Miami, FL
Decisions resume for Heat, decisions that could hold the season in the balance
MIAMI – The midseason malaise is undeniable in the NBA, the period between Christmas and the All-Star break. This season, it felt even more pronounced, with the league juicing up the early portion of the schedule with the In-Season Tournament.
But now, except for the lottery languishers, it is go time, a two-month sprint to the playoffs, which now are just eight weeks away.
For the Miami Heat, it resumes in the most challenging fashion, a four-game trip that opens Friday against the New Orleans Pelicans and then concludes in an NBA Finals rematch next Thursday against the Denver Nuggets.
The concern is the questions that remain, from the injury status of Terry Rozier (knee) to Josh Richardson (shoulder), as well as cohesion yet to be fully developed, with 29 lineups having been put into play over the first 15 games, featuring a total of 16 starters.
1. Is the roster finally set?
A. Even with the buyout-market addition of Delon Wright, there appears to be at least one more move that is possible.
Should the Heat waive the contract of Dru Smith ahead of the April 14 regular-season finale, they could add another playoff-eligible player to the postseason roster. Smith, on an expiring contract, is out for the season following December knee surgery.
In fact, if the Heat make such a move by March 3, the deadline for signing a two-way player, they then could add another two-way player into their developmental pipeline.
2. Is the roster complete?
A: That is a subtle difference from the thought above. Moving one of the two-way players to a standard deal, such as Jamal Cain, and adding a two-way player wouldn’t necessarily make the Heat whole.
What this team still lacks is a big body behind Bam Adebayo to wrestle with the biggest of big men in the playoffs, the type of players the Heat added in previous playoff runs in Dewayne Dedmon and Cody Zeller.
Such an addition, if available, could prove prudent considering the size of some of the East competition.
Players waived by other teams by March 1 or those who have not been in the NBA this season beyond 10-day contracts, are eligible to be signed any time before the regular-season finale to be playoff eligible.
3. And the playoff starting lineup will be?
A: Beyond Adebayo, Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro, it could prove fluid.
That even could be the case with Rozier after he returns from his knee strain. Should Erik Spoelstra initially play Rozier off the bench upon his return, it would allow for experimentation without the look of a demotion.
The third wing beyond Herro and Butler could wind up being a defender (Caleb Martin?) or a spacer (Duncan Robinson?).
As for power forward, that could well prove to be matchup based, since you might not go the same way in the playoffs against Jayson Tatum as Giannis Antetokounmpo at the four.
4. Will the play-in be avoided?
A: That well could come down to the final two games of the season, a pair of matchups at Kaseya Center against the Toronto Raptors, who could be thoroughly disinterested by then.
But the single biggest factor in the equation of play-in or no play-in likely will be how much Butler pushes himself through a closing schedule that still has five remaining back-to-back sets, all of which involve travel.
So pace himself to the regular-season finish line?
Or push to be guaranteed at least five days off the week of April 14 as others compete in the play-in bracket?
5. What will be the swing votes when it comes to the final record?
A: Three games remain against the Detroit Pistons; those must be maximized. There also are two games apiece remaining against the Portland Trail Blazers, Washington Wizards and Raptors, as well as single games against the back-end-of-the-standings Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets. Victories in those 11 (although nothing with this Heat team can be assumed), would assure at least 41 wins.
From there, anything else in the other 16 remaining games would get the Heat above .500. The question is, to what degree? Last season it took 45-37 to secure No. 6, the spot above the play-in bracket, with a similar win percentage currently holding that spot this season.
Miami, FL
Cain, Kushner launch South Florida JV with plans for Edgewater rental tower
Cain and Kushner are launching a South Florida real estate joint venture, planning a luxury apartment tower in Edgewater for their first project, The Real Deal has learned.
London-based Cain, led by Jonathan Goldstein, and New York-based Kushner, led by Laurent Morali and Nicole Kushner Meyer, plan a 40-story, 364-unit project on Cain’s 1.5-acre site at 614 and 720 Northeast 27th Street in Miami, according to a news release. The property is near the Missoni Baia condo tower that Cain co-developed with Vlad Doronin’s OKO Group.
