Miami Heat: 3 trades for Zach LaVine before the NBA trade deadline
The Miami Heat get Zach LaVine; the Chicago Bulls get T.J. Warren, Wayne Ellington, and Dragan Bender; The Phoenix Suns get Goran Dragic and Rodney McGruder.
Like the other prospective deals, this one sees the Miami Heat land their target in Zach LaVine. Of course, the money has to match, so some pieces are included in these deals that can not only help the team if they need to, but are also expiring contracts.
For Phoenix here, the incentive is simple, and that is to get a point guard. Not only do you get back a familiar face, fan favorite, and National Team player for your current head in Goran Dragic, but you get a veteran point guard who is best in transition and can help take that young Phoenix Core to the next level. Furthermore, Dragic should have a great feel for exactly what it is Phoenix Head Coach Igor Kokoskov wants to do, as they know each other extremely well.
With some of the young talent they have assembled there in the likes of Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, Josh Jackson, and Mikal Bridges to name a few, Dragic could thrive in a familiar uptempo style. Rodney McGruder could do some ball handling as well, but could also slot in as a 2 or 3, especially on defense as his effort and will give him the ability to play much bigger than he actually is.
The Bulls don’t make out bad in this deal either. They, of course, take back some expiring contracts in Wayne Ellington and Dragan Bender, but could also have a young veteran building block in T.J. Warren if they saw fit to do so, which is essentially a better and cheaper Parker. One would believe they would keep Warren around as they don’t have a true starting small forward on the roster.
Now mind you they are rebuilding, but to slot Warren in with what should to be the future for them at 4/5 in Wendell Carter and Lauri Markkanen isn’t a bad way to go. Throw in the fact that a guy with Warren’s size and scoring prowess is only making $11.8 million a year across the next three seasons beyond this one, that seems like a better team and a more cap friendly one too.
The Miami Heat need to shake things up a bit, and that specifically means to seek out help on the offensive end in their case. The deadline is quickly approaching and the market seems to be heating up. In order to make sure they get their guy, and without the price going so high that they further mortgage for the future, they need to act fast.
Hopefully, the wheels are already turning and the Heat make a move as the deadline is 24 hours away.