What comes next for the Miami Heat?
What we do know so far is that the Heat are far from done wheeling and dealing this summer. Rumor has it, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, that the Heat have contact the Washington Wizards about Bradley Beal‘s availability.
Per source in contact with one of the teams, Heat has engaged Washington in trade talk. Miami loves Beal, who has said Wizards told him he won't be traded. Taking on Wall (in order to get Beal) & Beal would be highly challenging with cap situation, even if Washington was willing.
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) July 1, 2019
Needless to say, with the currently dubious status of the Jimmy Butler trade, another challenging trade might just be too much to pull off. It’s a virtual certainty that Ryan Anderson will not be a member of the Miami Heat by the time the 2019-20 season starts, whether he’s waived and stretched to save the Heat $16 million of his $21 million ($15.6 million guaranteed) salary for next season, or traded away, he’s sure to be a component of the consummation of this deal or others.
As for anything regarding Bradley Beal, it’s quickly become impossible to count Pat Riley out. Somehow, it seems, the Heat team president gets what he wants, for better or worse. The Wizards have told Beal that he won’t be moved, but teams do that to players more often than they should right before moving them for an offer they can’t refuse.
Is that something that the Wizards and their interim front office feel empowered to do? If there’s one thing we know now about Pat Riley, he’ll stop at nothing to find out.