Finding a way to fashion a respectable roster while using up its salary cap money on just four players is a predicament the Miami Heat finds itself in as it gets set to prepare for the 2015-16 season.
The quartet of Chris Bosh ($22.million), Dwyane Wade ($20 million), Goran Dragic ($18 million) and Luol Deng ($10 million) will provide the top-heavy portion of the 2015-16 Heat roster, which guarantees that a luxury tax will be coughed up by Heat owner Micky Arison.
That means it’s up to Pat Riley to supplement the team with as many low-budget options as possible, and, at the same time, get rid of some burdensome contracts currently on the roster. The two most prominent players in that latter category are point guard Mario Chalmers and center Chris Andersen, who will collectively make $9.3 million this coming year.
Both players showed a noticeable decline last year, enough so that one report has stated that Miami is prepared to give them away for nothing.
While that’s not likely to happen, it does bring up the question of exactly what the Heat can get for the pair. Below are five potential landing spots.
1. Jose, Calderon New York Knicks
The trainwreck that is the Knicks have done next to nothing in free agency and their top draft pick even garnered some criticism from Carmelo Anthony. However, since their roster is in need of people who can actually perform on the court, this deal could make sense.
The problem here is that the Heat essentially give away the two players for nothing or take on a contract like that of Jose Calderon, who will make $15 million over the next two seasons.
Ideally, Pat Riley would like to have any players he gets in return to be playing on an expiring contract, but if it comes down to the Knicks, this might be the best they can hope for in this situation.
Next: Raymond Felton, Dallas Mavericks
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2. Raymond Felton, Dallas Mavericks
The team that had and then lost DeAndre Jordan is still in need of a presence in the middle. True, Chris Andersen would only be a spare part on this unit, but if he can provide 10-15 quality minutes a night, he serves his purpose.
By acquiring Chalmers, the Mavs would pick up a player whose contributions might be debatable, but would certainly be much less aggravating then the presence of Rajon Rondo. That alone might make him desirable to Rick Carlisle.
The most likely candidate to head to Miami would be Raymond Felton, who is set to make $3.9 million this year. His deal is done after this year, plus the move would chop more than $5 million off the Heat payroll.
Next: Trevor Booker, Utah Jazz
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3. Trevor Booker, Utah Jazz
This potential deal is what could be one of two salary dumps that would simply clear roster space. The Jazz put together a solid second-half effort that wasn’t enough to rebound from a 17-30 start, but they may be willing to take on Andersen and Chalmers. Neither would be the central component to the team’s fortunes, but they could provide enough veteran leadership along the way to get them over the hump.
Even if that fails to materialize, they won’t have to deal with the pair after the 2015-16 campaign. That, coupled with the fact that the salary cap explodes one year from now, might be a reason for them to roll the dice.
While the Heat might have to throw in some future draft picks to get the attention of the Jazz, one player they might want is Trevor Booker, especially if a trade takes place within the next week. That’s because he would only be due $250,000 of his $4.7 million deal if he’s released before July 15.
Next: Brendan Haywood, Cleveland Cavaliers
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4. Brendan Haywood, Cleveland Cavaliers
Critics have charged that LeBron James is the de facto general manager of the team, with reports that he’s in daily contact with the team about who to pursue in the free agent market. That’s in addition to his recruitment of former Heat teammates James Jones and Mike Miller to a roster that reached the NBA Finals.
One reason that the Heat could be interested is the fact that the Cavaliers hold a unique bargaining chip with the contact of veteran center Brendan Haywood. He has a non-guaranteed deal for this year that would pay him $10.5 million, but either Cleveland or whatever team he’s dealt to can simply release him by August 1 and gain some salary cap room.
Given the fact that James has a connection with both players (though his relationship with Chalmers is open to question) and that lack of depth ended up dooming the Cavs in the Finals, this has possibilities. Throw in the fact that the Heat could be the beneficiary of releasing Haywood, and this might be the best possible scenario of making something out of nothing.
Next: Jamal Crawford Los Angeles Clippers
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5. Jamal Crawford, Los Angeles Clippers
A second straight chaotic offseason, this time strictly related to basketball issues, isn’t always the greatest situation. Still, the seemingly likely return of DeAndre Jordan is a step toward balancing things out.
When it comes to what Los Angeles can offer, there’s the $5.675 million contract of veteran shooting guard Jamal Crawford. He’s 35 years old, but still averaged 15.8 points per game last year, the 13th consecutive year he’s averaged in double figures.
Given the up-and-down status of Dwyane Wade’s health, Crawford would help provide some insurance as well as quality depth. Plus, it would whittle more than $3.5 million off the Heat payroll.
Regardless of whether they’re able to peddle either player (or both), Miami will be in salary cap hell for a year. That status may be worth it next year if all the current machinations result in the type of free agent bonanza that rivals the haul from 2010, which resulted in two NBA titles and four trips to the Finals.
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