3 Forgotten Heat trade targets who could resurface in 2024-25 season
By Max Marshall
After a lackluster offseason for the Miami Heat, fans are urging the front office to make some moves. Over the past couple of seasons, Miami has been involved in several trade rumors that have ultimately come to nothing.
Given this, Miami is constantly on the lookout for new talent. As the new season approaches, the Heat roster remains largely unchanged, prompting fans to call for changes. Some familiar names may resurface in trade rumors that the Heat could revisit.
Nikola Vucevic
Nikola Vucevic has been at the center of trade rumors for the past few years. At 33 years old, Vucevic finds himself in a challenging situation playing for the Chicago Bulls. The team is neither strong enough to contend nor weak enough to undergo a rebuilding phase.
This puts Chicago and Vucevic in an uncertain position for the upcoming season. Miami has previously expressed interest in Vucevic, who has two years remaining on his contract worth $41 million.
It appears that Miami is looking to add size this season, making Vucevic an attractive option.
As a center capable of stretching the floor and posing a pick-and-pop threat, Vucevic's skill set could complement Miami's needs. While Vucevic may not excel defensively due to being slow-footed and ineffective at protecting the rim, his offensive capabilities, particularly his ability to spread the floor, could pair well with Bam Adebayo on both ends of the court.
Despite Vucevic's relatively low 3-point shooting percentage of 29.4% last season, he has maintained a career average of 34.1% from beyond the arc. However, Miami's potential acquisition of Vucevic may be unlikely due to the presence of Kevin Love on the roster, as both players possess similar attributes. Nonetheless, if Miami requires additional size alongside Adebayo, Vucevic could become a viable option.