Miami Heat roster: how it stands today and for next season

The emotional return of Dwyane Wade to South Beach reshapes the Miami Heat roster going into the All-Star break. Where does it stand today according to spotrac?

POINT GUARD

Goran Dragic - signed for next season, player option 2019-20

SHOOTING GUARD

Dion Waiters - injured, will return sometime next season

Dwyane Wade - unrestricted free agent July 2018

Wayne Ellington - unrestricted free agent July 2018

Rodney McGruder - signed for next season, restricted free agent July 2019

Josh Richardson - salary jumps to $9.4 million next season; signed through 2021-22

Tyler Johnson - salary jumps to $18.9 million next season; signed through 2019-20

SMALL FORWARD

Justise Winslow - signed for next season, restricted free agent in 2019

Luke Babbitt - unrestricted free agent July 2018

POWER FORWARD

James Johnson - signed for next season, player option 2020-21

Bam Adebayo - signed for next season, team option 2019-20 and 2020-21

Udonis Haslem - unrestricted free agent July 2018

Jordan Mickey - team option for 2018-19

CENTER

Hassan Whiteside - signed for next season, player option for 2019-20

Kelly Olynyk - signed for next season, player option for 2020-21

TWO-WAY CONTRACTS

Derrick Walton Jr.

Derrick Jones Jr.

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FREE AGENTS 2018-19

Dwyane Wade

Udonis Haslem

Wayne Ellington

Luke Babbitt

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The release of A.J. Hammons and trade of Okaro White to the Atlanta Hawks leaves Dion Waiters as the only unavailable player due to injury on the Miami Heat roster after the All-Star break. The expected return of McGruder gives the team a mostly healthy squad for last 24 games of the season.

Expect Wade and Dragic to share most of ball-handling duties during the last two months, with the wings chipping in as needed. Coach Erik Spoelstra has a lot of flexibility to mix and match players depending on minutes played, the opponent’s lineup, the power rotation on the floor, foul trouble considerations, etc.

The win against the Milwaukee Bucks showed small lineups can be exploited. The loss against the Houston Rockets showed the need for world-class ball handlers. The Heat identity will always be defense, and healthy roster could provide large doses of it.

Going from 8 healthy players to potentially 10 or more available ones after the break means some players will see reduced minutes, and hopefully feel less fatigued down the stretch. The waiver wire and buyouts could provide some changes before March 1, so stay tuned for possible revisions.