Last year, the Miami Heat shipped Kelly Olynyk to the Houston Rockets to land Victor Oladipo before the trade deadline. Although he was unable to play more than three games with the Heat, the trade made Oladipo buy into the possibility of proving his worth with the team this season, as he signed a minimum deal with Miami in the offseason.
So far, he has not played this season, but when he does, the value of last year’s trade will come to fruition. The NBA trade deadline for this NBA season is on Thursday, February 10.
As it stands right now, the Miami Heat have the best record in the East. Usually, the best teams in the NBA do not make any drastic trades at the trade deadline.
First off, because other teams are often afraid to make them stronger. Secondly, they want to keep up the rhythm and chemistry of their season.
In other words, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The Miami Heat are in an interesting position where they could be serious contenders with the roster they have in place, but they also have so much room for improvement.
Should the Miami Heat consider making any trades before the deadline this season? Let’s take a look at some of their options.
Miami Heat: Should They Make Any Moves Before The NBA Trade Deadline?
First, it should be noted here that there are more than a few players who would be considered “untouchable” for the Heat. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are the centerpieces of the team and of the modern Heat Culture.
They are not going anywhere.
Tyler Herro is in the middle of a breakout season and is displaying all-star potential. While that could lead to some enticing offers, Miami would be wise to avoid mentioning his name in any trade conversations, considering his growth as a player and also because of the love he receives from the fans.
In reality, there are probably only two players who the Heat could involve in a trade—KZ Okpala and Duncan Robinson. Starting with Okpala, while he has shown flashes of potential for the Heat and has stepped up when his number is called, he still hasn’t quite lived up to his potential yet.
If the Heat were to trade him, they wouldn’t get much back for him, but it could free up a roster spot in case any other players become available who might be better with the team. Trading Duncan Robinson would certainly make things interesting though.
This season, the sharpshooter has struggled to maintain his consistency from previous years. As a result, his shooting percentages are significantly lower.
However, he has started to pick things up recently. It is likely that there are several teams who would want to add Duncan Robinson to their roster purely for his shooting ability.
As the roster stands right now, Duncan Robinson would be the one player Miami could trade to get the most value back in return. However, they might not want to trade him.
His shooting was a key part of their NBA Finals run in 2020. His three-point shooting threat helps space the floor, which is crucial in helping Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo to operate most effectively.
If he is on the floor with several other shooters like Gabe Vincent or Max Strus, the floor is opened up wide. There is also the fact of his mere impact, as even when he isn’t hitting, he still tilts defenses.
Miami Heat: If They Did, There Are A Few Rumored Names Out There
Now, let’s look at what the Miami Heat should be looking for if they were to make a trade at the deadline. Right now, their roster is one of the best in the league, so it would not make much sense to make any drastic moves.
However, if a big offer presents itself, it might be worth exploring. Here is what that might look like.
There are two big names who have been linked to the Heat recently who could become available. Bradley Beal has recently said that while he prefers to stay with the Washington Wizards, he is not opposed to trade opportunities.
Christian Wood is the other name. He is a skilled big man for the Houston Rockets with three-point range.
That skill could be valuable to any team in the NBA. Obviously, if these two were to become available, the Heat would have to put together a pretty big offer to attract the attention of the Wizards or Rockets, which could make things difficult.
It is much more likely that the Heat make small tweaks to their roster, if anything at all. The Miami Heat have not had too many opportunities to build complete team chemistry this season, with players constantly going in and out of the lineup.
As previously stated, they have enough to win with the current construction of their roster, so they do not need to make any huge changes. However, trading for a valuable role player who can fit in quickly with the system might be a good option to consider.
For example, a player like Eric Gordon who can shoot and defend would be a very valuable addition to any contender. He has also previously played with a few players on the Heat’s roster already, so there’s that too.
Ultimately, it would be unnecessary for the Heat to make any moves before the trade deadline. It would be shocking to actually see them make any trades at all, honestly.
However and again, there are some valuable role players that could be a great asset to this team if they were to become available. In that case, it might make sense for the Heat to target them if they can agree to a reasonable deal.
Only, though, if they can agree to something reasonable.