NBA Trade Rumours: 3 Miami Heat stars being linked with an imminent trade
Despite playing in a historically weak Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat failed to qualify for the postseason during Dwayne Wade's final season. The Heat finished the season with a 39-43 record, which was only enough to finish 10th in the East standings.
Not only did Miami fail to provide Wade with the sendoff he deserved, but the franchise has now won just one postseason game in the past three seasons. The Heat have been heading in the wrong direction ever since LeBron James exited in 2014, and now that Wade is gone, it is the perfect time to make much-needed changes to an underperforming roster. So, ahead of a potentially busy summer, here are three players that are being linked with a trade away from Miami.
#3 Goran Dragic
Goran Dragic signed with the Heat on a five-year, $90 million contract back in 2015, and the 33-year-old is expected to opt-into the final year of his deal this summer. However, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel, Miami is open to trading their veteran guard,
While Goran Dragic's $19.2 million will create a degree of stress for the Heat against the cap and tax next season, it won’t impact the Heat’s rebuilding plan,” Winderman wrote. “But once you start adding another $10 million salary to 2020-21 or 2021-22, then you are cutting into future space. What would make more sense … is for the Heat to play it out with Goran at his current number next season, then perhaps go with far smaller annual payments on a follow-up deal, perhaps even one that could be built on exception money after cap space is utilized. … As it is, if Dragic opts in, it would immediately make him a prime, if not the prime, Heat trade chip.
Dragic started just 22 times during the 18/19 season - shooting 41 percent from the field, which was his lowest figure since his rookie year.