3 bold trades for the Miami Heat ahead of the deadline
By Cal Durrett
Miami Heat: Trade #2
Lowry’s contract may not be the only one the Heat are looking to offload. Duncan Robinson has one of the worst deals in the NBA, and the Heat would also surely prefer to get rid of that deal. They might not find many takers, but the San Antonio Spurs could be an option.
The Spurs still have almost $28 million in cap space available, making an in-season trade involving them much easier. Better yet, they also have several valuable veterans that could interest the Heat, allowing them to swap Robinson out for a rotation player or two. In regards to a possible trade, the Heat could trade Robinson, a 2025 first, and a 2027 pick swap for Josh Richardson.
Richardson began his career in Miami and has since moved around, but he remains a valuable player. In San Antonio, he has emerged as a leader of a young team and has even taken on increased playmaking responsibility. That aspect of his game is hit or miss, but he is a more than reliable 3-point shooter and defender, and that can come in handy on any playoff team, including the Heat.
Better yet, he is a free agent after this season, and Miami would have his Bird rights, allowing them to re-sign him, presumably to a more team-friendly deal than the Robinson contract. Even if he leaves, the Heat would still free themselves from having to pay Robinson up to $57.3 million over the next three seasons. For the Spurs’ part, moving Richardson for a first is an absolute win considering that he was included for salary-matching purposes in the Derrick White trade with Boston.
In addition to potentially receiving a selection in the teens, they’d also receive a distant pick swap. Taking on up to $57.3 million for a first-round pick and a pick swap may appear to be a good deal for the Heat, and it is in some ways.
Then again, the Spurs are collecting far-out assets from other teams in the hopes that they hit. No one knows whether the Heat will be good or bad in four years, making that pick swap a mystery. It’s risky for the Heat, but they could bet on themselves and their ability to stay competitive. In doing so, they could turn a negative asset into a positive one and possibly save millions in salary and luxury tax payments in the process.