The Miami Heat should prepare to lose one, or both, of Caleb Martin and Haywood Highsmith in free agency.

While the Heat would likely love to retain Martin and Highsmith, the front office simply can’t compete with the offers of other teams. HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported on the latest destinations for Martin, which provides a bit of good news for Miami’s front office.

“Over the past several days, the Philadelphia 76ers had discussions with Martin’s representation, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto wrote. “During those conversations, Philadelphia came away believing Martin was holding out for more money elsewhere on the market. Yet, the 76ers remain interested in signing him until Martin is off the market, league sources said.”

If there’s no organization prepared to offer Martin his desired contract, a return to the Heat on a short-term deal is within the realm of possibilities. This situation takes place nearly every offseason, where a player bets on themselves in free agency but cannot find the expected market. Martin was a major reason for the Heat’s 2023 NBA Finals appearance, as he was arguably the most important player in the Eastern Conference Finals.

If unable to sign Martin, Scotto reported on the Sixers’ interest in another Heat forward, writing, “While trying to sign Martin, the 76ers have also expressed interest in his teammate, Haywood Highsmith, with their cap space.”

The Heat are in the upper echelon of active cap space, meaning retaining Highsmith as well seems almost impossible.

Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Inside the Heat. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.

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This Saturday at 7:30 pm ET, FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami will clash in an epic showdown set to shake the foundations of the MLS. Broadcast live on Apple TV – MLS Season Pass, this isn’t just any game; it’s a battle of titans that could define the season’s trajectory.

Inter Miami has been the team to beat. Under Tata Martino’s leadership, they’ve racked up an impressive 47 points, topping both the Supporters’ Shield and the Eastern Conference. Even without stars Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, who are representing their countries in the Copa América, the team hasn’t skipped a beat. Four consecutive 2-1 victories show that the machine is well-oiled.

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On the other side of the pitch, we find the formidable FC Cincinnati, the current Supporters’ Shield champions. Led by the brilliant Luciano Acosta, who has already tallied 9 goals and 15 assists this season, Cincinnati means business. The Argentine, MLS MVP in 2023, is a true playmaking and finishing machine. Additionally, the return of USMNT defender Miles Robinson adds an extra layer of solidity to the team’s defense. Just two points behind the leader, Cincinnati is entering the field with fire in their eyes, ready to take the lead.

But hold on, it’s not all smooth sailing for Inter Miami. The team will be missing two key players: Jordi Alba and Diego Gómez, both suspended due to accumulated yellow cards. This could be a tough blow for Martino, who will need to tweak his strategy to compensate for these losses. However, if there’s one thing we’ve learned this season, it’s that underestimating Inter Miami is a grave mistake.

Inter Miami, with their upward trajectory and talent-laden roster, faces their biggest test yet. FC Cincinnati, determined to prove their success was no fluke, aims to solidify their top position. The two teams have distinct but equally effective playing styles.

Coaches play a crucial role here. Tata Martino, with his vast experience, knows that a game like this demands more than tactics; it requires heart and emotional intelligence. On the other hand, Cincinnati’s leadership must be surgical in exploiting the weaknesses of a depleted yet resilient Inter Miami.

So, what can we expect from this clash of giants? Will the absence of Messi and Suárez make a difference? Can Inter Miami maintain their momentum without Jordi Alba and Diego Gómez? And FC Cincinnati—will Luciano Acosta continue his brilliant season and lead his team to victory?

MIAMI — A 13-year-old boy was rushed to the hospital early Friday morning after he was struck by what appeared to be stray bullets the night of the Fourth of July.

Ljamyn Gray Jr. was brought into the hospital with a non-life-threatening bullet wound in his shoulder.

“My arm felt heavy and I looked at it and saw blood,” he told CBS News Miami.

Gray Jr. said he was with his friend on Independence Day when they were watching the fireworks near the apartment complex where he lives at Northwest 72nd Street and 14th Avenue. He was then shot at around 11:18 p.m., Miami-Dade Police told CBS News Miami.

“I ran to my dad and he pulled the bullet out,” Grey Jr. said.

“He came running around the corner, upstairs to me because I was sitting on the stairs in front of my porch,” said Ljamyn Gray Sr., the boy’s father. “He was like ‘Dad, something hit me in the arm!’”

When Gray Sr. took a closer look at his son’s injury, he saw the blood and found the bullet.

Video shared with CBS News Miami shows the Grays in the living room, tending to his wound with fireworks still exploding in the background, when the family decided to bring him to the hospital.

“It could have been a lot worse,” Gray Sr. said. “He could have been hit in the neck, in the head, in his chest, and he couldn’t have been here.”

“We have stray bullets that are just getting fired off,” he added. “Where young ages keep [getting] their hands on guns? How, we don’t know.”

Gray Jr. wasn’t the only person struck by a stray bullet on the Fourth of July — a 39-year-old woman was hospitalized in critical condition after she too was hit by one in Homestead.