Surprise, surprise, trades are still a thing! Over the weekend, the Miami Heat sent 3-and-D forward Haywood Highsmith and a 2032 second-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for a protected 2026 second-rounder.
Although not a sizable trade by any means, the Heat made the swap to duck the luxury tax, which materialized, but at what cost? Miami sent a reliable wing to maneuver the strict salary cap ramifications, yet the cost-cutting move didn't necessarily have to occur until the end of the season.
Being one of the few late-August transactions, the untimely trade prompted an analysis by Sam Vecenie and Bryce Simon of the Game Theory Podcast.