Miami Heat's Haywood Highsmith Leaves All Options Open For Free Agency

Forward Haywood Highsmith is faced with a major decision this offseason: determining whether he should stay with the Miami Heat or depart in hopes of finding a greater opportunity.

Highsmith left all options open when asked about the choice in his exit interview.

"When that time comes to figure out where I'm going to be playing next season, I'll go through it slowly and just pray about it. I definitely want to stay in Miami. I love being here. My family lives here ... I just got to figure it out and take my time." 

Highsmith played with the Heat since 2022, where his averages have increased each year. The 27-year-old recorded 6.1 points and 3.2 rebounds on 46.5 percent shooting in 66 appearances in the 2024 regular season. His best attribute undoubtedly comes on the defensive end, where he's often tasked with guarding one of the opponent's top scorers.

"It has been a long journey to get here," Highsmith said. "I'm very grateful for this organization for bringing me in and putting me through that developmental system. It shows that they really helped me as far as me getting better putting me in the right situations understanding how I'm going to be a player in this league."

Highsmith's journey is far from over, proving his worth as a true rotational piece on a title contender. Leaning towards an extended stay in Miami is understandable, after witnessing the fall off some had once leaving. Former Heat guards Kendrick Nunn and Gabe Vincent experienced severe drops in their play once joining the Los Angeles Lakers.

Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Inside the Heat. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on Instagram @anthony.pasciolla.