The Miami Heat want to win championships. They have been to the NBA Finals twice in the last five years, but expect a shakeup after a first-round playoff exit. President Pat Riley called out his players to be more available in his end of season presser, and it has led to Jimmy Butler trade rumors.
No franchise is better at finding undervalued talent, but Miami needs more than that. The Heat cannot rely on Jimmy Buckets to be superhuman in the playoffs at 35. They must add more skill and ability, but it won’t be easy with the NBA’s new spending restrictions coming in.
Riley knows changes are necessary this summer. They have two draft picks but are flirting with the second tax apron. Miami must make trades to alter their roster, and these players could be wearing different uniforms to start the 2024-25 season.
- Duncan Robinson
Robinson has been in trade rumors for years, but the sharpshooter had a bounce-back season. He averaged 12.9 points, 2.8 assists, and 2.5 rebounds in 28.0 minutes per game where he shot 45.0 percent from the field and 39.5 percent on his threes. Robinson finished tenth in Most Improved Player voting and had the Heat calling him “untouchable” before the trade deadline.
Things likely swung back in the playoffs. The 30-year-old dealt with a back injury late in the season and averaged just 2.6 points and 1.2 assists in 12.0 minutes per game during their first-round playoff loss to the Celtics. Robinson couldn’t buy a bucket and has struggled in three of the last four postseasons. The year he shot 44.2 percent on his threes in the playoffs, Miami went to the NBA Finals.
Duncan Robinson still has two years and $39.3 million remaining on his contract. Do not be surprised to hear his name back in the rumors, but finding a trade will be difficult. Robinson is not the only one with a problematic contract for trading.
- Tyler Herro
Herro is always mentioned in trade rumors. The Heat are in constant pursuit of their next star, and he is a young 20-point-per-game scorer. It would make sense to move him a blockbuster. Miami has already traded their first-round picks in 2025 and 2027, which may eliminate them from the star chase this offseason.
Herro keeps improving but has his flaws. He is a subpar defender with questionable playoff impact. Can the 6’5 wing create shots when the games matter most? Over 46 contests, his postseason efficiency has plummeted, and Miami reached the NBA Finals in 2023 with Herro appearing in just one game because of injury.
The 24-year-old has three years and $93 million remaining on his contract. The Heat offered him for Damian Lillard last summer and will likely do the same if another superstar becomes available. Convincing a franchise to take on his contract won’t be easy, but Pat Riley has been known to pull off unexpected moves.
The Miami Heat need more from Tyler Herro. Whether they trade him for a crucial piece or see him blossom as he enters his prime, Herro cannot just be an inefficient bucket-getter if the franchise plans to make another deep playoff run. Miami also needs role-player upgrades.
- Josh Richardson
Richardson is back with the franchise that drafted him, but he has been traded five times in his nine-year NBA career. The 6’5 wing is always on a reasonable contract and has intriguing versatility. He could be dealt again this offseason.
Richardson averaged 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 25.7 minutes per game before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in February. The 30-year-old is expected to fully recover for the start of the 2024-25 season but has to decide on his $3.0 million player option first. If he opts in, Miami may put him back on the trade block to sweeten a deal.
The Heat cannot aggregate salaries in a trade if they exceed the second apron, but the franchise can if they remain over the first. Miami needs to send out more money in the trade than they take back. Richardson’s $3 million could be an added piece to get dollars up.
Teams will want Jamie Jaquez or Nikola Jovic, but Pat Riley is unlikely to part with either unless a star returns to South Beach. With the Heat only being able to offer two first-round picks and whoever they select at 15th overall in the 2024 draft, it seems unlikely they land a marquee talent. Miami should look to upgrade and finding a wing improvement over J-Rich may be another reason to trade him.
- Terry Rozier
The Heat gave up Kyle Lowry and a 2027 first-round draft pick to get Rozier in late January. They needed a point guard upgrade and jumped at the chance to acquire a strong scorer and playmaker. Unfortunately, Rozier suffered a neck injury in April and missed the Heat’s entire first-round playoff series against the Celtics.
