Ranking 3 Miami Heat trade deadline targets from no-brainer to potential disaster

1. No-brainer: Dorian Finney-Smith

The Heat have been looking for a long-term answer at power forward since the Jimmy Butler era began. Here’s a list of starting power forwards for each season since Butler arrived in Miami in 2019.

2019-20: Kelly Olynyk, Meyers Leonard, Jae Crowder
2020-21: Olynyk, Trevor Ariza, KZ Okpala
2021-22: P.J. Tucker
2022-23: Caleb Martin, Kevin Love
2023-24: Love, Haywood Highsmith, Nikola Jovic

Only Olynyk has started a majority of his games over more than one season, and he was traded halfway through the second season since Butler arrived. Since then, the Heat have been cycling through starting power forwards like Kanye goes through release dates in part because nobody has been a perfect fit.

Trading for Finney-Smith would solve that issue. Finney-Smith is a top-shelf defender like Tucker and Highsmith, but can space the floor like Olynyk and Crowder. He’s shooting 38.3% from 3-point range for the Nets this season and, at 6-foot-7 with a near-7-foot wingspan, has long been considered one of the league’s more versatile defenders.

The Nets have reportedly been seeking two first-round picks in exchange for Finney-Smith, but HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto recently reported that a single first-round pick and rotation player could be enough.

"Heading into Thursday’s deadline, rival executives continue to believe a first-round pick and a rotation player is suitable for Finney-Smith."

- Michael Scotto, HoopsHype

It’s difficult for the Heat to build a one-on-one deal with Brooklyn that doesn’t include one of Tyler Herro or Duncan Robinson, but finding a way to acquire Finney-Smith in a multi-team scenario should be at the top of Miami’s priorities when making calls between now and Thursday’s deadline.