BDT & MSD Partners provided a $42 million loan for the project, which is in the pre-development phase. Construction is expected to start late next year, the release says.
The Cain-Kushner JV is targeting residential and mixed-use investments and developments in the tri-county region.
“We are looking at all opportunities that we think are sensible,” Goldstein said.
Their South Florida JV comes as the region is experiencing another influx of out-of-staters after the pandemic-era boom, only this time the in-migration is primarily of wealthy individuals and their companies amid the blue-to-red-state migration.
Yet, Cain and Kushner’s plans for Edgewater apartments come as the multifamily market has softened due to hefty deliveries in recent years. A record 18,600 units were completed in 2024, outpacing leasing that year by about 20 percent, CoStar Group data shows. Although construction starts have slowed, last year’s 12,718 unit completions still surpassed total leasing for the year by about 1,000 apartments.
It has led to slower lease-ups, more concessions and a drop in the average asking rents across South Florida.
Developers starting projects now have said demand will catch up by the time they finish their buildings, with many adding that South Florida remains a strong apartment market. Many are betting on luxury rentals, which CoStar’s data showed made up the bulk of leasing in recent years.
“We are big believers in South Florida and big believers in Miami,” Goldstein said.
Cain, backed by Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries, has been investing in South Florida for nearly a decade, with the JV in some ways marking its second chapter in the region.
Cain’s most recent project is the Delano Miami Beach renovation. The hotel, which closed in 2020, is expected to reopen in time for the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix early next month.
Aside from the Missoni Baia condo tower, Cain also partnered with OKO on the Una Residences condo tower in Brickell and the 57-story 830 Brickell office tower. The office building was completed in 2024 fully pre-leased, catching a demand surge during the pandemic-era in-migration of out-of-state companies to Miami. Cain also is an investor in Doronin’s hospitality firm Aman Group.
Kushner has a presence in Miami’s Edgewater, completing the 37-story, 420-unit apartment tower at 2000 Biscayne Boulevard in 2024, with plans for more residential development next-door at 1900 Biscayne Boulevard. It also purchased the 276-unit Hamilton apartment building at 555 Northeast 34th Street from Aimco.
Elsewhere, Kushner plans a 932-unit multifamily development at 300 West Broward Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. It borrowed a $115 million construction loan last year for a luxury 68-unit apartment project in Surfside. And it scored approval in October for a 470-unit rental building and synagogue development near Hollywood’s Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
Cain scores $4B financing for One Beverly Hills megaproject
Development
South Florida
Natiivo Fort Lauderdale site heads to auction after $26M foreclosure judgment
Development
South Florida
Cain’s Jonathan Goldstein on his next Miami project, the branded condo bandwagon and Brickell’s office market
Read more
Miami, FL
May a steadying presence as Cards hold off Marlins in Miami
The right-hander consistently set the tone early, either landing a first-pitch strike or inducing a foul
Miami, FL
Ranking the Miami Heat’s Top Trade Targets
The Miami Heat are heading into another crucial offseason, and they MUST make changes. This team has been mediocre for the past few seasons and has been stuck in the Play-in Tournament. The Heat can’t currently compete with the way the roster is constructed. They need to trade for a star who can lead this team, and if a star becomes available, Miami will be involved. The real question is which direction actually makes the most sense.
The Heat could go after three potential targets this summer: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, and Donovan Mitchell. Who should Miami target? Let’s stack rank them based on fit, risk, and potential.
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo: The Only Move That Changes Everything
The Miami Heat need to go all-in for Giannis. This is a trade that would completely reshape the franchise. Giannnis could potentially turn the Heat into a contender overnight. Even with his recent injury cutting his season short, nothing about his overall impact has changed. He still bends defenses in a way very few players can. Teams build entire game plans around simply trying to slow him down, and most of the time, it doesn’t work.
