While the Miami Heat ultimately came up short in their heroic bid to land the franchise’s fourth NBA title against the Denver Nuggets, they can still confidently look back at this season as a relative success all things considered. That being said, extending their championship window will require a lot of front office gymnastics to improve the roster.
The Heat have one of the better development staffs in the association, but it’s widely known that they operate more at the crux of the trading sphere. This offseason will be no different, especially with the franchise already linked to some of the hottest names expected to be made available for trades this summer.
Fortunately, fans should now have an idea on what Miami can offer the best with the goal of potentially luring a highly touted player to the South Beach as they aim to elevate their ceiling as a collective.
Recent Miami Heat trade intel reveals potential Tyler Herro trade package
ESPN’s NBA insider Brian Windhorst expects the Heat to be in the hunt for a star this offseason.
Despite foiled attempts to snag Donovan Mitchell, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving at varying points this past season, it seems like the Heat will indeed bank on outside help to catapult this team over the hump.
However, the front office’s best trade package, centered on Tyler Herro and three future first-round picks, may not be convincing enough as they possibly seek the likes of Damian Lillard, who recently shared an openness to play in Miami in the case of a separation from Portland.
Swapping Herro for an aging guard like Lillard would be an abrupt way to age the roster and go all-in on the current window. At the same time, the Heat would receive an established star in return — giving them a more well-rounded offensive fulcrum with hopefully better availability.
Ultimately, the Heat could be more open to dangle Herro after advancing to the Finals with him out of the lineup due to a broken hand he sustained in the team’s opening playoff game. The front office should not hesitate to put him — in addition to handsome draft compensation — on the table if a game-changing player like Lillard becomes available. After all, the time for the franchise is now.