The Heat’s inability to dump sizable contracts so far this summer not only has left Miami with little flexibility this year but also has diminished its chances of achieving cap space next summer.
And unless something significant changes, it’s increasingly likely the Heat will need to wait until the summer of 2020, not 2019, to again be in position to make a franchise-altering free agent signing.
That wasn’t necessarily the plan. The Heat has tried to move Hassan Whiteside and Tyler Johnson this offseason but has not found a trade market, according to three people in contact with the team.