If the Miami Heat believes that acquiring Ja Morant can make them a championship contender again, there's no reason they shouldn't pull the trigger on a deal. Even more so if this proposed deal from ESPN is all it takes to get something done.
In a mock deal by ESPN, the Heat would acquire Morant in exchange for Tyler Herro and Simone Fontecchio. If that's all it takes, the Heat should be on the phone now with Memphis.
Even though losing Herro would hurt the Heat, adding a talent like Morant doesn't present itself all that often. The Heat haven't had this opportunity in years, and bypassing this chance could end up being quite costly for the franchise.
Will the Heat pass on Ja Morant?
With no guarantee that Giannis Antetokounmpo is ever going to hit the trade block, and even less so considering his recent comments, it may be time for the Heat to seriously explore other avenues of acquiring top-level talent.
Even though you can never predict when superstar players are going to hit the trade market, there's no reason for the Heat to be waiting around any longer.
If Miami believes in its organization and culture, adding a talent like Morant (at the ripe age of 26) should not even be a discussion. You do it 10 times out of 10.
Again, I'm not sure where the Heat falls on this, but, in theory, Morant seems like a player, assuming the price is right, that they'd take a gamble on.
Assuming that they wouldn't have to break the bank to acquire Morant, and there's no reason to believe that they'd have to, it's time for the Heat to take another risk.
If the Heat could find a way to add a talent like Morant without having to give away a first-round pick or any of their core young pieces, I'm not sure what the front office would be hesitant about.
I get it. Losing Herro at this point would be considered a loss. Herro has meant a lot to the Heat over the past few years. He's one of their greatest success stories. After being the 13th pick in the NBA Draft, Miami helped develop him into an All-Star player.
That's not common. Herro is a great story, but he's also not as talented as Morant. And he certainly doesn't raise the Heat's ceiling as much as Morant can.
It's a debate whether Morant is a better player than Herro right now, but when both are at their ceilings, there's no debate. You take Morant all day, every day.
If Heat culture is real, go and trade for Morant.