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Report: Heat want long look at young guards before renewing Chalmers trade efforts

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Mario Chalmers is finally off the trading block. For now.

While rumors have persisted all offseason that the Miami Heat would like to find a taker for Chalmers and his $4.3-million salary for 2015-16, that's not something they may explore aggressively until training camp, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.

From Jackson:

And with Tyler Johnson also cleared to return from his broken jaw sustained in Summer League (he has been working out in Delray Beach), the Heat (are) back to full strength a month before training camp.

The Heat, incidentally, want to take a long look at Johnson and Josh Richardson in training camp before deciding whether to make a renewed attempt to trade Chalmers.

Goran Dragic is the clear-cut starter at the point, and Tyler Johnson, Corey Hawkins, and perhaps Josh Richardson could all conceivably play minutes at the one. Johnson has a partially-guaranteed contract and Richardson's deal is guaranteed, while Hawkins is fighting with several others for a spot at the end of the roster on a non-guaranteed contract.

Trading Chalmers would leave the Heat a little thin on proven talent at the point, but the Heat reportedly want to jettison Chalmers – and Chris Andersen – in order to trim their luxury tax bill.

A market for Chalmers could materialize if another team finds itself with a hole to fill at the point ahead of the season, as the 29-year-old is a 36.2-percent career 3-point shooter and averaged 10.2 points, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals a season ago.

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