Exploring potential Heat trade fits among Western Conference teams. And Heat injury news

NBA trades become easier on Friday, when about 80 players signed during the summer become available to be dealt. For the Heat, that group includes Thomas Bryant, Josh Richardson and Orlando Robinson.

Nevertheless, December NBA trades are rare, and if the Heat eventually makes a move, it’s a lot more likely to happen close to the Feb. 8 trade deadline.

In Part 1 of this three-part series, we explored factors for the Heat to consider with potential trades.

In Part 2 today, we explore potential trade fits among Western Conference teams.

▪ Utah: Combo guard Collin Sexton, 24, would give the Heat quickness at point guard, something lacking on the roster beyond two-way player R.J. Hampton. But it’s questionable if Miami would consider taking on the remaining 2 1/2 years of his contract, at $17.3 million, $18.1 million, $18.9 million.

Sexton has been playing his best ball of the season in the past week, with games of 20, 26 and 27 points, with 13 assists and four turnovers.

Overall, though, he has gone from averaging 24.3 points and 35.3 minutes and shooting 37.1 percent on threes for Cleveland in 2020-21 to averaging 13.8 points and 21.5 minutes and shooting 33.3 percent on threes for a bad Utah team this season. And his career assist to turnover ratio (3.2 to 2.3) isn’t good.

Sexton and expiring contracts of Kelly Olynyk or Talen Horton-Tucker for Lowry’s expiring deal and something else of value would work within the cap. But it would leave the Heat with just $4 million to $10 million in space under the luxury tax line next summer, leaving Miami with little flexibility to re-sign Caleb Martin.

Would the Jazz consider bottoming out (even further) and dealing sweet-shooting 7-footer Lauri Markkanen, who’s averaging 23.7 points and shooting 38.3 percent on thees? He’s due $17 million this season and $18 million next season on a value contract, then becomes eligible for a five-year Jazz extension in the $250 million range.

“While there has been no tangible evidence that Utah’s stance on Markkanen has changed,” Substack’s Marc Stein wrote, “there is a rising belief... that a team or two out there is actively planning to test Utah’s resolve this season by making an offer for the Finnish power forward.”

Atlanta, Sacramento and Oklahoma City have the strongest interest in Markkanen, according to Yahoo.

Even if the Jazz considered trading him, the Jazz would want a ransom back.

As ESPN’s Zach Lowe said recently: “It feels like we’re almost seeing the peak of Lauri Markkanen and I mean that as a play initiator and creator for others…he’s averaging 1.6 assists and 1.7 turnovers a game. He may be, and this is totally fine, an all star who doesn’t ever crack All-NBA. That’s a good player; it’s not a great great player…They have a million draft picks, we all know that. Their own draft picks may be the most valuable of the million draft picks they own…

“I would just love to have a couple of drinks with their front office…What do you think you have here? How worried are you that you don’t have the foundational piece yet? What does it amount to?”

▪ Los Angeles Clippers:

Though Kyle Lowy was linked to the Clippers in February, Los Angeles doesn’t need another point guard now, with James Harden and Russell Westbrook subsequently added.

PJ Tucker, who has an $11.5 million player option for next season, isn’t being used much, but a Heat reunion wouldn’t make much sense at this point.

The Clippers are starting to play very well, and it’s difficult to imagine anything happening before the trade deadline that would motivate the Clippers to move on from impending free agents Paul George or Kawhi Leonard, who has looking like the Leonard of old.

And any team acquiring either aging star would need to be prepared to give them max money or close to it, anyway.

▪ San Antonio:

ESPN’s Marc Spears speculated that the Spurs might be open to trading Keldon Johnson, who is averaging 17.2 points and 6.1 rebounds and shoots 37 percent on threes. The contract is affordable, at $19 million next season and $17.5 million the following two.

The 6-5 Johnson, an inconsistent defender, is mostly a shooting guard and small forward but could play power forward in some lineups. Johnson and Doug McDermott’s expiring contract in exchange for Lowry and Nikola Jovic and another piece would be a purely hypothetical package that would have potential to work within cap restrictions.

A first-round pick and potentially more likely would be required of Miami. And the Heat might be motivated to hold onto its first-round assets for a trade for an All Star, if another shakes free in the trade market.

The lottery-bound Spurs have expiring deals of McDermott ($13.7 million) and Cedi Osman ($6.7 million), and Devonte Graham and Tre Jones could potentially be there for the taking.

But Graham - making $12.1 million this season and due $12.6 million next season - has dealt with a quad injury and appeared in only three games; he’s not worth that money.

Neither is point guard Jones, a career 27.9 percent three-point shooting making $9 million this season and $9.1 million next season.

▪ Memphis: The disappointing Grizzlies likely will need several weeks to assess their team once Ja Morant returns from NBA suspension; he’s set to make his season debut on Tuesday.

If they’re still struggling badly in February, perhaps they would re-assess the offseason move for Marcus Smart, who’s due $19.7 million next season and $21 million the following season.

But that’s purely hypothetical, and a deal built around Lowry and another asset wouldn’t work for cap reasons, without Memphis sending more money back.

▪ Portland:

Though Malcolm Brogdon would be an upgrade, there’s a big problem with any Brogdon hypothetical:

The math doesn’t work, at least not easily, with Brogdon due $22.5 million this season and next season and Lowry at close to $30 million. Portland doesn’t have a (realistic) contract to make the math work for Brogdon in exchange for Lowry and something else (Jovic?)

Though Portland ghosted the Heat in the Damian Lillard trade talks, the Heat and Blazers did speak about Jrue Holiday before he was shipped to Boston. So if there’s a pathway to any future deals, I doubt the Lillard talks would permanently sever the relationship between the teams.

▪ Golden State: Even if the Warriors decide to make major changes before the trade deadline (as opposed to during the summer), there doesn’t seem a Heat fit. Flipping Lowry for Chris Paul — which works from a cap standpoint — accomplishes nothing meaningful for either party.

It’s unlikely the Warriors would make available their two good young players, Jonathan Kuminga or Moses Moody, for anything less than a top player.

Andrew Wiggins has badly regressed and isn’t worth the $26 million, $28 million and $30 million he’s due the three seasons after this one. Klay Thompson’s expiring $43 million deal would be of no value to Miami.

INJURY UPDATE

The Heat ruled out Bam Adebayo (hip) and Tyler Herro (ankle) for Saturday’s game against Chicago at Kaseya Center (8 p.m., Bally Sports Sun).

Herro, who will miss an 18th consecutive game, said he is targeting Monday at home against Minnesota or Wednesday at Orlando to make his return. Adebayo is expected back later this month.

Haywood Highsmith, who had been dealing with a lower back contusion, is expected back Saturday. Josh Richardson — who missed the past two games - is also expected to be available Saturday.