The Miami Heat have shopped Mario Chalmers and Chris Andersen in trades this offseason and the team is hoping to move at least one of the players before the season starts and this comes as Miami has signed rookie Josh Richardson and after they picked up the contract for Tyler Johnson.
Miami has been trying to cut down on their luxury tax bill this offseason and that has resulted in trades with Shabazz Napier and Zoran Dragic. The Miami Herald reports that the team has continued to shop both Chalmers and Andersen this summer, as that would help lower the tax by millions. Andersen is on a $5 million deal and Chalmers is on a $4.3 million deal and both players are on expiring contracts, which could help things a bit in trying to find trades.
Miami brought back Dwyane Wade on a one-year deal and signed Goran Dragic to the near-max and that put the team into a tough financial situation. The Heat already know that they have to pay Hassan Whiteside next summer and Pat Riley reportedly wants to go after Kevin Durant as well. The team signed Amar'e Stoudemire and Gerald Green this offseason and now they have come to terms with second round pick Josh Richardson.
According to Shams Charania of RealGM, Richardson signed a three year deal worth $2.5 million. The reports has the contract being fully guaranteed for the first season and partially guaranteed for year two. Miami has some roster decisions to make going forward into camp, as the team has signed Amar'e Stoudemire and Gerald Green to deals and they plan on keeping Johnson and possibly James Ennis. Ennis is on a non-guaranteed deal and he agreed to move his deadline back for Miami to make a decision and the Sun Sentinel reports that could give the Heat time to make a trade.
Johnson and Whiteside are in on their deals and Henry Walker was waived ahead of Miami pushing the deadline back For Ennis. Miami has depth with Luol Deng and Justise Winslow at forward and if the team trades Chalmers, they likely will use Johnson and Richardson as the backups for Dragic. The Heat can wait until the beginning of the season to decide on Ennis and they can have up to 20 players in training camp, but only 15 on the main roster.
Andersen and/or Chalmers likely will be traded at some point this season and Miami is going to have to leave someone decent behind depending on what happens leading into camp. Richardson is sticking around and he comes in after playing well in the summer league, averaging nearly 12 points in 10 total games. Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel reported that the team plans on keeping Johnson and he is the top option to be the backup for Dragic if Chalmers is eventually moved.
Last season Johnson averaged six points and 1.3 assists per game in 32 games for Miami and he now is up on the depth chart after Napier was traded. Miami knows that more money is coming onto the books in the future with Whiteside, as he could get a massive raise after playing out hi contract this season at less than $1 million. Whiteside averaged 12 points and 10 rebounds last season and Miami is expected to keep him after the season.
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