Heat Check: Discussing Heat’s free agents and Jimmy Butler

Heat Check: Discussing Heat’s free agents and Jimmy Butler

hello and welcome to the heat check Miami Heralds Miami Heat show I’m David Wilson I’m joined as always on the other line by NBA Central’s own Anthony Chang Anthony what’s going on every time my handle is mentioned in NBA Central tweet my stomach drops you get ofation right like NBA Central has mentioned you in the tweet and then all my like my notifications get flooded because you know that gets thousands of re tweets and thousands of likes so I mute the conversation actually like I literally just as soon as I see it I mute I feel like I’ve been tagged in it like once obviously for nothing important like I don’t know I was at a practice and like Hassan Whit side showed up or something you know and um not even a controversial something but uh yes that’s uh a stressful day when you uh go viral on Twitter for something you didn’t even really tweet yourself it’s not even new it’s I don’t think it’s anything even new like it’s just whatever we can what we talking about is a report um from uh Keith Pompei who covers the 76ers for the Philadelphia inquir that the Sixers are prepared to give Jimmy Butler a Max extension if uh he is traded um Anthony didn’t even report anything added context to this um noting what as Anthony said what we have all known for a long time is that Jimmy Butler wants a Max extension this off season um he would prefer it to be from the heat um but above else he he wants that Max extension and that he can become a free agent if he declines his player option uh next off season um like you said it’s not anything new I think I think the the and it’s honestly the the Keith Pomp’s report is not even surprising but um it’s notable that it’s they put it out there right like that that report is not getting out there if the Sixers don’t want it to be out there um you know I think it um you know that well one I think it their fans are a little frustrated right and it shows that they’re going to try to be aggressive this this off season um and two it reminds Jimmy Butler not that a report from the Philadelphia inquire alone is going to do this but that you know if he’s he’s a little unhappy with how things are in Miami there’s other options out there for him so uh you’re not surprising news but I think not noteworthy that it’s out there at all oh yeah I mean Philly wants a lot of stuff out there apparently right now with Paul Paul George stuff and stuff out there forever but yeah yeah I mean I obviously I don’t know where it’s coming from I don’t if it’s coming from Philly I don’t know if it’s coming from somewhere else so it’s hard to say but I yeah I mean it is I guess it is notable that you know again we don’t know who’s who the source or who the sources are but that it’s being leaked that Jimmy has other suitors out there if the heat don’t want to go Max extension that there other teams willing to do so right so it kind of puts pressure on of like well other teams are willing to do it the team that I help lead to two NBA finals and three Eastern Conference Finals they’re not going to give it to me I should be more valuable to them than any other team yeah right because I’ve established myself as one of the best players in heat history so it does put pressure on the heat does it mean the heat are going to do it I mean I don’t think the heat work like that right like if they’re going to give it to him it’s not going to be because they see that Philly is willing to give it to him I don’t think so I don’t I don’t I don’t really think it it impacts like the way that he operates when it comes to this but it is interesting that now we’re seeing at least one team and there might be other teams out there right there’s only there’s only the only one that’s being reported but that there is at least one team according to this report from Keith Pompei who was a very credible uh reporter um as most people know um that Philly is willing give it give the max extension to Jimmy um if he is traded there um the we haven’t talked in a couple weeks that obviously continues to be I don’t it’s hard to like assess anything about this heat off season till we kind of know where that is going um I don’t know have we talked last time I talked was was last time we talked right after I think it was right after pat ry’s press conference maybe we did one since then but I think we if we did it was all draft stuff yeah um but I don’t know how like what’s what’s Your Gut right now on the the Jimmy extension situation do you think anything’s changed and I guess the better question maybe than what’s Your Gut is like I don’t know when do you think we might start to see um some clarity on on what’s going to happen with that like they can they can begin formally discussing the extension the day after the finals end because teams can begin negotiating with their own players um the day after the finals kind of a new Wrinkle in the new CBA used to be June 30th but now you could talk to your own free agents a little bit earlier there isn’t much negotiating that needs to be done here I don’t think right like we kind of know what Jimmy wants and I don’t know if he’s willing to budge you know like