3 Buyout candidates the Miami Heat can target after quiet trade deadline

The NBA trade deadline has passed, but that doesn’t mean the Miami Heat are done making moves. 

Similar to last season’s acquisition of Kevin Love, the buyout market could offer the Heat some helpful pieces for their playoff push. 

It's worth noting that because of their position against the luxury tax, the Heat can only sign players from the buyout market whose 2023-24 salary is $12.4 million or less. That means Joe Harris ($19.9 million), for example, is off the table.

Even though the NBA trade deadline has passed, the Miami Heat can still make an important addition via the buyout market.

Even though the Heat are over the cap, they can sign a player using their $5 million taxpayer mid-level exception. They have an open roster spot and are $6.5 million from the second luxury tax line, so signing a player to the full MLE won’t make them a second apron tax team this season.

Any player who is signed likely won’t factor into Miami’s immediate rotation, as that seems set with Terry Rozier, Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, Caleb Martin, Bam Adebayo, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Duncan Robinson, Josh Richardson, and Kevin Love. But the Heat can use depth at point guard (with Dru Smith out for the season) and forward.

Here’s a look at three free agents who are (or will likely be) available after the trade deadline and could play a role for the Heat for the rest of the season.

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