Just like that, the Philadelphia 76ers find themselves looking at an unexpected opportunity out of nowhere with the offseason slowly coming to a halt thanks to one of their most bitter rivals in the East.
As already reported by several outlets, the Miami Heat decided to trade starting forward Haywood Highsmith and a second-round pick in 2032 to the Brooklyn Nets for a protected 2026 second-rounder. And as you might have guessed from the rather insigificant additives to this deal, this was nothing more than a salary cap move for the Heat.
Still, the move came as a shock to many. While Miami indeed saved a lot of money jettisoning Highsmith, the latter is on an expiring deal anyway and has become one of their most important players. Getting rid of him at this juncture only feeds to the idea that Pat Rilay and his crew do not see ther group as one capable of seriously contending.
But going back to the 76ers, this bodes well for the team for a couple of reasons. First, this undoubtedly weakens the Heat which, despite their seemingly defeatist stance, are still hellbent on making the playoffs next season no matter how futile it would seem. But the second reason is more important for Philly, since it involves them having a direct hand on this deal as an eventual beneficiary.
Haywood Highsmith is the perfect buyout target for the 76ers next season
Brooklyn, Highsmith’s new ball club, has some talent on their roster, but everyone knows they will be playing for the gracious swerve of the ping-pong balls next season. That means that even at this early juncture, the newest Net could be seriously considered as a buyout candidate.
While constantly undersized as a forward, Highsmith is a highly reliable stopper who can guard multiple positions thanks to his great instincts and high motor. To make the pot sweeter, he is also an above-average three-point shooter, having canned nearly 39 percent of his triples over the last couple of seasons.
The 76ers would be a dream fit for him as a buyout addition. Philly already needs more stable options at forward behind the oft-injured Paul George, and Highsmith would definitely be an upgrade over the erratic Kelly Oubre Jr. and the aging Eric Gordon, whom the coaching staff will likely still give some minutes as a nominal small forward.
The moment the Nets become amenable to a buyout, the Philadelphia 76ers should come knocking on Haywood Highsmith’s camp as they certainly have a very compelling case for him as a landing spot.