3 offseason moves for the Miami Heat to stay strong

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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 22: Duncan Robinson #55 of the Miami Heat reacts against the Atlanta Hawks during the second quarter in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round at State Farm Arena on April 22, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

3 offseason moves for the Miami Heat: Trade Duncan Robinson

Victor Oladipo played 368 minutes this postseason; Max Strus played 523. Duncan Robinson logged just 159, shoved to third in the shooting guard pecking order for the Miami Heat. It’s quite the development after Robinson signed a five-year, $90 million deal this past summer.

On most teams, Robinson’s knockdown shooting and ability to run off screens would make him a no-doubt rotation player – three-point shooting at volume is that valuable. Yet, the Heat found a player in Max Strus who can shoot nearly as well and is lightyears better than Robinson defensively. That has made Robinson expendable.

Having a bench gunner on hand to fill up regular-season minutes and occasionally deploy in the postseason is a nice luxury, but paying Robinson $16.9 million next season to play occasionally is poor team-building. The Heat need to make better use of his salary slot, and that means trading him.

Perhaps a team with cap space could take him in (Detroit?) or more likely teams can send a forward-sized player back who can back up PJ Tucker and Bam Adebayo in the frontcourt.

Could the Heat get the Sacramento Kings interested in a Harrison Barnes – Robinson swap? What about the Utah Jazz and Bojan Bogdanovic? The Cleveland Cavaliers and Lauri Markkanen? Miami likely has to include draft capital for many of those trades, but it’s a move worth making for a team all-in on the present.

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