Miami Heat mailbag: Making sense of Kyrie Irving’s trade request

Also, how many games should you reasonably expect the Miami Heat to win, and a Bam Adebayo comparison.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have had some good times over the last three seasons, but that’s not enough for Kyrie Irving and his “Mamba mentality.”

Mamba wouldn’t play second fiddle to LeBron James. Mamba would forge his own path, become the Super Star of his own team. Because that’s what Mambas do.

Anyway, one of the teams that Irving wants to go to is the Miami Heat. Maybe he likes the culture and organizational stability, or maybe he really digs Cuban sandwiches. Either way, he’s put them on his list of preferred destinations, and Heat fans are wondering how the team can swing a deal (or if they even should).

In our latest Locked On Heat mailbag, we answered some of your questions about Irving and other things. Listen to the episode for my take, as well as my co-host David Ramil and Sports Illustrated NBA writer Rohan Nadkarni. I elaborate on the answers here:

Tyler Peraza asks, “What do you think of trading Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside for Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson? What other team could offer a better package of players than us?”

This is a classic case of fans over-valuing their own dudes. I don’t see why the Cavs would do that. Dragic isn’t an upgrade over Kyrie. Whiteside, meanwhile, provides better rim protection than Thompson, but he’s not a better rebounder, he’s not as versatile defensively, and he doesn’t set as good a screen.

Would the Cavs still be the favorites to come out of the East if they made that trade? Yeah, probably. They still have LeBron. But that isn’t going to beat other offers they get. Phoenix, Denver, Milwaukee and Minnesota can all beat that deal pretty easily.

The Heat would have to do a huge favor for Cleveland. Specifically, take on their bad contracts. Lump Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith in there, and throw in Justise Winslow and a choice between Josh Richardson/Tyler Johnson/2023 first round pick, and you start to get to a reasonable deal.

But I hate that trade for both teams. I don’t see it happening, Tyler. Maybe Miami offers Dragic, Justise Winslow, Wayne Ellington and one of Richardson and the pick. Cleveland probably doesn’t accept that unless they hate all their other offers. We’ve seen stars get moved for less in this past year.

Big Pat asks, “Does it seem like Kyrie Irving and LeBron James are forcing the Cavaliers to trade him so they can both team up elsewhere later on? Or is this a real issue between the two?”

I’ve heard this theory mentioned in a lot of different places, and it’s absolutely bananas. Kyrie Irving is a good player, a player with Super Star potential, but he’s not worth LeBron organizing some tight-rope coupe to relocate. I believe the reports that LeBron was “blind sided” by Irving’s trade request. I believe there is bad blood between the two players now. I also believe that the first time they play against each other next season will be better than Mayweather vs. McGregor.

Billy Kuhn asks, “Do you think 49 and 33 is reasonable for this Heat team?”

Ehhhhh it’s pushing it.

Look, this team is built to chase 50 wins. They got better from last year, which isn’t something many playoff teams in the East can say. There is room to climb in the conference, and Miami is in position to rise up the standings.

I wouldn’t put it past Miami to win 49 games, but 45-46 might be more “reasonable.” I know we’re talking about the difference of three or four games, but you asked, Billy.

Bryan Young asks, “Can Bam Adebayo be Julius Randle that plays really good defense? I’d be pretty happy with that.”

The first time I read this I snorted as if to say “As if.”

Then I thought about it some more… I kind of like where your head is at, Bryan.

I’m a big fan of Julius Randle, aka The Baby Lakers’ Baby Draymond. He can rebound and push the ball in transition. He’s a creative and agile ball handler for a big man, and has a work-in-progress jumper that has some promise.

During summer league, we saw a lot of the same from Adebayo. He routinely rebounded the ball and brought it down the court (instead of waiting for a guard to come back and grab the ball, sparing two-to-three seconds on the shot clock). He’d finish at the rim or pass to an open teammate. There’s flashes of what Randle and Green can do in that.

Next: Heat aren't optimistic they can trade for Kyrie

I just don’t think he’s as creative with the ball in his hands as those guys. He’s still closer to a traditional big man, he’ll be sturdier defensively than Randle, too.

Let’s put him somewhere in the middle of Randle’s skill set and a young Dwight Howard. I’m optimistic about Bam.