Hard to believe the Miami Heat decided that Joel Anthony on the team instead of using the amnesty clause on him was a good idea, but with their most recent additions it seems that the non-scoring, undersized center is truly redundant on the team, and the Heat are trying to move him.

Anthony averaged only 9.1 minutes a game last season, and played a total of 15 minutes in the NBA finals. His non-offense is too much of a problem for a team that tries to put on non-traditional lineups that give teams problems defending the spreading and spacing. Anthony is an excellent rebounder, a very strong defender despite being only 6’9 and a center and a pretty good shot blocker as well, but he’s an offensive liability that cost too much money.

How much? For many, it seemed like the logical thing to use the amnesty clause on him. Anthony is owed $3.8 million this season and has a player option worth the same amount for 2014-2015. Considering the Heat have Chris Andersen, Greg Oden(very recent) and Jarvis Varando on the roster, Anthony’s presence, even with one less big man to show for, isn’t that needed, as it was made completely clear last playoffs.

The problem is going to be moving a player who is owed $7.6 million without taking on other contracts. Miller made more sense to amnesty because of his higher salary and the luxury tax issues, but Anthony is less useful to anyone in the league, being a player who can go consecutive games without taking a single shot at the basket unless it’s a follow up dunk off an offensive rebound.

For now, it’s hard to see anyone taking on Anthony, especially with that player option, before 2015. And yet things change for teams, and Anthony might be brought over in order to be used as a trading chip for later use, as his salary is one that is highly desirable in those scenarios for gap filling purposes. However, anyone actually wanting him for his basketball abilities is going to be very difficult to find.

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