8 Best Targets For The Miami Heat This Summer

The Miami Heat were bounced out of the NBA Finals by the Denver Nuggets in five games, and it was clear that they were outmatched across the board in terms of star power, depth, and all-around gameplan. The Heat somehow made the Finals thanks to Jimmy Butler’s superhuman efforts to start the playoffs and a host of role players such as Caleb Martin and Gabe Vincent stepping up, but they can’t keep running it back with only Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo leading the charge. The Heat need another star player.

Miami needs to make some big changes to compete with the likes of Milwaukee, Boston, and Philadelphia in the East and that means going after one of the below eight superstar players. It won’t be easy for the Heat to get back to the top of the East, but they can make some major moves to get there and it starts with stacking up on All-Star talent. It is never easy to engage in blockbuster deals for All-Stars, but the Heat have a host of valuable trade assets, including Tyler Herro, Gabe Vincent, Caleb Martin, Nikola Jovic, and multiple first-round picks. Miami can engage in sign-and-trade deals with Vincent and Martin and will be willing to lose any future assets if it means creating a Big Three.

Without further ado, here is how the Miami Heat can create a Big Three this summer by targeting one of the below eight All-Star players. No matter the package, Miami needs to give Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo some help and luckily for them, it is very realistic to happen before the 2023-24 season starts. 

Zach LaVine

2022-23 Statistics: 24.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG

Zach LaVine is most likely acquirable, considering the Chicago Bulls missed the playoffs and were unable to find consistency with their roster. LaVine was one of the team’s few bright spots, as he averaged 24.8 PPG, but his talents could be better suited for a title-contending franchise like the Heat. A Big Three, including Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Zach LaVine, would be far better than one that includes Tyler Herro.

In other words, Miami should be willing to swap shooting guards with the Chicago Bulls since Herro is younger (23 years old) than LaVine (28 years old) and needs a few more years of development to reach that next level as a star player. Butler is nearing 34 years old and the Heat need to give him scoring options meaning LaVine fits the bill almost perfectly. With LaVine, Miami will almost certainly not rank 30th in PPG and 25th in offensive rating.

Whether LaVine spots up for jumpers or creates his own shots, Miami has an answer for any defense. A starting lineup of Kyle Lowry, Zach LaVine, Jimmy Butler, Kevin Love, and Bam Adebayo would be far more formidable than any lineup the Heat can field right now. If the Heat had LaVine in this year’s Finals, we might be talking about a series heading to seven games instead of ending after five. 

Bradley Beal

2022-23 Statistics: 23.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 5.4 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.7 BPG

Bradley Beal has been in trade rumors for so long, but it doesn’t seem like the shooting guard is letting that get to him. The 3-time All-Star had somewhat of a down season this year with the Wizards, and that was because he struggled with health over his 50 appearances, and his team was clearly below-average.

Still, Beal can score with the best of them, and Miami could certainly use a player of his talents. Beal could become the team’s primary scoring option instead of Tyler Herro and give Butler the room to focus on locking down on defense and being a secondary scoring option. As good as Herro and Butler are offensive, they can’t create offense as easily as Beal. Replacing Herro in the starting lineup, Beal joins Lowry in the backcourt and is bolstered by Jimmy Butler, Caleb Martin, and Bam Adebayo. Beal takes this offense to another level with his perimeter scoring and ability to create shots.

Washington might wake up and realize that tanking is the way to go and accept a deal that revolves around Tyler Herro. Miami can’t wait on Herro to become an All-Star since Butler is 33 years old and counting, so Beal is a very attainable player for them if they can agree to part ways with Herro and whatever fillers Washington asks for. 

Jaylen Brown

2022-23 Statistics: 26.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.4 BPG

Two-time All-Star Jaylen Brown is currently signed with the Boston Celtics through the 2023-2024 season, but he will become an unrestricted free agent after that. If the Celtics are not able to offer him a contract that he feels is fair, he may choose to explore other options. Of course, the desire not to stay in Jayson Tatum’s shadow might force him to embark on a new challenge elsewhere. In comes the Miami Heat, a franchise always looking for a two-way star who can hold his own offensively.

