Even though the Miami Heat may seem to be positioning themselves for unlimited flexibility heading into the summer of 2026, it would be foolish for them to completely close the door on the idea of upgrading their roster, in a smart way, ahead of this upcoming season. Kristaps Porzingis could represent that opportunity for the Heat, thanks in large part to the blockbuster trade that involved Jrue Holiday.
According to a recent report, even after the trade of Holiday, the Boston Celtics continue to shop Porzingis around the league. In an attempt to cut their tax bill even more, Porzingis seems like a likely trade candidate heading into NBA Draft night. For a team like the Heat, he'd make a ton of sense.
As he prepares to enter the final year of his contract, Porzingis is not a player whose contract would be a huge problem for the Heat. Miami could theoretically take a gamble on him for one season and then elect what to do with him next summer.
It's a move that would offer benefits for the Heat this season, as Porzingis would emerge as a great upgrade to their frontcourt while allowing Miami to keep their financial flexibility heading into the summer of 2026. If the Heat is looking to shake up its roster this summer, this is the type of move that the front office could be looking for.
Is Porzingis worth the gamble for the Heat?
It's no guarantee that Porzingis would be worth the gamble for the Heat, even if it wouldn't have any impact on their future salary cap flexibility.
The first question that must be asked revolves around what the asking price would be for Porzingis. If the Celtics are looking for first-round pick compensation that goes beyond this year, that could pose a problem for the Heat.
For a team that is looking to maintain flexibility in the future, trading a future pick could be a deal-breaker. Maybe Miami is willing to trade the No. 20 pick in this year's draft, but I have a hard time envisioning they'd be willing to offer much more draft compensation, outside of perhaps a second-round pick or two.
Additionally, the Heat must determine whether Porzingis' health is worth such a risk. During his two years with the Celtics, Porzingis continued to battle injuries. He was limited in both of Boston's playoff runs during his time with the club,
All that said, it's hard not to look at the potential upside of a potential Porzingis addition for the Heat. He'd be a great pairing alongside Bam Adebayo in the frontcourt and would also help solve a lot of the Heat's spacing issues with his strong perimeter game. He wouldn't answer all the concerns for the Heat on the offensive end of the floor, but he'd certainly be of great help.
Just because the Heat missed out on Kevin Durant doesn't mean they can't explore other ceiling-altering moves this summer. The question is, would Porzingis be the right target for the Heat? There's certainly a compelling argument in favor of the possibility.