After making all the way to the NBA Finals but failing to get to the promised land, the Miami Heat are expected to be active in the market this offseason. The least they can do is to try and bring help for Jimmy Butler.
The six-time All-Star led them much further than predicted in this year’s playoffs, but once again, the Heat weren’t strong enough to win the ring. Something similar happened in 2020 and 2022.
Therefore, Pat Riley has to make this team even better to get the job done once and for all. However, there don’t seem to be many ways in which the Heat can improve their roster.
Rumor: Heat cannot spend much on free agents
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the only way the Miami Heat can improve their roster is by pulling off a trade for another star, since they cannot offer lucrative salaries in the open market:
“Landing Lillard or another star through a trade is the Heat’s only realistic route to make a significant upgrade to the roster this offseason since it’s only positioned to offer minimum contracts to outside free agents.”
The problem is that to get a player of Damian Lillard’s caliber, the Heat would probably have to part with players they may not be willing to let go. Anyway, the offseason is long, so only time will tell.