The Miami Heat are hoping to avoid a repeat of last season, when they stumbled out of the gate to a 1-4 record and it seemed like they were climbing uphill for the rest of the season.
But what if they don’t?
The Heat won’t be dealing with the hangover of losing out on Damian Lillard and the plan is for Jimmy Butler to be more engaged from the jump, but there are plenty of other reasons why things could go south for a team that remains largely unchanged after last season’s first-round exit.
After failing to make a big move so far this summer, could the Heat re-evaluate their situation before the trade deadline, particularly if they want to maximize what could be Jimmy Butler’s last season on his current contract?
Plenty of teams pivot before the trade deadline and the Heat could, too. Here’s a way-too-early look at some players the Heat could target at the trade deadline, either as buyers or as sellers.
1. Kyle Kuzma
If the Heat do get out to a slow start, it’s important to consider why. What could go wrong for this group that would result in them making a major move mid-season? The obvious culprits would be injuries and the inability to score consistently.
Should the Heat slip back into the bottom 10 in ORTG for the third-straight season, they could target more scoring help at a position of need.
Kyle Kuzma was nearly traded a year ago and the flounder Washington Wizards could put him on the block again.
Kuzma averaged 21.2 and 22.2 points his last two seasons in Washington and can play either forward position. As a member of the Lakers’ 2020 championship team, he showed the kind of defensive versatility that would be welcome playing alongside Bam Adebayo.
Trading for Kuzma, who has three more years left on his contract, would be a financial commitment, but it’s a fair deal that declines in value and should be easy to trade if the Heat decided to part ways down the road.
2. Grant Williams
Along the same lines as trading for Kuzma, Grant Williams could add depth at power forward at a cheaper cost. Under contract for three more years, Williams will earn $13 million next season. He’s not as dynamic as Kuzma, but he can make corner 3s at a respectable clip and defend multiple positions.
As a stocky defender and career 40% 3-point shooter from the corners, Williams would be the closest thing the Heat have had to PJ Tucker since Tucker left in the summer of 2022.
The Heat could trade Duncan Robinson for Williams and add positional versatility and save about $6 million against the cap (opening up the possibility to add someone on a buyout later).
Of course, Adebayo and Williams would have to squash whatever beef they may have, but it’s amazing the healing effects sharing a locker room can have.
3. Bruce Brown
If the Heat decide the backcourt of Terry Rozier, Tyler Herro and Robinson can’t hold up defensively, they could look to swap one of them for the defensive-leaning, do-everything Bruce Brown.
It’s pretty surprising that Brown is still on the Toronto Raptors. He was traded there as part of the deal that sent Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers and immediately became one of the more interesting trade targets in the NBA. After helping the Denver Nuggets win the 2023 championship, Brown is valued as the kind of muscle that fits with every contender.
With one year left on his contract, Brown wouldn’t clog up any future financial flexibility. In fact, if the Heat were to shed a long-term contract, acquiring Brown would create some needed financial legroom.
The Heat could hypothetically trade any of their top guards in a deal for Brown, who could seamlessly play alongside whoever is left.
4. Jalen Green
What if instead of becoming buyers at the trade deadline, the Heat went the other way and decided to sell off parts and retool for the future?
Butler’s shaky future in Miami is well-established. If the Heat are well under .500 come January, it would make sense to at least explore what they could get for Butler on the trade market.
A team like the Houston Rockets, reportedly desperate to make the climb into the playoffs this season, could make sense as a destination. As constructed, the Rockets might be dealing with a too-many-young-guys problem: Jalen Green, Reed Sheppard, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Tari Eason and Cam Whitmore all have to play. That’s seven youngsters fighting for minutes around established vets Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, Steven Adams, Aaron Holiday and Jock Landale.
The Rockets will have a few months to sort things out, then they could deal whoever they don’t view as a long-term piece in a consolidation trade.
Butler makes a lot of sense for the Rockets. He’s a proven winner who plays a position of need and will jibe with coach Ime Udoka’s win-now ethos.
Acquiring Green would be a gamble by the Heat. The 22-year-old is an electric scorer but hasn’t proven he can win at a high level. In fact, he tends to do his best work when his top teammates are off the floor. But his talent is undeniable and, at best, he could grow into the co-star the Heat need next to Adebayo going forward. If anyone can bring the best out of Green, it’s the Heat staff.
5. Kevin Durant
What if the Phoenix Suns stumble out of the gate?
If they do, it won’t take long for trade rumors to start swirling around Phoenix.
Kevin Durant would be the obvious target. The Suns don’t want to trade Devin Booker, the face of the franchise, and Bradley Beal’s no-trade clause complicates a deal. So Durant is the logical one to trade if they are forced to make a move.
The second tax apron makes things difficult for both teams. The Suns are over the second apron and the Heat are only a hair below it. Any deal would have to strike a specific financial balance.
But if the Suns do look to start over, Durant, even at 36, will be a highly-coveted player. He’s the kind of piece that could maximize Butler’s window and catapult the Heat to the top rung of the East.
The Heat have attempted to acquire Durant a couple of times in the past and, if he ever became available again, I’d expect Pat Riley to try again.
