s Bobby Marks suggested Anfernee Simons would be a perfect fit for Miami at the minimum, but the Heat may have to look elsewhere.
Simons will enter free agency looking for more than the minimum, understandably, given that he has averaged 14.9 points per game on 38.1 percent shooting from three for his career, according to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson.
That does not close the door on Miami adding value, though. There are always players who fall through the cracks and settle for minimum deals, Jackson noted, pointing to Tim Hardaway Jr. with Denver last year and Kelly Oubre with the 76ers two years ago. The Heat will be poised to pounce if the right player slips through, a meaningful avenue for a team with limited spending power after the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade and the expected departure of Norman Powell.
More NBA Trade Rumors
- LeBron James is open to returning to the Cavaliers and he’s willing to take less than the max to do so, Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson reports. The most feasible way for James to return to Cleveland would be a sign-and-trade with Jarrett Allen heading to Los Angeles.
- Cameron Johnson is expected to be dealt in the coming days, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. The Celtics are one of several teams, along with the Lakers, Heat, Clippers, and Magic, that have expressed trade interest in Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
- A trade sending Jaylen Brown to the Nuggets is considered highly unlikely, because Denver only has one tradable future first-round pick, per Brian Robb of MassLive.
- Boston has also kept tabs on Aaron Gordon, and the Celtics have shown interest in him in the past, per Scotto and Robb. One hypothetical trade sending Gordon and Johnson to Boston with Brown going to Denver would not help the Nuggets reduce payroll or land Boston the big man it covets, as observed by Robb.
- Before Tyler Herro was traded to the Bucks and before the Lakers re-signed Austin Reaves to a four-year max, the Lakers explored a Heat trade involving Herro, Kel’el Ware, and multiple first-round picks, per Scotto.
- The Nets also checked in with Miami about what it would take to acquire Herro, according to HoopsHype. Rival teams continue to view Herro as a trade candidate and are curious which direction the Bucks will take after the Giannis deal.
