The lack of moves this summer might be worrisome, but the Miami Heat have to move at their own pace.
Anxiety is one of those things that can control thoughts to the point where it becomes a thin line between sound decisions and overthinking.
For many pundits and Miami Heat fans alike, this offseason has been the one where angst has taken over.
The noise behind the lack of movement in Miami has become so loud that even team president Pat Riley chose to address the disappointment. Meanwhile, others have taken the time to craft their own trade concoctions.
The most popular one at the moment seems to be an iteration from Zach Lowe’s, The Lowe Post podcast, that involves sending Tyler Johnson to the Houston Rockets for Ryan Anderson and a first-round pick:
"“I’ve heard [the Rockets] have talked to the Heat. The Heat are kicking a lot of tires. I can’t figure out what they’re trying to do, but I could see like Tyler Johnson, same package, same idea: two years of salary left at about the same number.”"
The draw would have to be the allure of having two top 30, non-lottery picks in next year’s draft.
Otherwise it would be impossible for the Heat to justify trading Johnson’s two years and $38 million–for luxury tax reasons–in exchange for Anderson’s remaining two years and $41 million.
Sure, the Heat are stocked at the 2-guard spot, but adding to a power rotation that is crowded enough to have Udonis Haslem interested in dragging his career back overseas, is not necessarily a priority.
With the exception of a deal involving Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe and Malcom Brogdon, every other media driven, pseudo-general manager is either calling for the Heat to take back scraps for Hassan Whiteside, Justise Winslow or Johnson; all of which will still end up eating into the cap for the next two years. Or keep the team in the tax, for the sake of simply getting an extra pick.
This only makes sense if the Heat are looking to indulge in a total rebuild, with a team full of youth and mid-round players.
Otherwise, fans have to be patient and not look for moves just for the sake of giving the impression that something is being done. Change is not always the best option.
Sometimes no moves, is a move in itself.