With the Miami Heat’s inability to make a move at the NBA Trade Deadline, their reliance on the NBA Buyout Market here is crucial as they look to go into the second part of the season and make a deep run into the postseason.
Managing to be a top-third team in the NBA, meaning the top 10 record-wise and regardless of how many may see them at this point in the year, the Miami Heat are still only a few pieces away from being one of those teams capable of going all the way.
With teams like the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks in their way in the Eastern Conference alone, the Miami Heat will still find a tough time getting by those teams if they are to meet in the postseason and that means they should look to bring in just one or two more pieces to help them along the way.
Again though, with the buyout market being their only option at this moment, that again brings you to the name of Russell Westbrook.
The Miami Heat need another piece or so and they may want Russell Westbrook. If that’s the case, his ‘slow-moving market’ bodes well for the chances there.
And for all of the bad that has been about Westbrook in the last few seasons, he is still a guy that can come in and possibly help your second unit, at the very least, especially if the Miami Heat’s depth is continued to be challenged as Kyle Lowry might be out for a while.
“When you look at teams around the league, there’s not a spot for Russell Westbrook… It’s a slow moving market, and we’ll see if he'll be able to find a home”@ShamsCharania with the latest on Russell Westbrook finding a new team on #RunItBack pic.twitter.com/fpN5gLLmLn
— FanDuel TV (@FanDuelTV) February 15, 2023
And while Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that it’s a “slow-moving” process as of now, here’s the thing about that. That, absolutely, bodes well for the Miami Heat if their intention is set on nabbing Westbrook.
With interest from several other teams, including the Chicago Bulls and Westbrook’s former coach in Billy Donovan and the LA Clippers, a team that has seen their stars come out and say they would love to have Westbrook aboard, nothing actually happening yet is actually rather intriguing.
And while the Jazz seem to want to make a point of letting it be known that they aren’t necessarily seeking a buyout, which seems more like a tactic than anything else to possibly get something for him as opposed to buying him out and simply having him walk away for nothing, no news is good news at this point if you are the Miami Heat and looking to acquire Westbrook.
And that’s why all of the stagnation thus far is in the Heat’s favor, of course and again, providing that they really are interested in bringing him aboard in the first place.