The Miami Heat, as you've been told time and again, continue coming up empty in their search for an NBA superstar. Maybe they just aren't looking in the right place.
Rather than continuing to chase a Giannis Antetokounmpo daydream that keeps going nowhere, the Heat could take care of this problem without even looking outside of the Southeast Division. While the Atlanta Hawks aren't necessarily ready to split from four-time All-Star Trae Young, they will not extend his contract before the start of its final guaranteed season, per Fred Katz and Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
While the reporters noted Young's contract can be extended during the season, he has already seemingly expressed disappointment about the development. The Hawks want to see how their reshaped roster fits before committing to anything, but maybe Young doesn't appreciate his financial future being pushed to the back burner.
If he's looking for a way out, Miami could check off a lot of boxes by giving him one.
Adding Young would immediately answer some of the Heat's most pressing questions.
Before anyone races to their nearest hot-take machine, yes, I am aware that Young has some limitations as a player (namely, anything connected to defense). And, yes, I'm also aware that pairing him with a similarly limited Tyler Herro could leave Miami awfully exposed on the defensive end.
I also don't think that matters as much as you might think. Especially if Herro isn't locked into the long-term plans, which he isn't at this point.
Just consider your biggest concerns about this club. Perhaps playmaking tops the list. Or maybe it's the lack of a go-to scorer in crunch time. Or you might be less than convinced than Miami has the personnel needed to usher in this new up-tempo offensive approach.
It could seem like there might be too many issues for one player to solve, but Young frankly appears like a one-stop shop for Miami's biggest needs.
Want playmaking? He's the reigning assists champ and riding a three-year streak of tossing out double-digit dimes. Need a closer? The guy is so cold-blooded in the clutch that he's nicknamed Ice Trae. He's been top-10 in total clutch points during each of the past four seasons and ranked fifth or higher in three of them.
And if the Heat want speed in their attack, he's the little engine that can give it to them. Atlanta played at the third-fastest pace last season, per NBA.com, and was sixth in the category during each of the two previous campaigns.
So, again, he can Miami exactly where it needs the biggest lift. And while those defensive concerns are legitimate—his lack of size alone makes him an obvious target—a roster featuring stoppers like Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins, and Davion Mitchell and being led by a mastermind like coach Erik Spoelstra might have enough to overcome them.
If the Hawks get off to a slow start, the Heat should dial them up and early often. A blockbuster trade for Young could be a true game-changer for this group.