Grading the Miami Heat’s eventful 2023 NBA off-season (so far)
By Dalton Sell
Fresh off a trip to the NBA Finals, the Miami Heat have wasted no time getting busy throughout the early stages of the 2023 off-season.
They’ve made a handful of moves through the draft, free agency, and trades, and there is more to come over the next few months. Just looking at the moves they have already made, let us assess and grade the team’s 2023 off-season to this point and look ahead to what is potentially to come.
Looking at the Miami Heat’s subtractions
Miami lost two key members of their backcourt in Max Strus and Gabe Vincent. Strus inked a huge deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, signing for four years and $62.3 million. Meanwhile, Vincent has inked a three-year deal worth $33 million with the Los Angeles Lakers. These were two incredibly important pieces in Miami’s trip to the NBA Finals, and replacing them will not be easy. Yet, it can be argued that the Heat made the right decision in not retaining them at that particular price.
Sticking with the backcourt, the Heat traded Victor Oladipo and two future second round picks to the OKC Thunder. Oladipo was set to miss significant time this coming season after suffering a left patellar tendon in Miami’s first round series against the Milwaukee Bucks. Through this trade, the Heat have now created a trade exception of $9.45 million, which could be useful down the line if a player within that range becomes available.
Miami also lost big man Cody Zeller to the New Orleans Pelicans in free agency and veteran Udonis Haslem to retirement.