Few had the 2022-23 Miami Heat as one of the two final teams paying into June, but the squad exceeded nearly all expectations before falling to the champion Denver Nuggets in five games.
The arrival of the league’s new collective bargaining agreement, coinciding with the start of Herro’s extension, immediately puts Miami in a difficult spot.
If keeping Herro is the goal, Duncan Robinson and Oladipo would be the first step to a reasonable set of books.
Not to mention the price teams would exact to help the Heat out of their financial puzzle.
Teams that project to have significant cap space that might be able to take Herro off Miami’s hands include the Detroit Pistons, Oklahoma City Thunder, Rockets, Pacers, Magic, Spurs and Jazz.
Still, the Heat have some ammunition should a star player become available, depending on Herro’s market .
A deal built around Herro, Martin and Oladipo would boost Miami’s payroll even higher and a massive tax bill nearing $200 million .
The Heat could shop for a star, but the team needs to trim payroll while maintaining its surprisingly-effective depth.