Ex-playoff hero for Heat expected to leave as free agent

Nov 9, 2018; Miami, FL, USA; A detailed view of the special Miami Heat Vice Nights logo on the court prior to the game between the between the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Just over a year after his heroics in the postseason, one beloved Miami Heat player may be taking the next bus out of town.

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Saturday that Heat forward Caleb Martin is expected to leave as a free agent this summer. Martin recently declined his $7.1 million player option for next season and will likely receive somewhere close to double that figure from another team, Winderman adds.

The 28-year-old Martin, one of the Heat’s famed undrafted players, was a breakout star in the 2023 postseason. During a seven-game victory over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, Martin had multiple 25-point outings and even earned four out of nine votes for ECF MVP (very narrowly losing to teammate Jimmy Butler, who got five of nine votes).

Martin’s 2023-24 season was a bit less successful as he averaged a fairly quiet 10.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game on slightly worse shooting numbers. But Martin is still a high-quality defender who is a 35.7 percent career three-point shooter and often puts pressure on opposing defenses with his hard drives to the rim.

Heat role players don’t always achieve the same success elsewhere (see: Nunn, Kendrick and Vincent, Gabe). But at around $14 million per year, it sounds like there are plenty of outside teams that would love to sign Martin. On the bright side for Miami though, at least one notable roster uncertainty has been resolved for them .

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