Media personality Bill Simmons believes the Miami Heat are in a steady decline since they lost out on Damian Lillard during free agency last summer.

“Ever since the Dame trade fell apart, I don’t know where this team is now,” Simmons said Monday morning on his podcast. “There is no way they are a top 7 team in the East right now.”

Simmons also believes the Heat will suffer from the loss of Caleb Martin to the Philadelphia 76ers. He signed for less money with the Sixers than what was originally offered by the Heat.

“People on the Miami side, the Miami media are mad,” Simmons said. “He turned down 5 for 65 (million). it was a tough beat for Heat Culture.”

Simmons went on to say, however, you can never count Miami out of pulling a rabbit from a hat.

“They usually have that one big splashy trade, no one saw coming. The one I didn’t see coming,” Simmons said. But, to me they look like a play-in team or a nine-seed. I just don’t know what they are up to.”

Simmons blames part of the fact Miami is not signing free agents or making trades this summer due to Tyler Herro’s overloaded contract.

“Nobody wants Herro’s contract,” Simmons said. “Tyler Herro is not as good as Tyler Maxey. Herro has no trade value. He has even less than he had last year.”

Scott Salomon is a contributor to Inside the Heat. He can be reached at scottsalomon67@gmail.com.

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