ESPN may have just gifted the Miami Heat a prime list of the next superstars that are most likely to hit the trade market. In a survey conducted by some of the most knowledgeable NBA minds, the likes of Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, and Trae Young are the big names most likely to request a trade next.
The Heat should be taking notes, and they must continue to put themselves in a position to take advantage in the near future.
The star market could be preparing to heat up
Even though most of this is based on personal opinions, there are natural reasons why each of these players could seemingly hit the trade button next. It's already been detailed that LeBron and Young could be inching closer to their final season with their respective teams, and the whispers surrounding Morant's future have certainly grown over the last couple of seasons.
Giannis' future is still reportedly "up in the air," even though the Milwaukee Bucks continue to do everything they can to upgrade the supporting cast around him. If the move for Myles Turner ends up being a complete disaster, it'd be far from a surprise for Giannis to finally hit the eject button in Milwaukee.
Zion just never seemed like the best fit in New Orleans, and they could be ready to hit the hard reset button as well.
What is the Heat's plan?
One of the bigger mysteries surrounding the Heat revolves around what exactly their plan is moving forward. Even though we can try and piece together what that might be, based on context clues, we have no idea what this front office is thinking. They're generally an organization that likes to operate with its cards close to its chest.
Even though their ultimate plan may not be one that many of the fan base agree with, they almost certainly have one. Could it be to embrace the continued development of their young core and to see where that takes them? Absolutely.
However, at the same rate, it wouldn't also be surprising to see the Heat jump at the opportunity to land a star player. It's been their MO throughout the last few decades, and it's still something that Pat Riley has continued to hint at here and there.
And if the Heat is genuinely searching for their next opportunity to land another star player, there's reason to believe that the time to pounce may not be that far off. The bright minds of ESPN may have given the right level of hope that the Heat (and the fan base) may have needed.