The Miami Heat have desperately needed a true superstar who can take over games late in crunch time. The Heat have been relying on undrafted players and role players to create and execute their offense. Giannis flips that instantly by creating advantages on his own, possession after possession.
I think the most interesting part will be pairing Giannis with Bam Adebayo. They would automatically become the best defensive frontcourt duo in the NBA. Giannis and Bam could both guard 1-5, and their switchability and rim protection would be elite. Offensively, Bam’s versatility allows Giannis to stay aggressive without needing to adjust his game too much.
The risk is obvious. Injuries have started to creep into the conversation, and committing everything to one player always carries weight. Still, Miami has never been a franchise that plays it safe. If Giannis is available, the conversation starts and ends there.
2. Donovan Mitchell: The Cleanest Basketball Fit
If Giannis is the bold swing, Mitchell is the move that makes the most basketball sense from top to bottom. At this stage of his career, Donovan Mitchell knows exactly who he is as a player. He can control tempo, create offense in isolation, and take over stretches of games when things stall out and that is something Miami has struggled with consistently.
This is less about transforming the roster and more about fixing a specific problem. The Heat have lacked a reliable perimeter engine. Mitchell fills that gap immediately. What makes him especially appealing is how easily he fits into different lineups. He doesn’t need the ball every possession to be effective, but he can handle that role when needed. That flexibility matters on a team that values structure as much as Miami does.
There’s also a timeline advantage here. Mitchell is younger than the other options and doesn’t come with the same long-term durability concerns. He gives Miami a clearer runway to build around, rather than a shorter window that demands immediate results. He may not bring the same overwhelming presence as Giannis, but he raises the overall level of the team in a way that feels sustainable.
3. Kawhi Leonard: Elite Talent With Too Many Variables
When Kawhi Leonard is available and healthy, he’s still one of the most controlled and efficient players in the league. His season with the Los Angeles Clippers was a reminder of that. Playing 65 games was a big step, and when he was on the floor, he looked like himself, methodical, physical, and impossible to speed up. From a pure basketball standpoint, he fits Miami’s identity. He defends, doesn’t force offense, and thrives in structured environments.
The hesitation comes from everything outside of that. Kawhi’s availability has been unpredictable for years, and even in seasons where he plays a high number of games, there’s always uncertainty about how things will hold up deep into a playoff run. Age adds another layer. Miami wouldn’t just be trading for a player; they’d be betting on a timeline that may already be shrinking. There’s no denying the upside. A healthy Kawhi still moves the needle in a big way. It’s just harder to justify that gamble compared to the other two options.
Final Take
Each path offers something different. Giannis is the all-in swing that could put Miami back in the championship conversation overnight. Mitchell is the calculated move that stabilizes the offense and fits long-term. Kawhi is the wildcard, still elite, but with more uncertainty than the Heat can comfortably ignore.
If Miami is serious about breaking out of the middle, they need to pick a direction and commit fully. Giannis is the dream, Mitchell is the smartest bet, and Kawhi is the toughest sell.
Follow
-
Rhode Island6 seconds agoR.I. grandparents fighting for visits with 4-year-old granddaughter rest their case – The Boston Globe
-
South-Carolina5 minutes agoSuspect dead, SC deputy critically injured after traffic stop shooting
-
South Dakota12 minutes ago
SD Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for April 22, 2026
-
Tennessee18 minutes agoPopular Tennessee fisheries program reaches 10,000-mark milestone – WBBJ TV
-
Texas24 minutes agoNeighbors rally after North Texas hostage apologizes for 24-hour standoff
-
Utah30 minutes agoLionel Messi makes Utah debut as Inter Miami defeats Real Salt Lake 2-0
-
Vermont36 minutes ago
VT Lottery Gimme 5, Pick 3 results for April 22, 2026
-
Virginia42 minutes agoChemical leak at a West Virginia plant kills 2 people and sends 19 to hospital, officials say