oh we’ll give you put you know we’ll give you a little less if you’re willing to do this or maybe in you know incend it I don’t think there’s going to be any of that I think this is kind of just what he wants cut black and white type thing um I would imagine that the heat will probably want to wait to see how Don Mitchell thing shakes out how the starter free agency shakes out before they address the Jimmy Butler extension because again they have until they have until next June as Ry said they have a year pretty much to get this done obviously we know that Jimmy wants it before the start of the season um so but still that still gives them a few months to to deal with it so yes you might start hearing some more buzz on it once the finals ends in a few weeks um but I would imagine that we probably this probably won’t pick up until after like most the free agency is done um should we use this as a segue into last time we talked was he said it was all we we went heavy on the draft because it was around the combine um today I think we can hit on the other half of the heat off season picture and that is um free agency which uh as you said extensions can’t happen until the end of the finals so we’ve got is that at least three more weeks basically the final start earlier if the I actually meant to look this up the June 6 no matter what so June it out we have like a week and a half yeah yeah so I think it’s like June 14th or June I’m looking right now game four is June 14th so as soonest it could start is June 15th if it’s and obviously free agency would be a little bit after that no matter what um so um you know we we got some time to really worry about the free agency picture but it’ll it’ll start to happen pretty quickly um uh where do you want to start on I think we want to focus mostly on the guys the Heat have potentially coming up this week and then hopefully in a couple weeks we’ll look at some targets once that starts to clarify a little bit more as you said the Donovan Mitchell situation will affect a lot the Paul geordan situation will affect a lot um there’s a a couple others that I’m not thinking of right now but there’s obviously a lot of you know uh Darius Garland is another guy who’s all of a sudden kind of been thrown around as a potential gu move Brandon Ingram Kyle kozma um lot of lot of guys a lot of all a lot of potential Allstars could be on the move this offseason but uh where do you want to start with the heat guys yeah I think we are going to be discussing like you said a lot about outside targets and Donovan Mitchell stuff over the next month or so so I figured this might be a good episode just to discuss heat own free agents right um I know he fans he fans want a lot of changes but I would imagine some of these guys at least a couple will be back um there’s only seven guys from the season ending roster on on guaranteed contracts for next year um bam Jimmy Tyler Terry Duncan Hae and Nico so that leaves eight players from the 15 man roster um either going to be free agents or have or non- guaranteed contracts or have player options and their deals to become free agents if they if they choose so um so I think we could maybe let’s start with the unrestricted free agents um that are G the three guys who are gonna hit under fre agency yeah like there’s no kind of question about it Patty Mills Delan W and Haywood heith um I think I think I would imagine all three would want to be back right and two of those guys could be back probably on minimum contracts Alan wri and Patty Mills um Dylan Wright is an interesting one to me um because I think he showed some value in the first round he kind of he obviously has the heat background with his brother playing for the heat um he’s a really good Defender kind of fits in the heat system at the top of the Zone has you know not not a huge guy but he has a long Wings impressive wingspan so he can guard up a little bit um and he could you know he could hit the three like he’s not a high volum three poer he hit the three and he can also run the Run offense which doesn’t commit many turnovers that’s kind of one of his things has a really good assisted turnover ratio he kind of need that too right guys who can initiate and take some of the pressure off of Jimmy and Bam and even Tyler so I think the right if you can get him on a minimum I don’t see why you wouldn’t bring him back right like as a depth piece you you know he’s he’s he’d be valuable to have so he’s the one he’s one guy that’s interesting and Hew heist with obviously we’re he’s a name that he’s going to get some it’s really going to depend on what he gets a lot of he’s the most interesting guy to talk about I think uh there’s some bigger you know Caleb Martin on a player option um Kevin Love Is that a player option also options yeah uh but yeah Heywood High Smith it is you know we like how many time this has happened a lot now with the heat right where whether it was Max stru and Gabe Vincent last year um Kendrick on a couple years ago like the guys who um are basically unknowns um and suddenly become valuable role players for playoff team for a playoff team in Miami um it is hard to keep those guys on and the heat strength obviously over a lot of this run has been the