Here at All U Can Heat, we’ll be running a series in which we build and contemplate (fake) trades between the Miami Heat and all 29 other NBA teams. In part six, we looked at a trade with the Knicks. In part seven, we dial-up the Brooklyn Nets.
While he’s now far removed from the days of “Linsanity”, Jeremy Lin is still proving to be a more than capable NBA player.
Last season was by far the most frustrating of Lin’s seven seasons in the league, playing in just 36 games due to multiple recurrences of a hamstring problem. But in his limited time on the court, Lin demonstrated the capabilities that once him a marquee name in the Big Apple.
For the season, Lin posted14.5 points, 5.1 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals in just 24.5 minutes per game. The low playing time was due to the minutes restriction placed on Lin due to several recurrences of hamstring issues, and the fact he broke down mid-game multiple times.
Overall, Lin played 31 times in which he played at least 20 minutes. Over these games he averaged 15.7 points, 5.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. And when he was at full health playing at least 30 minutes, Lin averaged 17.3 points, 7.0 assists, 6.4 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game over eight games.
While primarily a point guard, Lin’s ability to play off the ball would be a terrific addition backing up the starting backcourt of Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters. His best performance last season consisted of 32 points on 5-of-9 from behind three, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in a loss to the Orlando Magic.
The main departure from the Miami Heat‘s perspective would be guard Tyler Johnson. Playing all 73 games off the bench, Johnson had a career-year in averaging 13.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. The main point of contention with Johnson moving forward is the “poison pill” contract Johnson signed last summer as a result of the contract offer he signed with, ironically in this case, the Brooklyn Nets.
Therefore, this trade means the Nets clearly have an interest in Johnson, meaning the Heat wouldn’t be wasting the time if they picked up the phone and started a conversation. And considering the Nets are in a rebuilding phase, replacing the soon-to-be 29 year-old Lin with the 25 year-old Johnson makes a lot of sense.
And for the Heat, this means the team avoid having to pay Johnson $38.4 million over the final two years of his contract, commencing during the 2018-19 season.
In order to match salaries, the Heat would be forced to hand over veteran shooting guard Wayne Ellington. In his eighth season, Ellington averaged a career-high 10.5 points per game, which included converting at a 37.8 percent clip from behind three.
In return, the Heat will also receive emerging shooting guard Sean Kilpatrick. Undrafted out of thew University of Cincinnati, the 27 year-old averaged 13.1 points and 4.0 rebounds in 25.1 minutes per game. Kilpatrick had 11 games of at least 20 points, which included a career-high 38 point outburst against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Kilpatrick would essentially take Ellington’s place in the rotation, with Lin replacing Johnson as the primary backup ball-handler.
Next: Fake trade with the Knicks
Overall, not only are the Heat improving their future cap flexibility, they are also adding some flexibility from an on-court perspective. Lin’s genuine “X-factor” in a reserve role means this is a deal the Heat front office should seriously consider.