SACRAMENTO, Calif. _ The immediate goal was to better contend for the Eastern Conference title.
The ultimate goal remains to eventually compete for an NBA championship.
So on a day the Miami Heat could have made the gaudiest splash at the NBA trade deadline, they drew a line when it came to future flexibility.
That means Andre Iguodala but no Danilo Gallinari.
But it also means more.
Such as cap space for the coming offseason.
Such as the flexibility to work on retaining Goran Dragic, Derrick Jones Jr. and Meyers Leonard as free agents.
Such as leaving open at least the possibility of an all-in run for Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021 free agency.
As far as what happened Thursday, it was pretty straight forward: The Heat sent out Justise Winslow, Dion Waiters and James Johnson to the Memphis Grizzlies, with Johnson then forwarded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Heat, in return, acquired Iguodala, Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill from Memphis.
As far as what didn't happen, it was a bit more complex: An anticipated accompanying transaction with the Oklahoma City Thunder that would have added a 2025 first-round pick to the equation fell through, with Gallinari balking at only one additional fully guaranteed season on a Heat extension offer. The offer was similar to the two-year, $30 million extension accepted by Iguodala that has the second season as a team option.
In real time, it could be argued the trade only makes the Heat nominally better, with Iguodala at least ambulatory, as opposed to Winslow, who has appeared in only one game since Dec. 4 due to what the Heat had been listing as a lower-back bone bruise.
But the bigger picture is about the future thought put into the machinations by Heat President Pat Riley and General Manager Andy Elisburg.
Foremost, there remains the possibility for a maximum-level free-agency offer in the 2021 offseason, with possible additional cap space that summer.
Before that, depending on how center Kelly Olynyk approaches his player option for 2020-21, the Heat could have from $27 million to $40 million in cap space this summer. Such funds could be utilized, on a free agent, yes, such as Gallinari, or to re-sign the Heat's own impending free agents, with Dragic, Jones and Leonard among that group.
And while Thursday's maneuvering did not get the Heat out of the luxury tax, it got them below their hard cap by enough salary to make it possible to add a veteran contributor at the March 1 buyout deadline, with Evan Turner, Marvin Williams and Isaiah Thomas among those possibilities.
In essence, the Heat were able to reset three seasons of cap management by offloading the deals of Johnson, Waiters and Winslow.
There now is the possibility of a small remaining move this season, a variety of moves this offseason _ and perhaps the ultimate move in 2021.
Had Gallinari been acquired, all three of those possibilities would have been muted or potentially even extinguished.
With Iguodala in the mix, the Heat figure to remain in the fight for homecourt in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs _ now with a bit more stability to potentially contend for a No. 2 or No. 3 seed, which would mean avoiding the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks until the conference finals.
Thursday also was about attitude adjustments, with Waiters having been suspended three times this season, Johnson having been banished from training camp for conditioning issues, and Winslow seemingly displeased with something less than a leading role.
As it is, of the Heat team that rallied to a 30-11 close to the 2016-17 season, a finish that enticed Riley to offer four-year contracts to Waiters and Johnson, only Dragic and Udonis Haslem remain.
With more change assuredly coming, Thursday's moves positioned the Heat as much for the future as the moment.
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