With the NBA trade deadline just around the corner, the Miami Heat need to consider a trade.
2018 started out on the right foot and was especially nice to the Miami Heat.
But after an extremely long January, February has come with some obstacles. While there’s much to say about how this team has grown and how much better their chemistry has been, it’s honestly a moot point, as it isn’t translating to wins.
The Heat saw a close game fighting for the third spot in the Eastern Conference, exactly a week ago. But what has happened since? They’re now in seventh place, dropping four spots, and have the Philadelphia 76ers close behind them.
What a week it has been for this injury prone, depleted team, that just can’t catch a break. It’s perplexing to say the least.
With the trade deadline closing in February 8, there are two trades in particular that could spark some sort of hope, to an otherwise costly season that could take a turn for the worse.
Tyreke Evans for Justise Winslow.
Take a deep breath.
This is the most plausible trade scenario of the two. Justise Winslow is a great defender with tremendous upside. What Miami lacks right now is offense and unfortunately, Winslow will not provide that for the time being.
Miami has an offensive rating of 103.0, ranking 25th in the league. Miami didn’t start the season like that and has since dropped drastically. Winslow is young and shows promising signs, but after three years, the consistent part of his game has been his stagnant offense.
Tyreke Evans can change that for the Heat.
Evans, plagued by injuries for the majority of his career, has had a comeback with the Memphis Grizzlies. He is averaging 19 points off the bench, combined with five rebounds per game, shooting a career-high 39.2 percent from the 3-point line. Something that will mesh wonderfully with Wayne Ellington’s hot hand.
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Even his 3.2 million contract is not a huge risk, and a trade with Winslow’s $2.7 million deal works.
The downfall regarding Evans is that even though this year has been a breakthrough one for him, he only played 65 games in the past two seasons, which is definitely a cause for concern. But if that seems to be a thing of the past, then his offense can be the perfect fit for the time being.
Hassan Whiteside for Malcolm Brogdon and Jabari Parker
This trade doesn’t seem too likely, but anything can happen when it comes to the trade deadline.
The Milwaukee Bucks are struggling on defense, ranking 17th overall with a rating of 106.4. On offense, they’re solid with a rating of 107.5, ranking ninth overall. So that gap can be filled with a physical defensive player like Hassan Whiteside.
The future for Milwaukee, after firing former head coach Jason Kidd and acquiring Eric Bledsoe, has slowly turned into the future and leadership of the combination of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bledsoe, and Malcolm Brogdon. Jabari Parker is also back and Middleton is having a great season so far. But they still lack defense, and a big guy like Whiteside can clog the paint, freeing up space and shooting.
Brogdon is averaging 13 points per game, and has proven to be a versatile guard. Bledsoe is averaging 16.8 points and is a strong body leading the way in the back court. Antetokounmpo is a top notch MVP caliber player; add Whiteside to the mix, and it can be a match made in heaven for them.
The upside for Miami will be versatility and athleticism, which both Middleton and Parker provide. Of course, Parker’s ACL issue remains a question mark, but for the time being he is back and that is why you add Middleton to the trade to sweeten the deal.
It might not immediately make sense, but there exists the possibility that the Heat gain more offense and shooting. Something Miami is begging for right now.
Next: Should the Miami Heat stay committed to Hassan Whiteside?
Miami absolutely needs to take a risk because at this point, what else do they have to lose?