The Miami Heat are on the right path again. By their lonesomes, without any help, and on their own, they have managed to climb out of a hole and a slump that seemed never-ending at points.
Here are two things though. They did it, but that doesn’t mean that they wouldn’t appreciate any help moving forward.
Well, looking back at recent reports and specifically one highlighting potential rumors of the Miami Heat being interested in the Orlando Magic’s All-Star big man, Nikola Vucevic, that would have been a massive piece of help. It turns out that these rumors may have jumped the gun though.
The Miami Heat should be all-in on Nikola Vucevic… if Orlando actually makes him available.
While we all thought that Vuce was about to be on the move, via trade, it seems they have other ideas in Orlando. Here are a few details from NBA reporter, Keith Smith.
Here is the sense other teams are getting from the Orlando Magic:
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) March 9, 2021
Vucevic - Not really available. Would take a monster package.
Gordon - More available, but Orlando still wants a healthy return
Fournier - Available, won't take all that much due to expiring
Ross - See Gordon
He wasn’t done there. Further down that thread, as a comment to the original tweet, he had this to add of the Orlando Magic, their situation, and how they plan to move.
"The indication from Orlando is that they have no intention of blowing their team up. They see this season as a step back because of injuries. They plan to be right back in as a playoff team next season, thus won’t deal away all of their vets. Teams will have to blow them away."
What that really means is this. They really aren’t looking to move Vucevic, but everyone else can be had.
Evan Fournier is self explanatory based on Smith’s information above, while for Terrence Ross, he says to “See Gordon”. Well, they’ve been trying to move Aaron Gordon for a few years now, though to no avail, so that would mean that both he and Ross could be had as well.
Though the Miami Heat and Pat Riley should still do all of their due diligence, this would all but confirm that they won’t move him. Again though, that doesn’t mean that Riles shouldn’t try.