3. Haywood Highsmith
Highsmith is an unrestricted free agent this summer. He wants to return, but giving him a raise likely puts the Heat over the dreaded second tax apron. Unless Miami can shed salary elsewhere, they may be forced to let Highsmith walk.
Do the Heat try to pull off a sign-and-trade? It won’t be easy. If they acquire a player in return, they are capped at the first apron. Miami is already $6 million over with just 12 players on their roster. The most likely scenarios are letting him walk or working out a new contract.
Highsmith continues to improve and should just be entering his prime. He did not get his first serious crack at the rotation until last year. The 6’7 wing built on it and locked down a consistent 20-minute per-game role in 2024. He averaged 6.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists as he shot 46.5 percent from the field and 39.6 percent on his threes.
There will certainly be interest on the open market, but how can Miami benefit? Is this just a repeat of the Gabe Vincent and Max Strus scenarios from 2023? Pat Riley did sign-and-trade Strus last summer, so do not rule it out. The Heat’s spending issues will be a roadblock but are not impossible to navigate.