Miami Heat: Best trade ever done with the Charlotte Hornets

MIAMI, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 11: LaMelo Ball #2 of the Charlotte Hornets controls the ball against Kyle Lowry #7 of the Miami Heat during the preseason game at FTX Arena on October 11, 2021 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 11: LaMelo Ball #2 of the Charlotte Hornets controls the ball against Kyle Lowry #7 of the Miami Heat during the preseason game at FTX Arena on October 11, 2021 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
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Miami Heat
Shabazz Napier #13 of the Miami Heat handles the ball during the second half of a game against the New Orleans Pelicans (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Miami Heat trade history with the Charlotte Hornets

The latest trade these two teams made was a three-team deal that included the Memphis Grizzlies. Unfortunately, the Heat and the Hornets got the bad end of this deal in the long run.

Miami received Brian Roberts, while the Hornets got Courtney Lee. The Grizzlies made out like bandits, getting a second-round pick that turned into De’Anthony Melton, who is now a solid young player.

This trade is fairly infamous in Miami Heat lore. LeBron James was a notable fan of Shabazz Napier when the Heat decided to draft him in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Unfortunately, that didn’t end up working out too well for them. Luckily, none of the assets the Heat sent to Charlotte ended up turning into anything for them, either.

In hindsight, this trade between the two teams was fairly irrelevant. Neither player ended up doing much with either team that was involved in the trade.

Steve Smith was a great NBA player, but this trade was made during his final NBA season, so he didn’t really make an impact in Miami. Meanwhile, Allen never amounted to much, but he had a fairly long career.

In terms of how many players were involved, this trade was gigantic. Each team essentially traded a third of their roster away for new players.

Jamal Mashburn, PJ Brown, and Eddie Jones are the key pieces of this deal. Jones played a few seasons in Miami, while Mashburn and Brown played some in Charlotte, making this a pretty even deal.

This trade was huge in relation to the players that were involved. This was a case of two All-Stars being traded for one another – Alonzo Mourning and Glen Rice.

Miami got their franchise big man in Mourning, while the Hornets got a bonafide bucket-getter in Rice. Each team should be very happy with this deal.