Heat Trade Division II Success Story To Nets
The Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets have reportedly finalized a trade.
ESPN’s Shams Charania was the first to report the deal.
“The Miami Heat have traded Haywood Highsmith and a 2032 second-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for a protected 2026 second-round pick, sources tell ESPN,” Charania posted to X.
“Brooklyn has remained active in trade conversations as the league’s only team with remaining significant cap space, and takes Highsmith in with an unprotected second-rounder,” Charania continued. “Nets have also acquired two 1sts this offseason to add to the most 1st and 2nd round picks in the league … Heat shed Highsmith’s salary to lessen their salary bill. Nets send Miami a 2026 second-rounder that is protected 31-55.”
Highsmith, 28, is set to earn $5.6 million in 2025-26 before becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer. He averaged a career-best 6.5 points per game last season for Miami to go along with 3.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. Highsmith also shot 38.2 percent from downtown.
Highsmith is the rare Division II-to-NBA success story (Boston Celtics guard Derrick White is another).
Highsmith starred at D-II Wheeling University, where he was named MEC Player of the Year and a first-team Division II All-American in 2018. He went undrafted in 2018 and bounced around for a few years in the G League. He also spent time with German club Crailsheim Merlins.
Highsmith landed with the Heat for the 2021-22 season and has played an increasing number of games for Miami over a four-year stretch. He played in 74 games for the Heat last season, besting his 2023-24 mark of 66 games played.