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Miami Heat: What you need to know about the Heat free agency so far

By Duncan Smith

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 24: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves drives to the basket against Hassan Whiteside #21 of the Miami Heat during the game on November 24, 2017 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 24: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves drives to the basket against Hassan Whiteside #21 of the Miami Heat during the game on November 24, 2017 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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Miami Heat, Jimmy Butler
TORONTO, ON- MAY 12 – Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard (2) defends Philadelphia 76ers guard Jimmy Butler (23) as the Toronto Raptors beat the Philadelphia 76ers 92-90 in game seven of their second round series in the NBA play-offs at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. May 12, 2019. (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) /

The Jimmy Butler trade

By now, we all know the story. The Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers agreed to sign-and-trade Jimmy Butler in exchange for Josh Richardson, with the Dallas Mavericks acquiring Goran Dragic as the third team. Or was it Kelly Olynyk and Derrick Jones Jr.? Maybe they sound alike on the phone, who knows, but the Mavericks found a way to not be on the same wavelength as the Miami Heat.

The deal as it stands now is perhaps not dead, exactly, but it’s in a medically-induced coma as the Heat are on the hook to find a third team to consummate this deal.

The trade of Hassan Whiteside to the Portland Trail Blazers does solve one of the outstanding components of this deal, however. According to cap expert Albert Nahmad:

So according to this, with the $4.8 million the Heat save on the Hassan Whiteside deal, the gap is now under $12 million. With cap space shrinking around the NBA on a minute-by-minute basis, these are amounts that will matter as the Heat try frantically to find one more trade partner to help consummate this deal.

Where might that help come from? It’s speculation time about what comes next.

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