Two fair deals the Miami Heat can execute for Russell Westbrook
Deal #1
Heat receive: Russell Westbrook and Andre Roberson
Thunder receive: Goran Dragic, Justise Winslow, Derrick Jones Jr., Dion Waiters, Duncan Robinson, and the Heat’s 2022 second round pick.
This trade has the most players being exchanged at seven. Goran Dragic would provide starting caliber point guard play on an expiring deal that can be flipped at the deadline for more assets, extended by OKC, or played from the bench if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Justise Winslow don’t become the full-time starters at point guard next season.
Trading a player of Westbrook’s stature would signal a reset within the franchise and it has been made very clear by the Paul George trade that the Thunder are looking for draft picks, which they have plenty of (six 1st rounders from LAC, two of them via MIA), along with young players. Derrick Jones Jr. and Duncan Robinson would check the box in the “young players” department along with Justise Winslow.
Dion Waiters has two years left on his contract, but a fully healthy version of him would definitely contribute to the wins column. He could also be flipped for more assets since his contract isn’t too bad at $12.1 million dollars for this upcoming season. With a lack of remaining picks for Miami to offer, I could also see Sam Presti asking the Heat to take back Andre Roberson in the deal.
If that’s what it takes to get the deal done, then so be it. He hasn’t played in an NBA game since January of 2018, but if he does come back from his injury healthy, he could fit right into the defensive role left by Winslow to go along with his decent 3-point shooting from the corner. I also threw in the Heat’s 2nd round pick in 2022, but I think Riley can get this deal done without surrendering that pick at all.