ability to replace those guys right replace Kendrick none with Gabe Vincent um you know they struggled I think to replace uh Max dreu a little bit this year but but obviously Duncan Robinson’s Resurgence helped there um and Heywood heith like he fits the mold is like the next one of those guys who you know has been playing for peanuts basically in Miami to start his career um you know owes the heat you know I think all those guys owe a lot to the Heat’s development program certainly and uh in an Ideal World you you kind of I think basically know those guys would like like to stay in Miami but um you know they kind of have to go chase the bag at the first opportunity they get and um you know the the guys who have gone it’s been mixed results right like Kendrick nut and Gabe Vincent I think you know maybe underachieved a little bit when they went to the Lakers but Max Shu like you know he kind of kept just being ma in uh Cleveland like he he took no step back so um yeah High Smith I think a lot of teams are GNA want want him the heat are going to want him um he’s not I don’t think he is quite as accomplished as some of those other guys we just I just mentioned um especially stru and stru who was um you know a starter for a team that went to the NBA finals and yeah he played a bigger role yeah yeah and um Kendrick nun who was um you know Rookie of the Year finalist like that year First Team all rookie yeah for sure so it’s a little little different with Haywood heith been much more of like I don’t know like realistically this guy’s like a seventh man probably right yeah yeah I think he’s a valuable seventh man for anyone to have definitely I think the conversation entering off season has been kind of it’s either gonna be Caleb Martin Assuming he’s you know he’s gonna have thought of his contract or Heyward heith right like obviously not gonna be able to keep both but there is a chance you might lose both right because if Cay Mar really with Gabe vinon and Max truce last year right I think like we thought oh had to bring one of them back and they lost both you could get price out of both guys I mean the heat are really up against that second apron it’s going to depend on what else they do to create the room to bring a guy like Haywood back um to you know while avoiding that second I don’t think they’re going to go above the second apron to keep Haywood heith I mean that you know he would has developed great he’s a good guy I think he would love to have him back but you’re not going into the second apron where it’s really restrictive um to bring hwood back it has to be you bring it back on a salary that keeps you under that second apron so if he Bobby marks told Barry Jackson M Herold he projects Hood’s uh annual salary and his next contract to be around $8 to10 million if that’s the case you’re going to be in that second apron most likely unless you’re able to shed salary so it’s going to be I don’t you know I don’t think it’s any guarantee that he’s back um it’s going to be basically based on what else that he can do to create the room to bring Haywood back now I do think Haywood’s probably going to be a little cheaper than C Caleb right as Caleb is a more more accomplished um I think he’s probably going to get closer to you know I think Bobby Mark him like around thir the full mid level which is like $ 13 million so that might be tougher to bring Caleb back but Haywood it probably more likely but it’s not guaranteed at all yeah and I again the Jimmy Butler thing Lings lingers over all this because you feel much better about going into the second apron if you think you’re a title Contender with Jimmy Butler um as opposed to a team that you know without as we said like he’ll still be you know playoff team or playoff Contender all that kind of stuff but they would certainly be in a transitional phase at that point yeah um would that should move on to the player you move on to next yeah yeah I mean Caleb we kind of discussed right Caleb Martin has a $7.1 million player option Uh Kevin Love $4 million player option Josh Richardson $3.1 million player option Thomas Bryant $2.8 million player option so all four of those guys will have a decision to make by the end of June um on whether they want to become free agents they’re kind of hopped into those salaries I think it’s safe to assume Caleb is gonna opt out I mean not opt out but just not exercise that player option because by wood he right I mean he can get more money more years more guaranteed years in free agency um Kevin Love J Josh richon Thomas Bryant it’s more kind of up in the air um you would assume right Josh rich and Thomas BR might might exercise their option because th BR played this year and Jay Rich got hurt um but they I mean they’re on minimum contract so they could technically opt out and get a minimum contract somewhere else right it’s not like they’re going to get much less money if they sign somewhere else so they they they could op out if Thomas bar wants a better chance at playing time um maybe he signs maybe off out sign somewhere else J Rich I think J Rich likes Miami he likes being in Miami he lives here he came back here yeah he’s probably more likely to exercise the option and just come back back on that salary