2024 NBA Off-Season Preview: What’s Next For The Miami Heat?

After a rollercoaster, 2023-24 season the Miami Heat are in a unique position. The Heat’s off-season is full of questions, trade scenarios, and big-name free agents on the board. Let’s dive into some off-season possibilities and decide what’s the best direction for the Heat.

2024 NBA Off-Season Preview: What’s Next For The Miami Heat?

2023-2024 Season Recap

The Miami Heat’s NBA off-season will either be slow, uneventful, or filled with large-scale change. What started as another season of promise for the Heat eventually turned into an injury-laden failure. Coming off of a grind-through-the-trenches championship final run in the 2022-23 season—losing to the Denver Nuggets in five games—this past season was hopeful of similar results. Miami spent much of their season around the .500 mark, flirting in and out of playoff and play-in seeding. Injuries took their toll as critical players missed significant time due to injuries. Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, and Terry Rozier, whom the Heat picked up at the trade deadline, all suffered extended injuries that kept them out of the lineup, thus dooming Miami’s playoff chances and any hope of journeying back to the finals.

Not all was bleak, though. Much to Miami’s executive and coaching team satisfaction, two of Miami’s youngest players produced excellent seasons. Rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. exceeded expectations from beginning to end. Second-year player Nikola Jovic also surprised with a productive follow-up season to his rookie campaign. Both players produced on the offensive end while further integrating themselves with the Miami Heat culture and learning the NBA game. Furthermore, five-time All-Defensive Team selection Bam Adebayo landed his introductory nod to the All-Defensive First Team while also getting selected for his third All-Star appearance.

This NBA off-season for the Heat already has its question marks. Extensions for star players, cap issues, free agents hitting the market, and the possibilities of big-name star hunting are all in the conversation as summer in South Beach takes off.

2024-2025 Projected Cap Space and Draft Picks

The Heat are facing a projected 66-million-dollar cap deficit going into next season. Reducing this number is one element that Riley and his team must figure out. Declining player options and exceptions will help lower that cap deficit. Otherwise, complications in free agency or the trade landscape could play a role in Miami’s NBA off-season.

Since March Madness, Purdue center Zach Edey has been linked to the Miami Heat. His height, strength, rebounding, and blocking all fall into his defensive abilities. Paired with Adebayo, Edey’s presence would allow Bam to roam and space the floor while Edey remains under the basket as the Heat’s central paint defender. A duo of Adebayo and Edey would undoubtedly be one of the league’s most daunting defenses.

Devin Carter, son of former Heat point guard Anthony Carter, was the Big East Player of the Year last season. He led Providence in points, assists, rebounds, and steals. His finishing at the basket is touted as his strongest asset. Being able to develop his skills under Miami’s style would benefit Carter. Chomche is the youngest player in the NBA draft at 18 years old. Since Miami loves to develop and is respected as one of the leading development franchises in the league, it would not surprise most if the Heat took a chance on this 6’11” giant. He is physically gifted with the potential to be an outstanding defender with his 7’4” wingspan.

Pending Free Agents and Possible Departures

 2024 NBA Free Agents

The player options available to the Heat carry different implications. Martin’s option is team-friendly and will be a good value for the player he is if Miami decides to keep him. Love and Richardson might be different stories. Love wants to keep playing, and Miami has been a good fit. As for Miami’s unrestricted free agents, judging by the player’s recent team movement history, it’s likely that Mills and Wright will be elsewhere next year. As for Highsmith, he has expressed his desire to remain with the Heat but understands and is prepared for the reality of that not happening.

Trade Pieces

Any trade that the Miami Heat pursue this NBA off-season will almost certainly involve the likes of Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Nikola Jovic, Thomas Bryant, and even possibly Jimmy Butler. Pat Riley is adamant about not giving up his two young players—Jovic and Jaquez—and has indicated he does not want to trade Butler. However, if Miami does pursue a superstar or big-name player, they’ll most likely have to give up some players of significance.

Realistic NBA Off-Season Targets

 Trade Targets

Mitchell, Markkanen, and Murray are the three prominent names linked to the Heat, amongst other teams around the NBA. Mitchell, of course, is the player causing the most noise right now as he has been linked to Miami since the Cleveland Cavaliers were bounced in round two of the postseason. Trading for Mitchell would assuredly result in the loss of Tyler Herro and more, including draft picks. Mitchell would almost solve the Heat’s scoring problems. He can create his own shot, shoot the three, and get to the basket. Markkanen and Murray would be good fits with Miami in terms of their playing style and offensive abilities, and the offense is something Miami desperately needs.

As for Caruso, although not a star, he brings defensive tenacity, energy, and championship experience from his time with the Los Angeles Lakers. An excellent perimeter defender, Caruso would play well with Terry Rozier, and if Herro remained, he also. He plays smart and can take on ball-handling responsibilities as well. It’s worth mentioning that Markkanen, Murray, and Mitchell all line up somewhat favorably with Adebayo’s contract timeline, an element that Miami is looking for in a trade candidate or free agent signing.

Free Agents

Providing Miami can clear space and make room in this NBA off-season; several free-agent targets have the potential to fit with the Heat as role players. Valanciunas would give Adebayo a lot of floor spacing assistance while Bam roams on defense. Valanciunas also provides well-rounded offense and rebounding at a high rate. Olynyk and Anderson wouldn’t be flashy additions, but both are dependable defenders and play hard. Malik Beasley would bring a high three-point percentage to a Maimi team that needs three-point shooting. Beasley has been one of the best shooters in the NBA in the last three years and has averaged 38.5% for his career.

However this NBA off-season for the Miami Heat plays out, without dropping their cap dollars and saying goodbye to a couple of well-liked players, Miami’s room for roster improvement is tight. Pat Riley will find a way if the right trades or signings are in his grasp. Next year’s Miami Heat squad has the potential to look familiar to last year or entirely different.