The Miami Heat have a tough road ahead of them if they still plan to land a big fish on the trade market. With a slew of rumors hitting the wire over the last day or so, things aren’t looking their brightest.
While the situation over in Utah is one thing, the Miami Heat’s top priority was reportedly still Kevin Durant. However, their priorities might not align with Brooklyn’s.
While it has been reported that the Nets would have like one of the biggest returns in NBA trade history for Durant, that would have been something to negotiate down from as a starting point.
However, when it comes to what that package might include, regardless of the size of the return relative to NBA history, that’s where things might get tricky for both sides. Here is the basis for that assumption.
“Just from my conversations with people around the situation, I just don’t see Brooklyn having any real interest in any Miami package that doesn’t bring back Bam Adebayo.”
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 20, 2022
- @JakeLFischer pic.twitter.com/jlzfb243Gg
And that’s also where the Miami Heat, probably, have to draw the line in the sand.
The Miami Heat are still in the market for another high-caliber player. However, are they willing to part with Bam Adebayo to land that guy?
This has always been one of the main questions that you would have to ask yourselves if you were the Heat organization and decision-makers.
If it came to it, would you be willing to give up your defensive centerpiece, a perennial NBA Defensive Player Of The Year candidate, a big man capable of guarding guards, and offensively emulating what most of them can do?
That’s a tough call. For what it’s worth, the answer would likely be no here.
The Miami Heat were one win away from making it to the NBA Finals last season. Losing to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, they were without the talent of a fully healthy Kyle Lowry and Tyler Herro.
Jimmy Butler did all he could, but he was hampered by not having two of his most potent offensive teammates, at least, at 60 percent capacity. This isn’t an excuse, as they were beaten by the better team in that game and series.
However, it is to say that they weren’t far enough off last season to think that this group can’t still make some noise and win the whole thing. And Bam Adebayo was and is a huge part of that.
That’s why this is probably the line that the Miami Heat will have to draw in the sand.