It is hard to see where Miami goes from here in the off-season. Little hope for a better 2025-26.
Everyone is still on the books for next season. Salary actually goes up $5mil. Bam ($48mil) and Herro ($33mil) is good money.
Then Wiggins at $30mil. He has a player option for 2026-27. He probably won't get $30mil per then but maybe he opts out to secure a longer term deal. Miami liked him a lot. I don't know if they still do. But he was the main reason they traded with GSW and why GSW didn't have to give up much young talent. He was Miami's main target - as strange as that is to say. Boy, did they get that one wrong.
Rozier at $26mil despite no longer being in the rotation. Duncan Robinson at $19mil which is about 50% non-guaranteed but they'd have to spend the MLE to replace him so MLE + his guaranteed portion is basically the $19mil he is already earning. So they will probably just keep him and wait until the following season. At that point, both Rozier and D Robinson come off the books freeing up $45mil for Miami. If Wiggins opted out, that would be $75mil off their books which would be huge for turning around the team.
Kyle Anderson is on the books for just under $10mil. They should trade him. They aren't making much use of him. Plus, they have Jovic. Spare the cash, move him on.
Highsmith ($5.6mil) and Love ($4mil). That is fine. K Ware, Jaquez, Jovic, Larsson on the rookie scale deals. They are fine value for money.
Davion Mitchell looks the only significant guy out of contract. They might as well let him leave and play Rozier since Rozier is taking up so much of their cap space. Alec Burks also out of contract at the minimum.
They look stuck where they are. No immediate cap flexability. Some cap flexability in 2026-27. Maybe a good amount if Wiggins opts out. A chance to get a 3rd star to pair with Bam and Herro then. Limited trade assets. Hard to see them netting any major return. Ware is their best (only) prospect and he looks middling. Solid starter but not more. I don't see him bringing back anything major.
G: Herro, Rozier
G: D Robinson
F: Wiggins, Highsmith, Larsson
F: Bam, Jaquez, Jovic, K Anderson
C: Ware, Love