5 Miami Heat trade targets with ties to Jimmy Butler

Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers

As the pipe dream of all pipe dreams, there’s a scenario this offseason in which Joel Embiid emerges as a potential trade target for the Heat. But that would largely rely on Embiid deciding that he’s ready to move on from the Sixers and ready for a new start. On top of that, the Heat would need Embiid to make them one of his preferred destinations.

If that perfect storm comes to fruition for the Heat, they would then have the ball in their court. And ultimately, this theoretical possibility could very well come down to whether Miami is willing to move Bam Adebayo, multiple future first-round picks, and perhaps Tyler Herro to the Sixers in exchange for Embiid.

I’d imagine it would arise as one of the most polarizing decisions in recent Heat history. On paper, you’d have to think that swapping Embiid for Bam and possibly Herro could be enough to put this team over the top in the Eastern Conference (especially considering the run they just had). At the same time, building a team around two often-injured cornerstones could end up spelling disaster in the long run.

And considering the Heat would essentially be trading their future for a shot to win a championship now, targeting Embiid via trade this offseason may not be the no-brainer that many think it is.