Miami is expected to peruse the trade market for plug-and-play power forwards.
The start to the 2022-2023 season for the Miami Heat has been an emotional roller coaster to say the least. Between a lack of roster moves to help propel a team that was one Jimmy Butler shot away from making the NBA Finals a season ago and the constant fluctuation between being under .500 and over .500 has proven to be a bit much for a very spoiled fan base.
The Miami Heat came into this season selling their fanbase on in-house improvements to help boost the team’s chances at trophy number four; that would include steady growth from young core pieces Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, a fully healthy Victor Oladipo, and hidden undrafted gems Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, and Omer Yurtseven. It is now just under two months into the season and the Heat have yet to have Victor Oladipo available for a game due to a knee injury, Omer Yurtseven has been out due to ankle surgery, and several other key players have missed substantial time such as Tyler Herro, Gabe Vincent, and Max Strus.
While the team is now getting healthier, one major piece of the puzzle remains missing: a starting caliber Power Forward. The Heat loss free agent PJ Tucker to the Philadelphia 76ers this past offseason, and many fans thought this was a major blow to the team as Tucker was a critical part of the Heat’s Eastern Conference Finals run last season. The biggest gripe fans had with losing Tucker was the fact that the Heat did not address the vacancy he left with another starting caliber forward. Instead, they slid Caleb Martin into a spot where – even though he has shown flashes of very solid play – he is playing out of position. Is there a player out there that the Heat could acquire to fill that void, return Martin to his natural wing position, and rebalance the team at large? Yup, time for every fan’s favorite topic: TRADES.
Below are 5 possible trade targets that could provide a boost to the Heat’s front court and return the team to its winning ways for the remainder of this season.
1. Grant Williams
Williams may be one of the better trade targets available right now, especially for the Heat. At 6’6, Williams provides size and strength on the defensive end, along with highly efficient 3-point shooting. He is shooting an impressive 46% from downtown this season, and 53% overall. Adding a front court mate alongside Butler and Adebayo – who are both not known for their outside shooting – can unlock many schemes and sets for future Hall of Fame coach Erik Spoelstra to play with. Grant Williams is extension eligible this offseason, so any trade to Miami would likely involve immediately signing him to an extension. According to insider Greg Sylvander, the Heat have expressed great interest in Williams and are fond of his game. The question becomes, what would the Heat be willing to offer Williams to be their starting Power Forward?
2. Jarred Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt is a hot name amongst #HeatTwitter as many fans think he is one of, if not the best fit for this roster.
At 6’8, Vanderbilt is an exceptional rebounder especially on the offensive glass, which could really help a team that is at the bottom of the league in rebounding. This season, Vanderbilt is shooting a career high 46% from downtown and just under 61% from the field. A bigger, longer front court mate that would relieve some defensive duties from defensive anchor Adebayo could not only help the team defensively, but help Adebayo stay out of his recent stretch of foul trouble.
3. Jae Crowder
Heat fans are familiar with Crowder, who was instrumental in the team’s 2020 finals run in the Orlando bubble. Crowder opted to leave Miami in the 2020 offseason to take a longer contract with the Phoenix Suns. There would be a few concerns with adding Crowder, though – the major one being that he has not played in a game this season after losing his starting job to Cam Johnson and the Suns being unwilling to work out a contract extension with Crowder. On paper, the Crowder fit seems to be a no brainer considering what he already has done in a Heat uniform, but with other major contenders in the mix for a savvy veteran, a deal could be harder to secure than some would think.
4. PJ Washington
Washington could be the sneaky-best trade target of those named so far. At 6’7, Washington is able to guard nearly all positions on the floor, as well was stretch the floor offensively. This season, Washington is shooting 34% from downtown and 42% from the field, and would provide yet another 2-way big-bodied player to stick alongside Adebayo and Butler. The most attractive part about this possibility is that Washington is only 24 years old and still has a long NBA career ahead of him. With Erik Spoelstra by his side, Washington could be a very useful long-term piece for this roster looking to grow more offensively while still maintaining a defensive identity.
5. Dorian Finney-Smith
Finney-Smith is another interesting player that would fit right into what the Heat are known for; a tenacious defender and rebounder, along with someone who can spread the floor from time to time offensively. Although Finney-Smith is having a down year, his defensive ability is still something the Heat would likely find intriguing. And with the Dallas Mavericks struggling as of late, this could be the Heat’s chance to sneak in and steal a player that would be a low-risk/high-reward gamble. Sylvander has mentioned in the past that the Heat were interested in Finney-Smith, and the Heat tend to hold interest in players for a long while and revisit acquisition discussions down the road. At 6’7, this is another player that provides the height and length that would fit well alongside Adebayo to help clean up some of the rebounding issues this team has had so far this season. Finney-Smith is shooting 33% from downtown, down from 40% last season. Another player with high defensive upside and potential offensive upside that could really boost this roster as the season progresses.
As it stands now, the Heat are not far out of the playoff picture. And if they are able to string together a few win streaks and really start to gain that team chemistry everyone expected of them, this season may not be so far gone. The NBA trade deadline is on February 9th and the expectation is that a trade should on its way; the question will be who and what for? The Heat have two first round picks to play around with, but it’s possible they would prefer to hold onto those picks for the next available “whale”. Just this past offseason players like Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Donovan Mitchell became available via trade, so it’s important to have the requisite draft artillery to make a competitive offer when a superstar shakes free.
All in all, Pat Riley and Andy Elisburg remain some of the best in the business at what they do, and they will continue to work diligently to tinker with the roster in hopes of bringing this team back to the top of the league, where they so rightfully belong.
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