Kevin Love I would imagine is going to be back right um he said he wants to continue his NBA he likes yeah he has a role here like I I think he’s gonna get the veterans minimum essentially wherever right and he’s played for so long at veterans minimum it’s you know it’s not like yeah it’s not nothing yeah his his option is four million like I think his minimum is probably around this yeah exactly around that you know whether it’s a little less or not like it’s something yeah so Caleb is the only one I think we could safely assume like he’s gonna opt out right just not again not opt out he doesn’t have to opt out it’s more just opting in or just letting it pass without opting in but he’ll probably hit free agency while Kevin Love Jay Rich and Thomas Bryant I could see all three of those guys exercising the option just coming back um but we’ll have a better idea the next few weeks uh yeah that’s going to be the he’s certainly like the best guy that got to worry about I think like I said Heywood High it’s the most interesting because uh the unrestricted n like you know just when Caleb when Caleb decides what he’s going to do he’s going to have an idea of what’s going to happen right what kind of offers are out there um and whether uh he’ll be back in Miami um Kar is in a lot of ways this year’s Max truce I think where like he wants to be back with the heat Max wants to back with the heat but Max admit it as much like when I talked to him after it all kind of up and he was with Cleveland like he kind of knew it wasn’t going to work out like he knew the financial situation he knew unless that he dumped a bunch of salary like they just didn’t have the luxury of bring him back right so I think Caleb unless there’s a big trade and the heater able to shed salary in it you know and good for Caleb like this means he’s going to get the bag right after of earning that he’s probably the heater probably GNA be priced out and that’s just the reality of the situation so I think Haywood like you said is the most interesting guy because you know Haywood and Caleb are two big names where they kind of uncertain about what they’re going to do as far as the heat zone for agents but Haywood probably is more likely like more realistic guy to come back at this point because he’s not GNA be as pricey as Caleb yeah yeah again it’s kind of the drawback of the way the Heat have developed here they have not leaned quite as heavily on veteran free agents to bail out depth as I think a lot of title contenders have and it’s worked in their their benefit I mean for the most part the way they’ve developed um not you know not just guys like you know Max shrew and the guys who’ve like become really good role players but you know Duncan Robinson like whoever it might be they’ve developed some really useful long-term pieces out of it but you also lose some it’s hard to keep those guys again because they haven’t made the money and um it’s like it’s very hard for them to justify any kind of discount to to make it work for the team because yeah just haven’t earn gotten the money yet yeah no I agree um it’ll be interesting to see how they try to you know I think last like coming in this time last year we like all right Heywood High Smith it’s like his turn to step up it’s it’ll be I guess Y in some ways that guy right like yeah um I’ll be very interested and again all this all this hinges a lot on Jimmy Butler and affecting what direction they’re going to go from here but um yeah I’ll be very interested to see how they try to round out the roster a little bit and it’s you know we talked about we think they’re deeper right now than they were this time last year they can probably afford to lose um some of these guys a little bit more yeah but it’s hard to lose both unless another Wing yeah those are your two best oh not your two best wings but kind of like your two best role playing Wings yeah and especially when you think about defense right like those are the yeah two defensive Wings you think about when like you’re putting out a defense you know defensive minded lineup you’re thinking about Caleb and Haywood and without those guys they’re running pretty thin in that department right so they’re gonna have stock a lot of guards but yeah we not a lot of wings yeah they’re gonna have to find somebody in free agency to fill that role when or a trade but if it’s for agency they don’t have I mean they only have minimum contracts basically at this point to offer outside for agents so that’s another you have to consider like okay maybe you don’t want to go into the second apron to sign Haywood but to replace them you’re only going to have minimum contract so that is there’s a trade out there out there I mean it does feel like that could be to me it feels like if they bring back if they commit to Jimmy like on whatever contract they figure out to like basically say we got two more years to try to win with this window like as we said a couple weeks ago like it’s your time to go all in just because you’re out kind of out of time um and maybe they’re you know maybe you’re not going all in for even Donovan Mitchell but you’re trading for a good role play you know like like with d you know like you look at what a lot of these title