The Miami Heat are unlikely going to trade Mario Chalmers or Chris Andersen before the NBA season starts despite pushing for deals this summer, as the team has not found suitable trades heading into camp. The team has opened training camp and at media day, both Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh said they were excited to have Goran Dragic for a full year and that a playoffs run is the goal for 2015-16.
Miami missed the playoffs last season, but the team has been picked by many writers and media members as a playoff contender in the east. The team has Wade and Bosh both healthy and ready for camp and after adding Dragic at the trade deadline, the point guard now has a full offseason and preseason with his teammates. The team improved the roster as well, adding Justise Winslow in the draft and signing both Amar'e Stoudemire and Gerald Green for depth.
Miami made trades this summer with Shabazz Napier and Zoran Dragic with the motivation of taking down the tax bill and trimming the roster, as they are right at the max. The team tried to move Chalmers and Andersen for those reasons, but so far a deal has not worked out for either player. According to Joseph Goodman at the Miami Herald, the team wants to take a look at Tyler Johnson and Josh Richardson in camp before fully making a decision on what to do with Chalmers.
Johnson is likely the main backup for Dragic if Chalmers gets moved, but as of now no deal is likely to happen. Miami could continue shopping Chalmers as things move forward during the season, but that may not happen until closer to the trade deadline. Coming into camp the team has some players on the "bubble" and that likely includes James Ennis. Windhorst writes that dealing Dragic and Napier this past weekend could help save Miami over $10 million moving forward. The team has "aggressively" shopped Chalmers this offseason and he has a $4.3 million salary, while Andersen counts as $5 million on the cap.
The Miami Herald reports that the team gave up Napier for basically nothing to help get some roster flexibility and the same goes for Dragic. Goodman writes that the team is planning to give Josh Richardson and Tyler Johnson the chance to step up in camp this summer.
Goodman writes that Miami has decisions to make with Johnson and James Ennis and what happens with Chalmers could play into that. Miami has depth up front with Amar'e Stoudemire, Udonis Haslem, Chris Bosh and Josh McRoberts and that is why the team feels is makes sense to try and deal Andresen with his salary. Dragic did not see much playing time in Miami when he was traded with his brother to the Heat and losing him makes no impact.
Miami did not make the playoffs last season and after adding back Dragic, the team has a strong lineup with Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, Chris Bosh and Hassan Whiteside leading the way. Chalmers is still being shopped and Miami may end up keeping him if they can't find a deal.
Check here for more on the Miami Heat, the roster, training camp and the potential for a Chalmers trade coming up for Miami.
