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MIAMI — For the Miami Heat, Monday represents more than a return to action after a five-day break. It also opens an additional window for transactions.
Dec. 15 is the first day that most players signed in the offseason can be traded.
For the Heat, that makes Monday that first day that guard Dru Smith and Jahmir Young can be dealt, not that the team has offered any such indications.
Typically, the Heat would have a higher number of players trade-eligible on Dec. 15, but this, by their standards, was a relatively tame offseason.
While guard Davion Mitchell also was signed this past offseason, because he received a raise higher than 20% and was retained by Bird Rights, his trade window does not open until Jan. 15.
That does not mean the Heat are poised for a deal, only that transaction dates now are at hand ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA trading deadline.
While Young is one of three Heat players on two-way contracts, the NBA limit, he does not become trade eligible until Monday because he was converted from a standard contract during the preseason. The Heat’s other two-way players — Vlad Goldin and Myron Gardner — were trade eligible 30 days after they were directly signed to two-way deals in July.
All of the Heat’s other offseason signings either were a matter of picking up player options or picking up guarantees, such as with Keshad Johnson and Pelle Larsson.
The Heat currently have one spot vacant on their standard roster, with teams eligible to carry up to 15. While they also have enough space below the luxury tax to sign an additional player — a window that opened Saturday — such additional space also can now be utilized in a trade.
In all, about 77 players will turn trade-eligible on Monday, about 17% of the NBA, a list that also includes the likes of former Heat forward Duncan Robinson, former Heat guard Kyle Lowry, and recently banished Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul.
Among offseason signings in addition to the Heat’s Mitchell that won’t be trade eligible until Jan, 15 are Jonathan Kuminga, Naz Reid and Josh Giddey.
Worth noting amid Giannis Antetokounmpo speculation, with the Heat listed as potential landing spots if such a trade is considered, is that the Milwaukee Bucks have 10 players who become trade eligible Monday, creating significant optionality.
Similar situations
Monday’s 7:30 p.m. game at Kaseya Center was added to the schedule when the Heat and Toronto Raptors were knocked out in Tuesday night quarterfinals of the NBA Cup. The game is in Miami because the Raptors otherwise had been scheduled only once in South Florida (Dec. 23). The Heat play in Toronto on April 7 and April 9.
Both teams have struggled after unexpectedly hot early starts, the Heat entering at 14-11, on a four-game losing streak, the Raptors at 15-11, also on a four-game losing streak.
“This year, it’s been almost a mirror image of the style of play, where we’ve been in the conference,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said, “the aggressiveness, commitment to defense. But I would say any year that the Heat and Toronto face each other, it always ends up being competitive games.”
Among the reasons for the Raptors’ revival has been the play of forward Brandon Ingram, who was acquired at last season’s trade deadline and then signed to a contract extension. He is coming off a 31-point NBA Cup performance against the New York Knicks.
“He’s healthy,” said Spoelstra, with Ingram not having played since Feb. 10, 2022 against the Heat. “I think that’s a big part of the success. Whenever he’s been healthy, he’s been an explosive scorer. He’s a tough guard. He gets to his spots and raises up above most defenses and he’s in a great system, a great rhythm right now.”
Only Larsson
Larsson, who sprained his left ankle in last week’s loss in Orlando, was the lone Heat player not to practice Sunday, as the Heat completed three consecutive days of work on their practice court at Kaseya Center, their longest training period since the preseason.