Inside The Heat

Caleb Martin, Thomas Bryant Decline Player Options For Miami Heat

Shandel Richardson

May 1, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Miami Heat forward Caleb Martin (16) warms up prior to their game against the Boston Celtics in game five of the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
May 1, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Miami Heat forward Caleb Martin (16) warms up prior to their game against the Boston Celtics in game five of the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports / Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Miami Heat players Caleb Martin and Thomas Bryant both declined their player options before the deadline.

They will become free agents Sunday at 6 p.m. Martin is more important of the two because he was a rotation player the last two seasons.

LOVE DECLINES OPTION TOO

Heat forward Kevin Love has reportedly declined his player option for next season.

The Heat and Love are interested in negotiating a new deal according to a report by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

"Both sides are enthusiastic about negotiating a new deal in the opening days of free agency," Wojnarowski wrote X. "The five-time All-Star has played the past two seasons with the Heat."

ESPN Sources: Miami Heat F/C Kevin Love is declining his $4M player option, but both sides are enthusiastic about negotiating a new deal in the opening days of free agency. The five-time All-Star has played the past two seasons with the Heat. pic.twitter.com/uXU3bR8xPP

Love has spent the past 1 1/2 seasons with the Heat, serving as a starter and key reserve. Last year he averaged 8.8 points and 6.1 rebounds.

HEAT EXTEND OFFERS TO SWIDER, WILLIAMS

The Heat extended qualifying offers to Cole Swider and Alondes Williams on Friday.

Both players split time with the Heat and the G League affiliate in Sioux Falls last year. Swider averaged a team-high 24.9 points for the Skyforce. Williams averaged 21.7 points, 7.3 assists and 5.4 rebounds.

J-RICH TAKES PLAYER OPTION

Josh Richardson will remain with the Miami Heat for at least another season.

Richardson picked up his $3 million player option to return this season according to a report by Shams Charania of The Athletic. Last year Richardson was sidelined most of the second half of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Richardson was a key part of Miami's rotation before shoulder injury in February. He is expected to make a full recovery for next season.

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Inside The Heat. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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Shandel Richardson

SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star.  TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here