Miami Heat Wiretap

The Miami Heat have acquired Norman Powell from the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-team trade involving the Utah Jazz. The Clippers will acquire John Collins, while the Jazz will receive Kevin Love, Kyle Anderson and a 2027 second round pick from the Clippers.

Powell is on a $20.5 million expiring contract from his five-year, $90 million deal initially signed with the Portland Trail Blazers. Powell will provide the Heat additional shot creation in the backcourt as he comes off a career-high average of 21.8 points per game when he was an All-Star candidate. 

Collins is also on a $26.6 million expiring contract from his five-year, $125 million contract initially signed with the Atlanta Hawks. Collins will give the Clippers more depth in the frontcourt. Last seasons, Collins averaged 18.9 points and 8.2 rebounds in 30.5 minutes over 40 games. 

The Clippers have also been linked with Bradley Beal if he gets bought out by the Phoenix Suns as expected, as well as with Chris Paul.

Love will be a buyout candidate for the Jazz as they continue their rebuild. 

The Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns explored a possible trade for Bradley Beal this week, sources told Jake Fischer of The People's Insider.

The discussions ultimately came to an end without any traction.

It is now expected that the Suns buy Beal out of his contract at around the $90 million range. Stretched over five years, the buyout would create a $18 million annual cap hit. 

Beal has two years remaining on his contract totaling $110 million.

Should Beal get bought out, the Heat and the Bucks would have interested in acquiring the guard.

Beal hasn't played at least 60 games since the 2020-21 season. 

The Miami Heat will prioritize developing young players and maintain flexibility for potential star acquisitions, according to people with direct knowledge of the organization's strategy following their 37-45 season.

The Heat retained 13 of 15 players despite team president Pat Riley's May comments about needing changes. Sources indicate Miami's plan centers on letting young players demonstrate their abilities under Erik Spoelstra with a full training camp. A source also said the Heat haven't given any considering to trading Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro to start from scratch with extra first round picks coming in.

The organization believes draft picks Kel'el Ware, Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Pelle Larssen and Kasparas Jakucionis have high upside potential. Miami characterizes expanded roles for these players as "internal change" rather than external roster moves.

"We're getting them in their developmental years," one source said about the young core.

The Heat remains prepared to pursue star players who become available through trades. Giannis Antetokounmpo would be a target if he requests a trade from Milwaukee, though Miami's asset collection may not compete with Houston, San Antonio and New York.

Miami made repeated efforts to acquire Kevin Durant but ultimately declined to surrender multiple assets. The organization decided against trading significant pieces for the 36-year-old forward due to concerns about championship window length.

Multiple sources confirmed the Heat never came close to completing a Durant trade. The team preferred maintaining assets for younger star acquisitions.

Terry Rozier will not be waived and stretched despite his $26.6 million salary. Miami will either trade or retain the guard for next season while maintaining roster flexibility under luxury tax thresholds. The Heat also don't have a specific goal of creating salary cap space in 2026 despite previously signaling that plan.

Jonathan Kuminga could re-sign with the Golden State Warriors on a short-term deal, according to Jake Fischer of The People's Insider.

Both Kuminga and the Warriors were prepared for a slowly developing market for the restricted free agent.

The Heat, Bulls, Kings, and Pelicans are interested in Kuminga at varying levels, though each team has challenges in adding the forward. 

The Heat are currently balking at Kuminga's potential $30 milliion-per-year price point and have also been linked with DeMar DeRozan and John Collins.

The Bulls are also hesitant of adding Kuminga's salary, with the Warriors no longer interested in acquiring Nikola Vucevic.

The Pelicans have also registered interest in Kuminga but have no easy path to add the forward while staying out of the luxury tax.

The Kings could include Malik Monk in a deal for Kuminga but no trade package has materialized with the Warriors.

Duncan Robinson has agreed to a three-year, $48 million deal with the Detroit Pistons on a sign-and-trade with the Miami Heat receiving Simone Fontecchio in return.

The Pistons pivoted to Robinson after they had planned to sign Malik Beasley to a there-year, $48 million deal. Beasley is under federal investigation for gambling allegations.

Robinson joins Caris LeVert as free agent addition for the Pistons.

The restricted free agency market for Jonathan Kuminga is beginning to materialize with the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans interested in pursuing him via sign-and-trade scenarios. 

The Warriors haven't ruled out re-signing Kuminga, but are also amenable to a sign-and-trade if the return outweighs that scenario. The process is not expected to be resolved quickly in restricted free agency. 

Kuminga, who is represented by Aaron Turner, averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists and a PER of 15.6 last season. The Warriors used the seventh overall selection on Kuminga in 2021 after his season with the G League Ignite. Kuminga has been inconsistent during his time with the Warriors, but hasn't been the best stylistic fit in Steve Kerr's offense. The addition of Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline further complicated Kuminga's fit with their lack of spacing in lineups also featuring Draymond Green.

The Detroit Pistons are interested in signing Caris LeVert and acquiring Duncan Robinson via sign-and-trade, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line and Jake Fischer of The People's Insider.

The LeVert interest comes following rumors that the team will lose Dennis Schroder to the Kings, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker expected to move to the Hawks. 

Robinson terminated his contract with the Heat on Sunday. The two sides are expected to work out a new deal or explore sign-and-trade scenarios. 

The possible moves for LeVert and Robinson also come following news of Malik Beasley being investigated for gambling on NBA games. 

Beasley and the Pistons were expected to sign a new deal in the ballpark of three-years, $42 million, though that is now on hold. 

Duncan Robinson has exercised his $20 million early termination option with the Miami Heat to become a free agent. Robinson and the Heat will work on a new contract either to re-sign or explore sign-and-trade deals.

Robinson is coming off a five-year, $90 million contract signed with the Heat during the 2021 offseason, which was the biggest at the time for an undrafted player.

Robinson, who is represented by Jason Glushon, averaged 11.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists and a PER of 11.6 last season. Robinson also shot 39.3 percent from three.

The Heat have explored major moves this offseason such as their trade talks for Kevin Durant, so this contract decision gives the team optionality while also ensuring Robinson will be made whole by leaving $20 million on the table.

The Miami Heat and guard Davion Mitchell have agreed to a two-year, $24 million contract. Mitchell was set to become a restricted free agent on July 1. Mitchell's qualifying offer was $9.4 million after he met the starter criteria. Mitchell is represented by Josh Beauregard-Bell and Thaddeus Foucher. 

The Heat acquired Mitchell from the Toronto Raptors in a multi-team trade at last season's NBA trade deadline. Mitchell played in 30 games, with 15 starts after being acquired by Miami.

In those 30 games, the 6-foot-2 guard averaged 10.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 31.6 minutes per game. Mitchell also shot 50% from the field, including 45% on 3.1 three-point attempts per game.

The Miami Heat and forward Steve Settle III have agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract. The non-guaranteed training camp deal will give Settle a chance to compete for a roster spot with Miami.

Settled spent the last two years with Temple, after starting his NCAA career at Howard. As a senior, the 6-foot-10 forward averaged 12.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and a block per game for the Owls. Settle also shot 42% on 3.6 three-point attempts per game in his final collegiate season.