Is Kendrick Nunn replacing Dion Waiters in a way that Miami Heat fans may not expect? Brace yourselves, this may be a shock to your system.
The Miami Heat are a pretty good team at first glance and early on in the season. This has become pretty evident, even with a tough loss to the Timberwolves on Sunday.
What has also become evident over the years is that with every great sports story, there is usually a great debate. Look no further for proof than the amount of daily argument and/or debate shows that dominate the airwaves.
All it takes is one game for opinions to start flying. After three they begin to get a little louder.
For Miami Heat fans that usually means championship talk and discussions about having the best players in the world–while also wanting to trade for the best players in the game. This is no matter what semblance of talent they have on the roster.
It is quite a conundrum that Heat fans always find themselves in. And this season it is about to get a bit trickier.
While everyone praises Pat Riley for Miami’s youth movement–Kendrick Nunn, Tyler Herro, Justise Winslow, and Bam Adebayo–taking off, the reality is the team president is likely sitting back and doing the math on how to flip these assets into the second half of a Jimmy Butler duo.
From all accounts, Riley has been reluctant to move Adebayo or Herro. However, his feelings on the future of Winslow and the Heat have always been reported as varied.
Ask some, and neither of the four should be traded because each player is as versatile as they come.
Winslow and Adebayo bring near triple-doubles, Herro is the multifaceted scorer and Nunn is the team’s next star out of Chicago. Otherwise and at the very least, hopefully Nunn is to be a bona fide Dion Waiters replacement.
But possibly not in a way some may like.
The truth is, the Heat have tried to move Waiters for almost a year with no takers. Only to have an attitude and lack of discipline diminish his value more than his contract. Hence, who better than to take his place on the trading block than a guard whose three-game average is 22.3 points on 52 percent shooting from the field and 44 percent from the three.
Nunn in the starting lineup will help create wins for Miami, while showcasing his skills as a viable option to put on the market. That way he becomes a chip the team can package alongside a Kelly Olynyk or Goran Dragic.
Such a move sounds a bit premature, however, Riley is always thinking of ways to get better.
Sure, at this point Nunn would look like a huge sacrifice, but with their scouting and development team consistently producing gems, it is all but guaranteed they believe they could always find another one.