Heat near deadline on Highsmith trade exception

The $5.6 million slot can absorb salary without matching.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Aug 81 min read

What happened: Miami can use the exception to acquire a contract without sending out matching salary. It cannot be combined with another exception to accommodate a larger deal.

Why it matters: The mechanism offers another route to fill one of Miami’s three open roster spots before the 2026-27 season. Letting it expire would remove that flexibility.

By the numbers: The exception has $5.616 million available and expires in mid-August.

What to watch: Watch for Miami to complete a deal before the deadline or allow the exception to lapse.

Sources

Sun Sentinel 2026-08-08T10:09:42.751128+00:00

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NBAAnalysisMiami HeatHaywood Highsmith

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