The Miami Heat were looking to have a quiet offseason this year and now they are preparing to trade half of their depth as NBA free agency moves along. The Heat have not necessarily been linked to a number of players as the list goes shorter of who is really available, but they are putting players up on the trade block with the intentions of trying to acquire some better talent before the 2015-16 season.
According to Grantland's Zach Lowe, the Heat are currently testing the waters on a trade of Shabazz Napier. At the moment, Lowe writes that the main reason for trying to trade Napier is to get under the payroll and lessen their tax burden this season. After signing Goran Dragic and Dwyane Wade to new deals plus having Luol Deng opt in, the team is cash strapped and hoping to clear some space.
Napier is not necessarily needed with the max deal to Dragic. As a former first-round pick, he is simply sitting on the bench when the Heat could get something nice in return for him in a trade. The point guard is set to earn $1.35 million in the coming season while having a player option for the 2016-17 season that the Heat will likely decline.
Napier joins both Mario Chalmers and Chris Andersen on the trade block for the Heat. Miami is projected to be $13 million over the projected luxury tax threshold and would like to avoid the steep bill potentially headed their way. Lowe reports alongside the Napier trade talk that Andersen and Chalmers are also available for the taking as the Heat expect nothing in return for them. The two combine to earn $9.4 million next season and are desperate to drop it.
According to ESPN's Marc Stein, the Heat are in talks to acquire Jamal Crawford from the Los Angeles Clippers as he has a very favorable contract to acquire. The question is whether or not a package that includes Napier and Andersen along with the potential of Felton is enough to get Crawford who is not far removed from his Sixth Man of the Year award. The Cleveland Cavaliers are also pushing a deal which means the Clippers can ask for a little more in the trade package and the Heat could get shut out.