Heat’s Starting Lineup, 2021 Salary Cap Info After Lowry, Butler, Robinson Contracts

AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

The Miami Heat wasted little time making an impression this offseason with a flurry of Monday moves.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, point guard Kyle Lowry agreed to a three-year deal worth approximately $90 million with Miami. Wojnarowski also reported Duncan Robinson agreed to a five-year, $90 million deal to remain with the only NBA team he has ever known.

The Robinson contract features an early termination option after the fourth year.

What’s more, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Jimmy Butler agreed to a maximum contract extension of four years and more than $184 million.

As for the salary cap information, Spotrac provided an early breakdown for 2021-22 and lists Lowry at $28.6 million and Robinson at $15.5 million under pending transactions. The active roster cap number is listed at $133.7 million.

There will be plenty of marquee names in Miami’s starting lineup for the 2021-22 campaign, and there may still be future moves this offseason that can bolster the unit.

Given the current roster makeup, here is a projected lineup as of Monday:

While Butler will likely still be the go-to option, Lowry provides a veteran leader at the point guard position who can look to facilitate and find open looks for his talented teammates. Bam Adebayo is one of the best young big men in the league, and Robinson is a sharp-shooter who can take advantage of the spacing created by the defensive attention Lowry, Butler and Adebayo attract.

Tyler Herro is also capable of either starting in smaller lineups or providing an immediate spark off the bench as someone who has proven himself in the playoffs during the team’s run to the 2020 NBA Finals.

The goal is closing the gap on the defending-champion Milwaukee Bucks and battling the likes of the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets in what figures to be a tightly contested Eastern Conference battle.

Miami doesn’t have the individual star power of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kyrie Irving or Joel Embiid, but it has a collective of impressive pieces and is just one season removed from its NBA Finals appearance.

Lowry also has the 2019 championship on his resume from his time with the Toronto Raptors and is no stranger to postseason pressure.

It would not be a surprise to see the Heat competing late into the playoffs during the upcoming season.