Jaylen’s putrid Game 7 performance against the Miami Heat at TD Garden is raising concerns about the player’s ability to perform in the playoffs, but an overreaction is unnecessary. Brown is still only 26 years old and has a ton of room to improve even more, and he needs the right environment to prosper. Miami’s culture will help Brown boost himself to another level on both ends and he has an elite role model in Jimmy Butler to follow.

Brown averaged over 26 PPG and played some solid defense this season, and as a top-30 player in the world, he could be attainable for the right price. Boston will want Tyler Herro, Caleb Martin, and Gabe Vincent, along with two first-round picks at a minimum, if they decide to trade Brown at all. Miami is a destination that could be interesting for Brown for a variety of reasons, including being in a big market with culture, so Butler and Adebayo could have a 26-year-old All-Star beside them in next year’s playoffs. 

 Kyrie Irving

2022-23 Statistics: 27.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 5.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.8 BPG

The biggest gamble Miami can take is acquiring Kyrie Irving and putting him in the starting lineup with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. In an NBA 2K video game, this deal would place the Heat as the favorites to come out of the East because Kyrie is such a special offensive talent. The guard averaged 27.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 5.5 APG this season which are clearly All-Star numbers, and he did it at fantastic efficiency (49.4% FG, 37.9% 3-PT FG, 90.5% FT).

However, Irving is a walking ball of drama, and he seems to be getting worse by the year. If Miami wants to take a massive gamble and hopes their culture “fixes” Kyrie, it could work out in their favor because he would become an immediate upgrade over Gabe Vincent or Kyle Lowry. Amazingly, Miami felt they could keep Irving focused, which is why they tried to make a deal for the superstar this season. With Kyrie starting games, Miami’s lineup becomes Kyrie Irving, Duncan Robinson, Jimmy Butler, Caleb Martin, and Bam Adebayo, assuming the two non-All-Star starters are retained. This is an All-Star Team that would be ready to take the league by storm as long as Miami’s culture controls the point guard.

Again, this would be a massive gamble for the Heat, praying for Irving’s consistency on and off the court. A player of Irving’s skills does not come around often and if Miami finds themselves desperate to acquire a star by any means, Kyrie could be heading to South Beach for a package that includes the likes of Tyler Herro and first-round picks. As long as Butler and Adebayo are retained, Irving is a realistic target. 

Pascal Siakam

2022-23 Statistics: 24.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 5.8 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.5 BPG

Another fantastic trade option for the Miami Heat would be Pascal Siakam. The Cameroonian star has been a great servant for Toronto, but Miami could maximize his production by surrounding him with another All-Star-caliber big man and a no-nonsense wing in Jimmy Butler. Siakam’s play would improve alongside these two players on both ends of the floor because he has an exceptional all-around game as a power forward.

As a scoring forward who can rebound and defend multiple positions, Siakam posted 24.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 5.8 APG in what can be considered a career year in many aspects. Siakam would elevate the Heat into the top-three rankings with ease because of his tremendous versatility on both ends of the floor, and he has the energy to fit in the culture. A starting lineup of Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, Jimmy Butler, Pascal Siakam, and Bam Adebayo would have fared much better than it did this season. No doubt, this team improves offensively and defensively and will be much better on the court together.

Toronto could be massive sellers this summer to rebuild around Scottie Barnes, and since Fred VanVleet is now a free agent, the next player to be on the outs is Pascal Siakam. Siakam already has championship experience, is only 29 years old, and is a two-way player who fits in Miami’s system better than most other All-Star players on the trade market right now. A twin-towers could be formed in South Beach next season, headlined by Siakam and Adebayo. 

Trae Young

2022-23 Statistics: 26.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 10.2 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Miami needs an offensive star to truly be the favorite in the Eastern Conference. The team has developed Bam Adebayo effectively because his partnership with Jimmy Butler already saw the catalyst for a Finals appearance in 2020. Credit should also go to Tyler Herro, a strong scorer who is someone that any team wants, as he is only 23 years old. The only way Miami should move on from Herro would be to add an All-Star offensive player, something that Trae Young absolutely is.

No doubt, Atlanta will ask for Herro as a priority if they engage the Heat in trade talks. The Heat will be desperate to get their hands on Young, so the Hawks might even have to accept a package centered around Herro, Caleb Martin, and two or three first-round picks. No matter the package that gets offered, Trae to Miami is a very real possibility because only the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Philadelphia 76ers are legitimate title threats in the East and Miami can catapult all of them with the addition of a point guard who can post 20 PPG and 10 APG in his sleep.

