Miami Heat: Tyler Johnson traded to the Phoenix Suns for Ryan Anderson

The 24-27 Miami Heat have just made their first move before the NBA trade deadline by sending Tyler Johnson to the Phoenix Suns for Ryan Anderson, which doesn’t move the cap too much for the Heat face-value, but could save $5 million plus.

With the Miami Heat trading Tyler Johnson and Wayne Ellington to the Phoenix Suns for Ryan Anderson, saving a little over $5 million in space, we can only expect that this is just one of the first major moves for Pat Riley before the 3 PM trade deadline tomorrow, February 7th.

Johnson was – most likely – going to opt into his player option this summer, which would have forced the Heat to pay the 26-year-old guard $19.3 million for the remaining year of his contract. And as a role player barely averaging 25 minutes per game in a Heat uniform this season, this was a good cap-saving move by Riley. However, Heat nation will definitely miss their toothless, gritty, hustle guard who did everything the Heat asked of him.

Johnson ends his career with Miami averaging 11.0 PPG, 2.8 TRB, 2.5 AST, with shooting splits of 43.7/36.7/76.5.

The Heat acquire Ryan Anderson for the remainder of this season and the 2019-20 season, and Anderson will make close to $15.6 million in the last year of his contract, saving the Heat approximately $4 million in the ’19-20 season.

As for Phoenix, they have desperately needed a combo guard to pair next to Devin Booker, and this may give them the room necessary to build onto their already young lineup with Booker, Ayton, and Warren.

As for the Wayne Ellington addition to this deal, we can expect that Ellington pushes for his release so he can sign elsewhere for a contender, as the Suns don’t necessarily need him for the remainder of the season.

This trade gives the Heat more room in their cap to make other deals going into the deadline tomorrow, so expect another Woj bomb fairly soon, as this could be the first of a “blow it up” path of trades.