The Miami Heat find themselves down 2-1 in the NBA Finals heading into Friday’s home date with the Denver Nuggets.
Miami is in must-win mode after dropping Game 3 against Denver Wednesday evening. Regardless of what happens moving forward in the series, front office head Pat Riley and Co. have decisions to make this summer.
That includes the futures of role players Gabe Vincent and Max Strus, both of whom are headed for unrestricted free agency. The two have played vital roles in Miami’s stunning postseason success, upping their values in a big way.
An unnamed NBA front office executive went as far to tell Darren Rovell of The Action Network that each could receive $15 million per season on the open market.
Talk about a potential quagmire for the Miami Heat. They are already slated to be over the NBA luxury tax in 2023-24 with Jimmy Butler ($45.18 million), Bam Adebayo ($32.6), Kyle Lowry ($29.68) and Tyler Herro ($27) heading things. Vincent and Strus earned just $1.8 million each this past season. This would represent a significant raise for both players.
Related: Max Strus and Duncan Robinson have stayed resilient for the Miami Heat
Will Miami Heat be active in re-signing role players in free agency?
Despite Miami being three wins from the NBA title, we’re already hearing rumors about Riley going big-game hunting during the summer. One seven-time All-Star has been bandied about on a near never-ending loop.
If that were to come to fruition, the probability of re-signing either Vincent or Strus decreases significantly. Their markets are also going to play a huge role when free agency opens up next month. At 27, Strus is just now hitting his prime. Vincent will also soon turn 27.
- Max Strus stats (NBA Playoffs): 9.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 41% shooting
- Gabe Vincent (NBA Playoffs): 13.6 PPG, 3.7 APG, 40% 3-point shooting
As noted above, both have done themselves some financial favors during Miami’s postseason run. It’s going to be interesting to see how the market receives them and whether the Miami Heat are willing to match likely offers.