Acquiring Young would allow Butler and Adebayo to focus on defense, the area in which both are superstar-level at times. There is no doubt that Trae Young would take them over the top. A Big Three of Young, Butler, and Bam would be exciting to watch on both ends of the court. Is there also any doubt that Eric Spoelstra and the Heat organization won’t be able to get the best out of the high-usage point guard? Expect the Heat to go into Trae Young talks strongly if the Hawks do make it clear that they want to move on from their former No. 5 overall pick.

Joel Embiid

2022-23 Statistics: 33.1 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.7 BPG

The Miami Heat have been looking for a dominant All-Star to pair with All-Star Jimmy Butler for quite some time, and there should be no doubt that the Heat are interested in Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. While Embiid is widely considered one of the top centers in the league, there are question marks surrounding his longevity and durability. Nonetheless, there are compelling reasons why the Miami Heat would trade for Embiid and the potential that he brings to form arguably the best duo in the entire NBA.

Embiid’s presence on the Heat would give the team another dominant scorer and rebounder to pair with Jimmy Butler. Embiid’s combination of size, strength, and offensive versatility makes him a matchup nightmare for most teams in the league. He has improved his three-point shooting (33.0%) to the point where he is no longer a liability, which makes him more of a threat on the perimeter, and his mid-range game is nearly automatic at this point. Other than Kevin Durant, there probably isn’t a better mid-range shooter.

With Butler already improving his three-point shooting (35.0%), the Heat could have two go-to scoring options that are difficult to defend in a league that is placing greater emphasis on three-point shooting. Not to mention, Embiid would provide the Heat with a much-needed boost in the paint on both ends of the court. The Heat have struggled at times handling bigger players even if they are an excellent defensive team (2nd in OPPG, 9th in defensive rating). The addition of Embiid would make the Heat an even more complete team both on offense and defense.

The only way for the Heat to acquire the 2022-23 regular season MVP would be dangling Bam Adebayo and first-round picks, possibly along with valuable players such as Gabe Vincent, Caleb Martin, and Nikola Jovic. It is unlikely Miami would trade both Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, so there could be some negotiation involved, but the duo of Embiid and Butler would be terrifying to watch. As great as Joel Embiid and James Harden were, Embiid and Butler would be far deadlier due to defensive efforts and postseason reliability. If Miami can acquire the NBA’s MVP, the East is basically a wrap. 

Damian Lillard

2022-23 Statistics: 32.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 7.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.3 BPG

Damian Lillard with the Miami Heat would be the piece of the puzzle that could get Miami to finally get over the hump and win the NBA championship. Lillard has made it clear his priority is to join the Miami Heat if he leaves Portland, and the feeling could be mutual. After going 0-2 in the Finals over the past four seasons, Miami needs a third star to relieve pressure off defensive-minded players Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. No doubt, adding Damian Lillard to their roster would give them a dynamic scoring threat and a leader on the court, along with potentially the right piece for a superteam.

Pairing him with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo would create a formidable Big Three that could compete with any team in the league. Lillard is one of the best point guards in the NBA, and his ability to score from anywhere on the court would make him a perfect fit for the Heat’s offensive system. He is also a great playmaker, averaging over 7.0 APG last season, which would help the Heat’s offense flow more smoothly. Lillard’s leadership and work ethic would also be a great addition to the Heat’s locker room culture.

The new starting lineup would become Damian Lillard, Duncan Robinson, Jimmy Butler, Kevin Love, and Bam Adebayo under head coach Erik Spoelstra. Whether the Heat wins the title or not, they need to go after Lillard because the point guard made it clear he wants to play for the South Florida-based franchise, and losing Tyler Herro and other role players and picks is a package the Heat would be willing to entertain. 

Next

The Smart Plan For The Miami Heat This Summer: A Blockbuster Trade For Damian Lillard, A Worthy Risk With Ben Simmons

Proposed Blockbuster Trade Moves Zion Williamson To Hornets And Sends Pelicans No. 2 Pick To Draft Scoot Henderson

The Low-Risk High-Reward Trade Between The Celtics And Clippers: Kawhi Leonard Joins Jayson Tatum In A Blockbuster Deal