Outside of availability issues across the Miami Heat’s roster last season, there are some offensive issues as well that will surely be addressed.
The Heat were ranked top-five in defensive efficiency during the 2023-24 campaign, but the opposite was true on the other side of the ball. Miami finished in the bottom half of offensive efficiency rating, and often couldn’t keep up with opposing offenses, no matter the strength of its defense.
The Boston Celtics ran the Heat off their home floor in the first round of these past playoffs. Miami has offensive talent, but unfortunately weren’t able to see that all gel because of injuries to Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier throughout the season.
Herro is set to earn $29 million next season. With two additional years totaling $64 million, Herro has been the target of frustration for many Heat fans who feel he might be overpaid. A potential trade candidate who could find himself linked to the Heat could face a similar situation to Herro’s contract.
The Miami Heat should avoid trading for Brandon Ingram, who could surface as a trade candidate going into a contract year and wants a max extension.
Brandon Ingram of the New Orleans Pelicans has been in the thick of trade rumors for months now. It has been reported that Ingram is searching for a max contract extension from the Pelicans, but they have been reluctant in doing so. The talented forward is coming off a season of 20.8 points, 5.7 assists and 5.1 rebounds in 64 games.
The talent and potential at still only 27 years old is all there for Ingram. There’s no doubts on the impact he can make when on the floor, especially offensively. However, there is a proven track record here of availability being a concern. Outside of his 64 games last year, Ingram hasn’t appeared in more than 62 games ever since his rookie season with the LA Lakers.
Since the 2017-18 season, he has averaged around 55 games played each season. There are a lot of similarities to Herro in the sense that this is a pair of elite offensive talents, but struggle to stay on the floor. Ultimately, the best ability is availability, and that is something that both Herro and Ingram have proven that they can’t be relied on.
Ingram’s contract demands haven’t led to a trade yet, making it seem like rival teams are also reluctant to commit max money to someone with an injury history. Whether his name surfaces more come the trade deadline is yet to be seen. But the Heat have experienced these same concerns with Herro, so adding another player like this into the mix may be redundant.
Bleacher Report recently labeled the Heat as a potential landing spot for Ingram. He would be a good fit on the court, as he is a lengthy two-way forward who can improve the team's offense and provide versatility. However, the Heat front office might be cautious about a potential deal for Ingram due to Herro's situation.