Heat Surrender Draft Control Through 2028

By the Heat Nightly Desk · Sunday, September 27

Miami's payroll sits at $210.5M, above the $209.0M first apron and the $200.4M luxury tax line, with Ian Schieffelin's September 27 arrival adding to books already committed for years. Every first-round pick before 2029 carries a protection, a swap, or another team's name on it, leaving the front office with money to manage and little draft capital to change course.

Above The Line

The books read $210.5M, clear of the $200.4M luxury tax line and past the $209.0M first apron by $1.5M. Ian Schieffelin's addition on September 27 didn't change that math; the number already sat above the line before he signed.

Five Deals, Most Money

Giannis Antetokounmpo carries $58.5M, the single largest number on the sheet. Bam Adebayo follows at $49.8M, Wiggins at $30.2M on a player option, Jovic at $16.2M, and Portis at $14.5M. Those five account for most of what pushed Miami past the apron.

Expiring This Year

Davion Mitchell's $12.4M, Tim Hardaway Jr.'s $6.5M, and smaller deals for Dru Smith, Simone Fontecchio, Nick Richards, Bez Mbeng and J'Vonne Hadley all disappear from next season's sheet, none of them carried forward into 2027-28. That's real space opening up, whenever the front office chooses to use it.

Picks Owed Out

The 2027 first is protected to Charlotte, the 2028 first conditional to the same team, and the 2028 second conditional to Detroit. Seconds in 2027, 2029 and 2030 all carry swap language, and so does the 2030 first. Miami doesn't control a clean first-rounder of its own until 2029, and even the 2029 second is a swap.

Bottom Line

A payroll above the first apron and a pick sheet mortgaged through 2028 don't leave much room to negotiate. Whatever Miami becomes this season has to come from the players already in camp, not from a trade the front office can't afford to make, and not from draft capital it doesn't have to spend.

Are the Heat over the salary cap for 2026-27?

Yes. Miami's payroll is $210.5M, above the $209.0M first apron and the $200.4M luxury tax line.

When do the Heat next control their own first-round pick?

Not until 2029. The 2027 and 2028 firsts are tied to Charlotte, and the picks in between carry swap language.