The Miami Heat could surprisingly offer an unexpected lifeline to the Cleveland Cavaliers after it was reported that their noted sharp-shooting wing Max Strus is expected to miss 3-4 months with an injury. If the Cavs wanted a cheap replacement, they should look no further than Simone Fontecchio as a potential trade target. And the Heat should be willing to oblige.
If Miami is looking for a way to create even more cap space (in order to sign another player without crossing into the luxury tax), it should be willing to move on from Fontecchio's contract. The Cavs, all of a sudden, could be a prime landing spot.
Maybe the Heat wants to see at least the start of the season play out with Fontecchio on the roster, but there were some whispers that the team was open to waiving him just a few weeks ago. There's a chance that sentiment has changed after the Haywood Highsmith trade, but it's certainly a scenario that could still be explored.
The Heat still need another big
Even though the Heat could absolutely use the shooting, there's no question that, at this point, Miami may be better off swapping Fontecchio's spot on the roster for a big man. I'm not sure how realistic that remains at this point, but the Heat should be willing to explore all avenues to accomplish that.
Sure, Cleveland's tax situation would make a 1-for-1 trade difficult, but perhaps a third or fourth team could be added to get a deal done.
At the very least, there should be some conversation about the possibility of it. Especially if the Cavs are going to be looking for ways to replace Strus' shooting.
Even if he does "only" miss three months, there's a good chance he's going to be out for a good chunk of the start of the season. While Fontecchio very much remains a mystery, 3-point shooting is the one area that has been pretty consistent over the course of his career.
If the Cavs are willing to scour the market for a potential part-time replacement for Strus, the Heat should make a call and see how interested the Cavs would be in such a move.
It could be a tough call for the Heat, especially if they're trying to win as many games as possible this season, but it would be a move that could help the team better situate itself for the start of the year.