Heat Trade Haywood Highsmith to Nets, Slip Below Luxury Tax
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The Miami Heat sent forward Haywood Highsmith to the Brooklyn Nets on Friday, a move that brings Miami’s payroll under the league’s luxury-tax threshold for the upcoming season and frees two roster spots.
Miami packaged the 28-year-old with a 2032 second-round pick. In return, Brooklyn moved a conditional second-round selection in the 2026 draft to the Heat. Because the Nets still have cap space, the transaction required no outgoing salary from Brooklyn.
Highsmith, scheduled to earn roughly $5.6 million in 2025-26, underwent meniscus surgery earlier this month and is expected to be sidelined eight to 10 weeks—a timetable that could allow him to be ready for opening night.
The forward appeared in 74 games for Miami last season, averaging 6.5 points and 3.4 rebounds. Over parts of four seasons with the Heat, he posted a 5.5-point scoring average.
Source: ESPN
