The Miami Heat should prepare to lose one, or both, of Caleb Martin and Haywood Highsmith in free agency.
While the Heat would likely love to retain Martin and Highsmith, the front office simply can’t compete with the offers of other teams. HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported on the latest destinations for Martin, which provides a bit of good news for Miami’s front office.
“Over the past several days, the Philadelphia 76ers had discussions with Martin’s representation, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto wrote. “During those conversations, Philadelphia came away believing Martin was holding out for more money elsewhere on the market. Yet, the 76ers remain interested in signing him until Martin is off the market, league sources said.”
If there’s no organization prepared to offer Martin his desired contract, a return to the Heat on a short-term deal is within the realm of possibilities. This situation takes place nearly every offseason, where a player bets on themselves in free agency but cannot find the expected market. Martin was a major reason for the Heat’s 2023 NBA Finals appearance, as he was arguably the most important player in the Eastern Conference Finals.
If unable to sign Martin, Scotto reported on the Sixers’ interest in another Heat forward, writing, “While trying to sign Martin, the 76ers have also expressed interest in his teammate, Haywood Highsmith, with their cap space.”
The Heat are in the upper echelon of active cap space, meaning retaining Highsmith as well seems almost impossible.
Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Inside the Heat. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.
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