3 Stars the Heat could target in a mid-season trade if their seasons go south

Damian Lillard

The Bucks are old. Depending on who you ask, the window is closing or it’s already closed. Damian Lillard is 34, Khris Middleton is 33 (but has the ankles of a 63-year-old) and – don’t look now – Giannis Antetokounmpo will be 30 in December.

I remain bullish on the Bucks. Giannis and Dame should be better in Year 2, and Middleton is due for a stretch of health at some point. There’s enough star power at the top, institutional knowledge, and consistency at head coach to bet on the Bucks making a top-four finish in the East.

But I’ve been wrong before. If the Bucks experiment fails and it’s clear by February that thing is done, what’s to stop the Heat from calling the Bucks about Lillard?

At that point, he’ll have two-and-a-half years left on his contract, and Milwaukee could be motivated to get younger and cheaper around Giannis. Could the Heat interest them in Wisconsin native Tyler Herro and valuable depth pieces?

Lillard could join Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler in Miami. As beat up as the Heat have been, they still feel more structurally sound than the Bucks. Lillard could be the piece that puts them over the top during their shrinking window.