Do not rule out the Heat trying to flip Rozier for an upgrade. He has two years and $51.5 million remaining on his contract. Over the last four seasons combined, Rozier has averaged over 20 points per game and nearly five assists, while being a plus 3-point shooter. He could be a crucial salary-matcher in a blockbuster deal if Riley has one more up his sleeve.
Rozier turned 30 in March and has not played in the playoffs since 2019. Can he translate his production to the postseason? Does Miami get enough stops with Rozier and Herro in the same backcourt to be serious contenders? There are questions, but Riley targeted the veteran point guard to replace Lowry.
Odds favor Terry Rozier staying for his first full season with the Heat, but the futures of these three players are up in the air and could change quickly this summer.
- Haywood Highsmith
Highsmith is an unrestricted free agent this summer. He wants to return, but giving him a raise likely puts the Heat over the dreaded second tax apron. Unless Miami can shed salary elsewhere, they may be forced to let Highsmith walk.
Do the Heat try to pull off a sign-and-trade? It won’t be easy. If they acquire a player in return, they are capped at the first apron. Miami is already $6 million over with just 12 players on their roster. The most likely scenarios are letting him walk or working out a new contract.
Highsmith continues to improve and should just be entering his prime. He did not get his first serious crack at the rotation until last year. The 6’7 wing built on it and locked down a consistent 20-minute per-game role in 2024. He averaged 6.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists as he shot 46.5 percent from the field and 39.6 percent on his threes.
There will certainly be interest on the open market, but how can Miami benefit? Is this just a repeat of the Gabe Vincent and Max Strus scenarios from 2023? Pat Riley did sign-and-trade Strus last summer, so do not rule it out. The Heat’s spending issues will be a roadblock but are not impossible to navigate.
- Caleb Martin
Martin will likely decline his $7.1 player option in favor of becoming an unrestricted free agent. The 28-year-old is in the middle of his prime and keeps improving. He played a crucial role in Miami’s run to the 2023 NBA Finals, and the Heat cannot afford to lose him.
Martin will demand at least the non-taxpayer mid-level exception in free agency. Giving him a $5 million per year raise pushes the Heat over the second tax apron and severely limits their roster building. With cap space at a premium, no team will be eager to take on significant money without draft pick compensation. This could lead to Martin’s departure
Will the Heat let him walk with zero return? Where he decides to sign and for how much likely plays a role. Miami cannot afford to lose any more talent, especially a 6’5 wing who raised his game in two straight postseasons. The Heat may not even make the playoffs in 2025 if they lose Haywood Highsmith and Caleb Martin with zero return.
The role players matter, but the Heat’s most likely player to be traded is their superstar. Fans have already heard the rumors, and Pat Riley laid the groundwork during his end-of-season presser. Miami does not want to take a massive step backward but may deal Jimmy Butler to maximize his value.
- Jimmy Butler
Butler wants an extension. He is eligible to get two years and $113 million added to his contract, but the Heat are not eager to give him the max. Since arriving in Miami five years ago, Jimmy Buckets has played 291 games, or 58.2 per season. Riley and the Heat want him to be more available, but that seems unlikely as he approaches his 35th birthday.
Butler can become a free agent in 2025 and other teams will be eager to offer him a max contract. If the Heat do not plan to keep him long-term, now is the time to trade the six-time All-Star.
Can Miami get a superstar offer for Butler? The Heat could use multiple draft picks and young talent acquired in the deal to chase a different star. South Beach will remain a destination and Bam Adebayo is not going anywhere. It is all about the franchise maximizing their odds of winning a title.
This decision lies with the Miami Heat. Jimmy Butler wants the extension, but the franchise is hesitant to make the offer. Does that change? If not, he could out of Miami before the 2024-25 season.
Will the Heat make multiple moves this summer? Can Pat Riley build another unexpected contender? Never count the Hall of Famer out.
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