Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Miami linked to Griffin after Pistons buyout
Even with buyout season delayed this year due to the NBA’s revised 2020-21 calendar, an option already is at hand for the Miami Heat and the rest of the league, with Blake Griffin agreeing to a buyout with the Detroit Pistons.
Griffin will clear waivers Sunday, free then to sign with the team of his choice.
The Heat, who have lacked quality depth in their power rotation, have several mechanisms they could utilize for signing the 31-year-old former All-Star, from the $2.6 million veteran minimum to their $3.6 million biannual salary-cap exception to the $4.7 million disabledplayer exception recently received from the NBA for the season-ending shoulder surgery of center Meyers Leonard.
The Heat cannot aggregate those exceptions for a signing, nor can they utilize the $7.5 million trade exception, which expires March 24 and only can be used in a trade.
Griffin received a buyout from the $36.9 million due this season and his $39 million player option for next season.
With the Heat at the NBA 15-player roster limit (not counting two-way players Gabe Vincent and Max Strus), a player would have to be released to accommodate the addition of Griffin or any other player.
The New York Times reported Friday that the Heat along with the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors are among the teams with interest. ESPN has reported interest from Griffin in the Heat, as well as the Nets, Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers.
The Athletic, however, has reported the Nets stand as the front-runners, with Brooklyn the expected landing spot.
The Heat have struggled to find consistency in their power rotation beyond center Bam Adebayo. Kelly Olynyk has solidified the starting power rotation in recent weeks, with the Heat otherwise this season having cycled through rookie Precious Achiuwa, secondyear KZ Okpala and veteran Moe Harkless.
Chris Silva and Udonis Haslem also are part of the Heat’s power rotation but have not been utilized. Then there is Leonard, who received nominal playing time before his season-ending injury in early January.
Acquired by the Pistons in 2018 to be the face of the franchise, Griffin has struggled with injuries, at the toll of much of his explosiveness. He tailed off to averages of 12.3 points and 5.2 rebounds this season, shooting 36.5% from the field and 31.5 on 3-pointers before being pulled from Detroit’s rotation in mid-February.
Buyout season typically comes after the NBA trading deadline, which this season was shifted from its traditional place in February to March 25.
The Pistons, however, had no prospect of trading Griffin because of his salary and sharp decline.
Safety first
Even with a week off for the All-Star break, Heat players and the rest of the league will remain subject to daily coronavirus testing, with the NBA allowing players to test in nearby NBA cities or through a remote-testing contractor.
The Heat already have been informed of several NBA players traveling to South Florida for the break, with plans to test at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said responsibility cannot wane during the break.
“I think that goes without saying,” he said. “I think there’s been enough things that have happened so far in this first half of the season that have caused everybody to be on ultra alert and continue to be even more vigilant on all the protocols.”