The NBA never stands still

Utah makes move before Heat-Hayward meeting

The pursuit of Gordon Hayward is getting more complicated.

NBA free agency moves fast, so fast that even before it started one element apparently disappeared from the equation.

More than two hours before the midnight start of the NBA’s free-agency negotiating period, multiple outlets reported Friday night that forward Blake Griffin, a leading man in this year’s free-agent class, had agreed to remain with the Los Angeles Clippers for a five-year contract worth approximately $175 million.

Griffin had met with the Clippers’ staff earlier in the day and opted for the extra year that only the Clippers were able to offer. The decision by Griffin to stay came two days after the Clippers dealt Chris Paul to the Houston Rockets, in the wake of Paul’s vow to otherwise depart as a free agent.

For the Miami Heat, it was yet another twist in advance of the start of free agency negotiations, before their scheduled Saturday meeting with Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward.

As the clockticked toward that midnight start of free agency, the Utah Jazz utilized their remaining space from the league’s 2016-17 salary-cap calendar in a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves for point guard Ricky Rubio.

For Heat President Pat Riley, it now means attempting to sell the benefits of

playing with Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic as opposed to Rudy Gobert and Rubio, who was acquired for a 2018 first-round pick.

The Heat’s meeting with Hayward will feature Riley, General Manager Andy Elisburg, coach Erik Spoelstra and CEO Nick Arison, with former Heat center and current executive Alonzo Mourning also expected to be part of the presentation.

All the while, looming in the shadows are the Boston Celtics, the third prime suitor for Hayward, who are expected to attempt to lure Hayward with a vow of also adding additional pieces.

One of the pieces apparently won’t be Paul George, with late word Friday of George instead being dealt by the Indiana Pacers to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Hayward will follow Saturday’s meeting with the Heat with sessions with the Celtics and then the Jazz on Monday.

That timetable could leave the Heat and their $35 million cap stash in limbo, as the clock ticks away on other possibilities.

Foremost, there is the Heat’s holding pattern with their own free agents, with James Johnson and Dion Waiters standing as a Riley fallback position. The Heat have an advantage with Johnson, who, like Hayward, is represented by agent Mark Bartelstein, therefore positioned for a more patient approach.

The free-agent list continued to grow just hours before the start of the league’s annual free-forall, with veterans Rajon Rondo, Mike Dunleavy and Gerald Henderson waived before their 2017-18 salaries would have become guaranteed.

Rondo’s release by the Chicago Bulls leaves former Heat guard Dwyane Wade essentially as the last veteran standing on that roster. Wade has been linked to a buyout of the final season of his contract amid that makeover.

As for the Heat, Riley a week ago curiously omitted a letter when discussing the free-agency whirlwind.

“We have a plan. We have a Plan A. And we have a Plan B,” he said. “There’ s no D,E, For G .”

Plan C, though, might be coming to light, with an Eastern Conference official saying he would not be surprised if the Heat reprise the play they made for power forward Serge Ibaka before February’s NBA trading deadline.

Ibaka long has held a fascination for the Heat because of an offensive game that takes opposing defenders to the perimeter, and a defensive game capable of deterrence at the rim.

Ibaka was dealt from the Orlando Magic to the Toronto Raptors at midseason, with the Raptors allowed to exceed the salary cap to re-sign Ibaka because of the Bird Rights that accompanied him in his trades from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Magic and then to the Raptors.

The Raptors, who dealt promising forward Terrence Ross to the Magic to obtain Ibaka, are expected to make a major push to retain Ibaka. However, should Toronto lose point guard Kyle Lowry in free agency, with the Timberwolves now a potential suitor, it might lead to a Raptors rebuild that has Ibaka shaking free.

While free-agency negotiations are allowed starting July 1, teams are not allowed to sign agreements until the conclusion of the NBA signing moratorium at noon on July 6.