1. Caleb Martin
Seeing Caleb Martin's departure from Miami won't be pretty, so Heat fans, brace yourselves. Martin has a player option he can accept or reject for $7 million. That's the largest amount of money mentioned in this piece. Sure, it's a hefty amount of money, but Martin is worth much more.
Trading for Terry Rozier made things difficult for the Heat, but that was the price of business.
It is 'highly unlikely' that Miami will be able to afford to re-sign Caleb Martin this summer, per @flasportsbuzz
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 13, 2024
“When the Heat opted to take on the final 2 ½ years of Terry Rozier’s contract in January, it largely eliminated two pools of potential targets this summer: 1).… pic.twitter.com/IpFYJgqrvC
Resigning Martin wasn't going to be a walk in the park anyway. His success is the most impressive of all the Miami Heat projects.
Who can forget his dominant 2023 playoff run? His eyebrow-raising performance against the Boston Celtics is cemented in Heat history as one of the best role-player performances. He averaged 19 points, shooting a bonkers 49% on six three-point attempts. That series lives on, and Martin's tenacity, courage, and feisty defense are why he'll get paid.
He may demand anywhere from $15-17 million per year. The Heat can't afford a contract like that for Martin, but someone else will gladly give the 28-year-old twin exactly what he's worth.
It was a pleasure watching Martin zig-zag all over the floor. His hustle won't easily be replaced, but Heat fans should be happy for him. He'll be getting what he deserves.