Mickey a free agent as Heat decline option

MIAMI — The Miami Heat have declined their $1.6 million option for 2018-19 on forward Jordan Mickey, making him a free agent, the team confirmed Thursday.

Mickey, signed as a free agent last summer, appeared in 23 games during the regular season, including three starts. He did not appear in the playoffs, on the team’s inactive list for all five games against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Mickey becomes the fifth free agent from the Heat’s 2017-18 season-ending roster, joining Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem, Luke Babbitt and Wayne Ellington.

The Heat also must decide whether to make qualifying offers on twoway players Derrick Jones Jr. and Derrick Walton Jr. by the end of June, which would make them restricted free agents.

The Heat not only are projected to be over next season’s salary cap, but also on the edge of the luxury tax. Mickey could potentially be re-signed to a contract that would present a lesser cap and tax hit.

A second-round pick by the Boston Celtics out of LSU in 2015, Mickey, 23, split his previous two seasons between the Celtics and their developmentalleague affiliate, the Maine Red Claws.

Even with the free agency of Mickey, Haslem and Babbitt, the Heat have considerable depth in their power rotation, when counting Hassan Whiteside, Bam Adebayo, Kelly Olynyk and James Johnson, with Justise Winslow also having been utilized at the position.

The Heat, who do not hold a selection in the June 21 NBA draft, currently have 10 players under contract for next season: Whiteside, Adebayo, Olynyk, Winslow, James Johnson, Tyler Johnson, Josh Richardson, Goran Dragic, Dion Waiters and Rodney McGruder.

NBA free agency begins July 1.

Teams may carry a maximum of 20 players during the offseason and a maximum of 15 during the regular season, plus up to two players on two-way contracts.

Teams are allowed to begin making trades once their seasons conclude, leaving only the four teams in the conference finals currently off limits to make deals.

The opening of an additional roster spot could provide flexibility for the Heat in trades prior to the June 30 close of the 2017-18 salary-cap year.

AP/FILE Jordan Mickey, signed as a free agent last summer, appeared in 23 games in the regular season, including three starts.