The Miami Heat on Tuesday traded backup center Dewayne Dedmon and a 2028 second-round pick to the San Antonio Spurs for cash considerations.
The agreement, ahead of Thursday’s 3 p.m. NBA trading deadline, allows the Heat to clear two roster spots below the NBA luxury tax, one to replace Dedmon and another to fill what had been the team’s vacant roster spot on their 15-man roster.
Among the Heat’s options with the opened roster space is converting the two-way contract of undrafted rookie center Orlando Robinson to a standard deal, making him eligible to not only appear in each remaining game of the regular season, but also eligible for the playoffs.
The Heat then could utilize the remaining space gained under the luxury tax as part of another trade by Thursday’s deadline, or in the buyout market.
Among potential additions on the buyout market could be veteran power forward Serge Ibaka, who has been allowed to remain away from the Milwaukee Bucks until he is relocated.
The Heat went from just $200,000 below the punitive luxury tax to almost $5 million below. Previously, they would have been unable to add a 15th player for more than 20 days.
The NBA payout to teams operating below the luxury tax, from the luxury-tax pool of teams operating above the tax, is expected to be between $10 million and $15 million at season’s end.
In addition, the Heat, with the trade, created a $4.7 million trade exception, which they can utilize for up to one year, although it cannot be aggregated with other exceptions or cap space for a player who earns more.
Because the NBA requires teams to receive something in return in all trades, the minimum amount of cash the Spurs were required to send back to the Heat was $110,000. Dedmon has $1.67 million remaining on his 2022-23 salary.
The 2028 pick sent by the Heat has no protections.
The Spurs were able to take on Dedmon’s contract because of their available salary-cap space, with Dedmon potentially to be waived by the Spurs, who have prioritized going with younger players.
The Spurs are operating below the NBA salary-cap floor and either had to take on salary or pay additional salary to their current roster to meet the floor. This trade instead yields them an additional draft choice.
Dedmon has struggled this season in reserve of Bam Adebayo. He then was suspended one game by the Heat for conduct detrimental to the team after exchanging words with coach Erik Spoelstra during the Jan. 10 home victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. He played only one game since, a 12-minute appearance in Saturday night’s road loss to the Bucks, when he was ineffective. Dedmon, 33, also has been dealing with ongoing plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
Dedmon likely would have remained out of the Heat rotation with second-year center Omer Yurtseven returning to contact work last week from his November ankle surgery.
Dedmon signed a two-year, $9 million free-agent contract with the Heat in the offseason, with only this season’s $4.7 million guaranteed. The non-guaranteed second season now likely will be bypassed, with Dedmon expected to return to free agency this summer.
Dedmon initially was signed by the Heat on April 8, 2021, after sitting out most of that season with a knee issue.