tenders did was not add um you know the Celtics obviously had a Drew holiday but you know they also added chrisps porzingis right um and Dallas added um gaffer and PJ Washington and um and nicks added OG and yeah the Knicks got everyone yeah yeah and maybe that is maybe that’s how you replace some of this Wing depth that you lose is you make your trade not for a third Superstar but for a fourth best player yeah who is the best fourth best player that he’d have had during this run yeah that’s what we talked about I think last time we recorded two weeks ago was like probably the most realistic scenario this offseason is they make like the Jake Crowder trade right where they they get like a couple role players that just really round out the roster yeah um Kyle kma I mean he like a guy like that like a guy who can be a fourth fourth starter basically 20 25 any Night On Any Given night yeah yeah yeah that I think that’s the most realistic path honestly this I mean you know donin Mitchell’s I guess probably option one at this point like some ways I feel would be the better move in some ways I feel like it would be the smarter play like I I mean Donan Mitchell is obviously great for a lot of that um second round you know a lot of those first two rounds of the playoffs but um you know also is a small guard and um you know they got hurt at the end of that Series right like there it’s not like he’s a there’s not a lot of there’s just frankly not a lot of home run you know obviously the counterargument here is that the Mavericks are are about to make the finals because they went for Kyrie Irving when his like a little low like was at its lowest point and Don Mitchell’s value I mean right now he’s kind of more valuable than Kyrie was probably at that point um but um you know it’s a lot of these teams have again like the Mavericks yes they got Kyrie but they didn’t make the playoffs last year with Kyrie they they then made the playoffs when they went and um rounded out their roster a little bit and nailed the Derrik Lively pick um so like the Mavs are an interesting um like counter points of what we talked about a few weeks ago but also like an interesting model of building and I don’t want to give them that much credit because I hated that they like tanked out of the playoffs um a couple years ago to get Derrick Lively but like you know they kind of did it like that sort of the prototypical way like you draft a superstar trade for another star um make good draft picks and then then trade for role players trade for the role players to to round it out and like the heat are not that like they’re kind of if you count Jimmy and Bam as as their version of luuka and Kyrie and obviously those they’re not as good as those two guys but um they’re like kind of all the way there otherwise yeah I think we’ve seen it all playoffs like teams that have good rooll guys like it makes a huge difference right and then the heat need to probably make a move to reshuffle the deck around bam and Jimmy right they’re going to go all into that that duo again next year think you gota find a change or freshen up The Supporting Cast around them um to complement them um I guess the only remaining gu is Ora Robinson right who yeah has who’s the only one with a non- guaranteed contract um non- guaranteed contract of 2.1 million for next season which is essentially his minimum uh it becomes guaranteed he’s still on the roster on July 15 um so I get I think some of this depends probably what happens with Thomas Bryant right because you might not guarantee that um if you have Kevin loveback and Thomas Bryant you might need to use this roster spot for to fill other needs like having a three and D Wing right like we just talked about um could also be used in a trade to Bal to make the math work in a trade like they have until July 15 that gives the heat some time to figure out like do we need this $2.1 million salary to make the math work in a deal like the heater I’ve done it before where like they do that on purpose they have these non-g guaranteed salaries where they could just guarantee them if they they need the number on the books to make a trade work out so that’s another possibility with L Robinson but I think his future with he probably depends on what else happens to the roster the decisions of Kevin Love and Thomas Bryant um and again if they if they he need a salary for a deal yep all right I think we can close things out there I know you gotta get going um you can follow Anthony on Twitter Anthony Chang or at NBA Central um I don’t think that’s the NBA Central handle but whatever uh centr yeah it might be dunk Central you’re right um you follow me on Twitter at DB Wilson to um we’ll be back um I don’t know either next week or the week after and we get closer to free agency news will happen finals will be set um there’ll be a lot to talk about so um thanks as always for listening and we will talk to you guys later

Read More: https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nba/miami-heat/article278350724.html

On this week’s Heat Check: How will the Miami Heat handle its own impending free agents this summer? Also, the latest on the Jimmy Butler situation.

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