The Miami Heat are hoping to remain competitive in the Eastern Conference despite the team remaining mostly unchanged this offseason outside the addition of veteran Alec Burks. Given the team was in the Play-In Tournament last season and how teams around them like the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks have made major moves, the Heat could be in trouble ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season.
The Chicago Bulls are also hoping to be a competitive team this season, but the team has been severely weakened by the departures of DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso this offseason. Their competitive goals can be met if they avoid intentionally tanking, but that won’t change the fact the team has reportedly been shopping Zach LaVine to an empty trade market since last winter.
With the Heat needing to add a major piece to improve their winning hopes and the Bulls needing to move on from LaVine after contentious seasons with the franchise, the two teams could agree on the perfect offseason trade.
Trade Details
Miami Heat Receive: Zach LaVine
Chicago Bulls Receive: Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, 2026 Second-Round Pick (LAL)
This is great value for the Heat, who can continue relying on Tyler Herro as the team’s primary guard ball-handler with LaVine’s scoring fixing the team’s offensive woes from the last two seasons. With Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo still on the team, the Heat would construct a dangerous big four that could challenge top teams in the East under Erik Spoelstra’s coaching.
The Miami Heat Create A Scary Big 4
The Heat are not a team that’d be willing to tank and hope for a high lottery pick to solve their competitive issues. Bam Adebayo is in his prime while Herro is inching closer to being a complete player after incremental improvements in recent seasons. With the possibility of Jimmy Butler leaving the franchise for nothing next offseason, the Heat are incentivized to go all-in this season and acquire a player of LaVine’s caliber.
LaVine dealt with injuries for most of the 2023-24 season, averaging just 19.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists while being disgruntled on the franchise. The season prior, LaVine was healthy for most of the season and averaged 24.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists, showing how lethal he can be as an offensive player.
With Butler not being able to manage the offensive load the team needs him to during the regular season, adding LaVine to a dynamic backcourt with Herro would unlock new potential for the Heat.
This deal would reinvigorate the Heat’s offense. There will be defensive concerns, with an excessive workload on that front for Adebayo and Butler, but LaVine showed flashes of a strong defense in the past when the Bulls looked competitive. The vaunted ‘Heat Culture’ could bring the best out of LaVine, while also providing the team with future insurance if Butler ends up leaving.
The Bulls Get Win-Now Pieces To Fit Their Agenda
The idea the Bulls would deal LaVine for future assets is both unfeasible and something the team doesn’t seem interested in doing. It’s not feasible because of LaVine’s low market value and the Bulls have made it clear that they intend to be competitive this season. As a result, a deal where they land two winning players like Terry Rozier and Duncan Robinson would be one they’ll be willing to do.
Rozier averaged 19.8 points, 5.6 assists and 4.0 rebounds last season, spending it with the Charlotte Hornets as well as the Heat. He was a solid addition for Miami at the trade deadline, but couldn’t move the needle enough to make them competitive enough for a Playoff push.
Similarly, Robinson has been in and out of the Heat’s plans in recent seasons. He averaged 12.9 points last season and is regarded as a one-dimensional marksman. But when he starts hitting shots, it’s hard to stop him.
The Bulls added Josh Giddey this summer with the hope he can become a franchise cornerstone. Robinson could thrive next to a playmaker like that, with Rozier likely serving as a bench guard alongside Lonzo Ball and Ayo Dosunmu, with Giddey and White as starters. This makes the Bulls a very deep roster that could endure the trials of an 82-game season and make a run at the No. 6 seed.
A Win-Win Trade For Both Franchises
This trade would serve both franchises well, as LaVine is the necessary ceiling-raiser that the Heat need to boost their title prospects in an Eastern Conference that looks loaded at the top. Due to the relative weaknesses of teams below the top six, this deal also gives the Bulls what they need to return to the Playoffs after losing in the Play-In tournament the last two seasons.
There is massive risk involved, especially for the Heat, as LaVine comes in with injury concerns. His attitude likely won’t be as big a problem because the Heat provides him with an opportunity to compete for the first time in his career. The 28-year-old doesn’t have many years of his prime left, and this deal would force him to commit to a win-now style of ball under a legendary coach like Erik Spoelstra.
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