While the Heat might miss Highsmith in the rotation, the Heat still has several wing players and has a good track record of developing hidden gems to contribute to Miami. But this deal wasn’t about Highsmith and getting him off the team, but it’s about propelling the Heat into the future.

I feel this game was put on the schedule solely because it will be Jimmy Butler returning to Miami to play his former team. Why else would you put this game on television? I don’t commend the NBA placing these televised games so close together, as they could have went with the October 26th matchup for the Knicks, but this was obvious to get Butler’s return to the 305.

But when you begin looking at what Miami has been the last few years, they have lived in the play-in tournament, hovering around the 7-10th best team in the conference. Jimmy Butler elevated the Heat from a play-in team to the NBA Finals, but what fire do the Heat have lit beneath them right now? If you don’t see this team competing, why not try to trade more alluring pieces to a potential contender to build for the future?

Powell averaged a career-high of 21.8 PPG last season with the Clippers and really helped the team in Kawhi Leonard’s absence. But his biggest asset to the team could also be on the heels of Duncan Robinson signing with the Detroit Pistons, as Powell shot 41.8% from 3-point range last season.

The Bucks gave up Holiday and struck this deal, hoping Lillard would be the star to help Giannis earn his second championship. Instead, the Bucks were first-round exits both years of Lillard’s time in Milwaukee.

Robinson is a major blow to the Miami Heat organization, especially fans who loved to watch him play. We saw the writing on the wall this weekend when Robinson exercised his early termination option and joined this free agency class. As much as Heat fans wouldn’t want to admit it, this seems to be a mutual parting of ways.

You would think in this day and age, three-point shooters would be a gem mine and see the floor constantly. That’s the Stephen Curry effect. Yet with Robinson, for whatever reason, he has not found a consistent role in the Heat’s starting lineup.

Davion Mitchell just seems to fit into Miami like a glove. He couldn’t have arrived at a better time. Miami had issues in the point guard room, had little money to address that glaring hole, and needed to find its grit after Jimmy Butler left, who was touted as the definition of Heat culture when he was brought in to be on the team.

The Miami Heat had one sole pick in this week’s NBA Draft: the twentieth overall selection. The Heat needed a true point guard and lucked out with Kasparas Jakucionis falling to Miami at #20. Once a projected lottery selection found himself taking his talents to South Beach, and it’s a perfect match for Miami.

The Miami Heat held back in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, leading to the Houston Rockets swooping in and acquiring Durant from Phoenix. The Suns’ asking price was too high for Miami, but does Pat Riley want to blow this team up?