Ira Winderman: With Trae, Terry, Giannis and Ja, a week that got real for Heat

Yes, these are considered the dogs days, at least when it comes to player performance, this NBA period between Christmas and the All-Star break, as evidenced by no less than the recent play of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

And yet off the court, an eventful period to say the least, in several cases with a degree of Heat impact, some directly, some tangential.

From Trae Young. To CJ McCollum (we’ll explain). To Terry Rozier. To Giannis Antetokounmpo. To Ja Morant.

No, Erik Spoelstra’s team in no way is orbiting near the epicenter of the NBA, and based on its showing Tuesday night on NBC in Minnesota, its two remaining games on the national-television schedule (Feb. 28 vs. Rockets on Prime; March 30 vs. 76ers on Peacock) figure to be all there will be.

Nonetheless, an eventful week when it comes to Heat perspective and what might or might not follow.

So where to start? The greatest fascination has to be with …

Trae Young

A week ago in this space, we chronicled the decisions the Hawks and Heat faced, respectively, in reintegrating Young and Tyler Herro into their mixes.

Asked about the two, Hawks coach Quin Snyder said, “It usually takes time to figure those things out. It’s not formulaic.”

Or, as Atlanta showed, you simply remove the issue from the agenda, with Young summarily shipped out to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday at the low, low, low price of the expiring contract of McCollum and the shooting of Corey Kispert — with no draft capital involved.

What the trade said about an extension-eligible shooting guard (Herro is one, too) is that the NBA devaluation is inarguable when it comes to such offensive-minded players who also are viewed as defensive liabilities.

The Young deal does not bode well for those who believe the Heat should unload Herro for draft capital by the Feb. 5 trading deadline.

And it likely does not bode well for Herro when it comes to his extension window reopening in July.

The value of such players has dropped to the level of big men who solely are defensive threats.

But the Young deal also impacted the Heat in another way, one involving the contract of ...

CJ McCollum

While McCollum was the required expiring salary from the Wizards to balance the Young trade, it does not mean McCollum is necessarily about to plant roots.

Instead, the Hawks (as long as he is not packaged with another asset) can immediately turn around and deal the streak scorer ahead of the Feb. 5 trading deadline.

How that could impact the Heat is this: In retaining Rozier at this past week’s NBA guaranteed deadline, the thought was the Heat were valuing the trade chip of an expiring $26.6 million contract.

Except … except if a team is looking solely for expiring money, McCollum’s $30.6 million expiring salary comes not only with no strings attached, but also a player who could contribute for the balance of the season.

In the wake of acquiring McCollum, the Hawks even noted in their trade press release, “We retain flexibility for future opportunities.”

Even at this late date, there has been no clarity from the NBA in regards to whether the salary of Rozier, who is awaiting federal trial in the FBI gambling investigation, can even be dealt.

So the expiring deal with no strings attached (McCollum) or the one many tentacles to be resolved (Rozier)?

Which brings it back to that decision by the Heat to guarantee the remaining 2025-26 salary of …

Terry Rozier

Had the Heat waived Rozier by Wednesday’s waiver deadline, they at least could have recouped $1.7 million in usable cap space and cleared his roster spot. That is the amount that was not guaranteed on Rozier’s 2025-26 salary.

Such a move would have allowed the Heat to add a replacement player without going over the punitive luxury tax.

Instead, Rozier remains on the roster, remains fully on the books at $26.6 million for the season (with that salary being held in an interest-bearing escrow-type account, pending the resolution of his legal issues).

What that says is the Heat still are thinking big — or at least considering big — with Rozier’s salary, potentially to be paired with another Heat salary for something big ahead of the Feb. 5 trading deadline.

Which has had all eyes on ...

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Yes, this past week featured another round of comment from Giannis stressing he has not and will not be asking for a trade from the struggling Bucks, while also continuing all the passive-aggressive comportment of a player who would not mind greener pastures.

For a while, the Heat appeared to be such greenery, at least based on where Antetokounmpo’s Bucks had stood.

Now the teams are somewhat bunched together in play-in land, a neighborhood hardly befitting Greek royalty.

On the other hand, a bid to keep Giannis content could perhaps have the Bucks looking in the Heat’s direction for the possible availability of Norman Powell or Andrew Wiggins.

Unless the Heat turn their focus to ...

Ja Morant

In the wake of the Young trade, the expectation was for the trade market to heat up (Heat up?), and it did just that, with the reports of Ja Morant now potentially being available in trades.

The Memphis Grizzlies point guard has been a name long linked to the Heat amid Morant’s on- and off-court contretemps, with some of that speculation fading with last season’s acquisition and subsequent re-signing of Davion Mitchell. In addition, the Heat have moved to the very offensive style that Morant balked at last season with the Grizzlies.

Still, this also is the type of career salvage job that Pat Riley seemingly relishes.

The skinny is Morant is earning $39.4 million this season, then on the books for $42 million and $45 million the next two season.

At 26, Morant still would appear capable of a career turnaround. And the Heat do have the contracts that would match in a trade. Where a line should be drawn — and perhaps a line the Grizzlies would be unwilling to draw — are any outgoing Heat draft picks.

Still, it is a name arguably more enticing from a Heat perspective, than, say, Young.

So, yes, dog days in the NBA from a playing and player perspective.

But wheels also in motion that could have some legitimate bite, potentially have some teeth from a Heat perspective.