The Miami Heat are seen as a serious favorite to trade for Bradley Beal, but there are two key free agents they will need to make a decision on this summer – Gabe Vincent and Max Strus. Both players performed very well in 2022-23 and deserve significant paydays after helping the team make an improbable run to the NBA Finals.

As Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald writes, it appears the Heat are very interested in bringing back both guys.

“After playing as a starter during the Heat’s playoff run to the NBA Finals, Strus is set for a big pay raise this summer from the minimum salary he was previously on. But will the Heat be the team to give Strus that raise? Despite not having cap space, the Heat is still permitted to offer Strus up to his maximum salary because it holds his Bird rights. But paying Strus $10-12 million for next season would only make the Heat’s luxury tax bill even more expensive. There’s mutual interest between Strus and the Heat, but the money and how the rest of the offseason unfolds for Miami will likely be the deciding factors on whether he returns.”

“Vincent is in the same position as Strus, up for a significant pay raise after playing as a starter during the Heat’s playoff run. Vincent was on a minimum salary for the last two seasons. With Vincent’s Bird rights, the Heat can exceed the salary cap to re-sign him up to his maximum salary despite not having cap space. But signing Vincent to a contract with a starting salary in the $12 million range would add to Miami’s already expensive luxury tax bill. There’s mutual interest between Vincent and the Heat, but Miami will need to decide how far it’s willing to go to keep him.”

Strus averaged 11.5 points per night for the Heat and contributed in the playoffs as well, although he did struggle in the Finals. As for Vincent, he was Miami's third-highest scorer in the postseason behind only Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.

There is no question that pay raises are in line for both Strus and Vincent. While the organization is keen on retaining them, we'll have to see how the Beal trade rumors play out. The Heat are also linked to Damian Lillard, for what it's worth.