Pat Riley has spoken and said the obvious. The Miami Heat will go through deep changes this offseason. Riley said it loud and clear during his end-of-season press conference. They will not bring the same team next season. Let’s talk about potential new additions and who is safe on the team.
Pat Riley Makes The Heat’s Offseason Plans Clear
Speaking with media reporters, Pat Riley talked honestly and openly about the Miami Heat’s plans for the offseason. He said,
“We probably won’t run it back. But it doesn’t mean that, you know, players are not just going to show up. You’ve got to make deals, you have to look at the board. You’ve got to try to do something that is going to benefit something with your team and your two key guys. If they are your key guys, and I think they are. I think we are probably in as good a situation as we have ever been from a draft pick, young player, favorable contracts situation in a long time.”
Pat Riley says the Heat ‘probably won’t run it back’ next season
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— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 9, 2025
The Heat will probably be one of the most active teams in the summer. Pat Riley signaled he has big plans for the offseason during the Jimmy Butler trade. He was not looking for salaries that last for several years. Instead, he wanted young players and draft picks. But what can the Heat realistically do this summer? Let’s take a look at their options.
Can the Heat Sign Free Agents?
The Miami Heat have $178 million committed in salary for the 2025-26 season. For next season, the luxury tax is projected to be at $187 million. That means the Heat do not have cap space, but they can offer the full mid-level exception because they are over the salary cap, but below the luxury tax. At the same time, they have to look at their potential free agents.
Here are some free agents that made up to $18 million this season: Tre Jones, Bobby Portis(player option), Naz Reid (player option), Dorian Finney-Smith (player option), Marvin Beagley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Malik Beasley.
However, none of those will move the needle for the Miami Heat. There are some good role players like Beasley, Portis, Reid, and Alexander-Walker, but nothing splashy or a player that would transform the team.
Miami Heat Trade Assets and Targets
Pat Riley might say that they have some of the best assets to make a move this offseason. Yet, the reality is that they are not as loaded as he would think. The Heat have a 2025 first-round pick coming from the Golden State Warriors, but they do not have their own. They have their own pick in 2026, 28, 29, 30, and 31.
They do have young players that can help them facilitate a trade, like Davion Mitchell, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Nikola Jovic. Kel’el Ware is a young player as well, but we can assume he is among the untouchables because of his play at the end of the regular season. If we take what Pat Riley said face value, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo are the two key guys he wants to build around. As for their trade targets, according to Marc Stein, Kevin Durant will be a top priority. In his latest Stein Line, he said,
“The Heat are frequently forecasted as a team, along with Minnesota, expected to show trade interest this offseason in Phoenix’s Kevin Durant. What sort of clues Riley drops clues about his team-building approach in the wake of a 37-45 campaign and painful first-round playoff sweep inflicted by Cleveland will be of prime interest.”
Since Durant is on an expiring contract and is an aging he could be available for a discount price. Miami’s slew of draft picks and solid young talent could make them a realistic suitor for Durant. Whether they land a star like KD or make improvements around the edges, expect big changes for the Heat this offseason.
Featured image: © Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
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