Report: Haywood Highsmith Likely To Be Dealt To Contender By Trade Deadline

Haywood Highsmith found a home in the gritty culture of the Miami Heat, but this offseason, he found himself changing zip codes as he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets. If a new report is to be believed, Highsmith won’t be residing in the Big Apple by the time this upcoming season comes to a close.

According to Brian Lewis of the New York Post, the 6-foot-5 forward could very well be playing for a different team early next year. And not just any team.

“It’s also almost impossible to see a world where he’s in Brooklyn past the trade deadline, much less next summer,” Lewis wrote on Tuesday. “Some contender will surely be looking to add [him] in February.”

Lewis added that a deal to ship away Highsmith would make sense both financially and strategically for a team striving to go on a deep playoff run. “A wing defender on a $5.6 million expiring deal could look pretty good,” Lewis suggested.

Though Highsmith has never been known to dominate the stat sheet, his size, energy, and hustle make him an interesting commodity for a team looking to beef up its roster for the long haul.

After a brief stay with the Philadelphia 76ers and multiple stints in the NBA G League, Highsmith was signed by the Heat, first in the 2021-22 season and for a second time in the 2022-23 campaign. Over the next three seasons, his usage rate trended upward; this past season, he played 74 games (getting 42 starting nods) and averaged 24.6 minutes per outing.

The 28-year-old put up 6.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in the regular season, but a deeper dive into advanced statistics shows his true impact on the team. In terms of defensive win shares, Highsmith ranked fourth on the Heat; only Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Kel’el Ware performed better in this category.

While Miami was good enough to book the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, the Brooklyn Nets finished the previous season with a woeful 26-56 record. At present, the Nets have no viable identity, as their roster consists mostly of young, unproven talent.

Brooklyn does not appear to be an environment conducive to Highsmith’s professional growth. But, if Lewis’ reporting turns out to be accurate, a team with a realistic chance to make waves in the playoffs might be scooping him up right before the All-Star break.