The Miami Heat traded for Victor Oladipo last season in the hopes of adding a third star. However, injuries got in the way of that idea almost immediately.
Oladipo only ended up playing four games with the Miami Heat. Before that he spent time with both the Pacers and Rockets last year.
Unfortunately, Oladipo’s contract is now up and he will become an unrestricted free agent. This means the Heat would have to re-sign him to a new deal in order to keep him around.
Many Miami Heat fans are hesitant to bring him back. He is notoriously injury-prone and some believe it would not be worth the money.
The former All-Star has stated that he expects to receive close to a max contract this offseason. In addition, he is looking for long-term job security as well.
The Houston Rockets offered him a two-year, $45.2 million deal which he turned down. According to Jonathan Feigen, Oladipo wishes to sign a longer contract than just two seasons.
With the amount of money tied into Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, the Heat would most likely not be willing to sign Oladipo to the contract he wants.
However, there are various pathways where they could get some value in return for him. Depending on where he chooses to sign, a sign-and-trade could be a decent option.
Though they don’t have complete control over the situation, there is still some room to negotiate. Once Oladipo makes a decision, they will have a chance to work things out.
There are a few teams who have the cap space to sign Oladipo this offseason. Who could the Heat target in a potential sign-and-trade opportunity?
Miami Heat trade target #1: Tim Hardaway Jr.
The Dallas Mavericks have been looking for potential pieces to put alongside Luka Doncic. Victor Oladipo would provide a solid defensive presence.
Doncic is an offensive mastermind and the Mavs need a defensive-minded guard to pair next to him. Oladipo is a former All-Defensive First Team guard who would help out a ton on that end.
In addition, he would take some of the shot-making duties off of Doncic’s hands. In his prime, Oladipo was one of the most clutch players in the NBA.
There’s a chance Oladipo could get back to that level, but it’s not worth the investment for Miami. For Dallas, however, they want to do as much as possible to give Doncic the chance to win.
Tim Hardaway Jr. was fantastic for the Mavericks in their first-round series vs the Clippers last season. He averaged 17 points per game while shooting 40.4% from deep.
Though they will likely make a push to re-sign him, he will also be an unrestricted free agent. He played great in Dallas, but rumors suggest he might be open to leaving.
According to Greg Sylvander of Five Reasons Sports Network, Hardaway Jr. expressed interest in joining the Heat this offseason.
Swapping the two would make a ton of sense for both sides. Oladipo would add some much-needed defense to the Mavs lineup while adding Hardaway Jr. would provide a big-time scoring bump for the Heat.
Miami Heat trade target #2: Lauri Markkanen
The Chicago Bulls have transitioned to a “win now” mentality. When they traded for Nikola Vucevic last season, it was an obvious attempt to make a playoff push.
With that newfound mentality, they could look to add another veteran piece. Oladipo could play point guard next to Zach LaVine and complete their backcourt.
LaVine had an amazing season last year. He became an All-Star for the first time and shot incredibly well from the field.
Oladipo would improve Chicago’s defense tremendously on the perimeter. It would also likely cement them as a legitimate playoff team in the East.
Though he has not been an All-Star in a few years, it would give them a starting lineup that includes three All-Star caliber players.
Lauri Markkanen adds to the Miami Heat’s young core while also providing additional shooting. It would certainly be somewhat of a risk, but one that could pay off.
Markkanen averaged 13.6 points and 5.3 rebounds last season. He shot 48% from the field and 40.2% from three-point range.
The Miami Heat could use an offensive-minded power forward to put alongside Bam Adebayo. Hit three-point shooting would help space the floor while Adebayo anchors the defense.
At only 24-years-old, Markkanen still has a ton of room to improve in all areas. For right now, however, his shooting would certainly help Miami with their scoring woes.
Miami Heat trade target #3: Kyle Lowry
The Toronto Raptors were rumored to be trading Kyle Lowry at the trade deadline last year. The Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers were two of the top suitors.
Now, the Raptors legend will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. At the same time, they will likely look to remain competitive.
Signing Victor Oladipo gives them a better option to pair with Fred VanVeleet in the backcourt. VanVleet is only 6-0, so having him play alongside Lowry (6-0) has caused some issues.
Bringing in Oladipo (6-4) gives them a real shooting guard to play the two. It also solves the problem of having a severely undersized backcourt.
This would create a big three of Oladipo, VanVleet, and Pascal Siakam. The Raptors also have the fourth pick in the draft this year, so adding Oladipo would only improve their pool of assets.
The deal would give the Miami Heat a leader at the point guard position. It also provides insurance if the team decides to move on from Goran Dragic.
Lowry is a six-time All-Star and put up great numbers last season. He averaged 17.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 7.3 assists while shooting 43.6% from the field and 39.6% from deep.
Adding Lowry to the duo of Butler and Adebayo would greatly increase Miami’s chances of competing in the Eastern Conference.
His efficient shooting would also help improve their scoring output. Though he may be on the older side, his leadership and overall playstyle would certainly fit right in with the Miami Heat.