The Miami Heat are no strangers to the NBA rumor mill. With the deadline quickly approaching, things should begin to turn up just that much more for the Heat.
There have been rumors swirling for some time about a mutual interest between the Miami Heat and Victor Oladipo. It’s now starting to appear that if that is indeed to happen, it will have to happen in 2021 free agency, as Oladipo is in the final year of his contract with Houston and just recently declined an extension.
These rumors have been around for a while now, as stated, but they have been picking up steam again and it begs of a question. If there is already interest, should the Heat target him at this season’s trade deadline?
Oladipo, coming off of a knee injury, is having a good season thus far between playing for both the Pacers and Rockets. He is currently averaging over 19 points per game and has seemed to come back from his injury in a strong manner.
In order to answer the question of whether the Heat should try and acquire Oladipo at the trade deadline though, let’s look at what it would mean for the two teams involved. Let’s start with the Rockets.
Should Miami Heat target Victor Oladipo at deadline or Free Agency?
In terms of contracts, Oladipo turned down a two-year extension from the Rockets and the team cannot offer him a full deal until the offseason. It basically comes down to this.
If they think he wants to stay, they will hold him. If they are not confident in him staying, it would make sense to trade him and get something back, unless they think they are contending… which is not the case.
On the Miami Heat’s side of the trade, it would come down to price and their confidence in him signing with them in the offseason. That gets interesting as well.
The rumors suggest that Oladipo has long been interested in the Heat and while we cannot know this for sure, it seems like he would sign with the team should it come to that. So, on that regard, it may make sense for the Heat to not only bolster their roster for contention right now but also show their commitment to Oladipo moving forward.
If you bring him in now, you not only increase your chances of going back to the NBA Finals and redeeming yourselves for last year’s lost, but you also get the chance to show him that you are just as committed as you want him to be. Sometimes, it is about the optics and the “optics” of actually giving something valuable up for a guy to make sure you get him would definitely send the right message.
It may be worth the cost of doing business for the Miami Heat
As for the price, it is not quite clear what the haul would be for Oladipo. The fact that his contract is expiring means the price would in no way be exponential.
My guess would be one or two first round picks and maybe a player. The Rockets would most likely ask for Herro, Nunn, Robinson or more likely, some combination of the two.
The Miami Heat would also have the option of trying to get off of a contract such as Goran Dragic or Kelly Olynyk, which would make the money work in the deal. I think Nunn would really be the name to watch.
If the Heat don’t want to pay for Oladipo and Nunn next season, it is not crazy to think they would include him in a deal with the Rockets and add in another player as well. It’s all about preferences for Pat Riley and the crew at that point.
Personally, I would make the deal if the Heat were able to make the salaries work. It seems like there is strong mutual interest, so why not show your early commitment and beef up your roster for another potential post season run.
Heat fans may see a player that they love leave in order to make this work but most would argue it is worth it for a player of Oladipo’s caliber. I sure think so.