Ground Breaking: Miami Heat Acquire Another Star In a blockbuster trade
The Miami Heat have had one of the quietest offseasons, with their biggest move being the signing of Alec Burks. The Heat are losing ground in the Eastern Conference, where the Celtics are now heavy favorites. The Knicks and 76ers have made aggressive moves to stay competitive, and the Bucks, Cavaliers, and Pacers are better positioned to challenge at the top than the Heat.
This could be the Heat’s final season with Jimmy Butler, as his contract status is uncertain. The team needs to make a final push to become a winning team, or they risk having nothing to show for the Butler and Bam Adebayo era aside from two surprising Finals appearances. To improve their chances for the 2024-25 season, the Heat should consider taking a chance on a disgruntled former All-Star from the Bulls.
Trade Details
Miami Heat Receive: Zach LaVine
Chicago Bulls Receive: Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, 2027 Second-Round Pick (MIA)
The Heat could take on LaVine’s questionable contract by splitting the cost with two contracts, such as Rozier and Robinson. If any team can take a bet on LaVine right now, it’s the Miami Heat, who will hope their renowned ‘Heat Culture’ brings him back to his best form.
The Miami Heat Get A Major Offensive Infusion
The Miami Heat have been one of the most unremarkable offenses in the NBA over the last few seasons, maintaining their competitiveness through their defensive stability, anchored by Bam Adebayo. The Heat are always solid defensively, given how their playstyle emphasizes that end, so could they get good defensive value by adding a scorer with the physical tools to be impactful?
LaVine spent a large part of the 2023-24 season injured but averaged 24.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists, and played 77 games in his last full season in 2022-23. He has had solid defensive moments over his career, but it’s hard to see why he’d be incentivized to play aggressive defense on a perennial mid-table squad like the Bulls. LaVine is 6’5″ with a 6’10” wingspan, giving him the physical attributes to defend. If there’s any point where he would feel compelled to commit to that end, it’d be now.
LaVine is a three-level scorer who could become the team’s primary scoring option or share that responsibility with Tyler Herro. Butler’s offensive production has gradually declined over the last few seasons, with the team electing to put the regular season load on others to keep Butler fresh for the postseason. Adding LaVine would make that process easier and improve the team.
The Bulls Continue Tearing Down Their Team
The Bulls have already made significant changes this summer, parting ways with two of their marquee 2021 acquisitions, Alex Caruso and DeMar DeRozan. Another 2021 acquisition, Lonzo Ball, is expected to be on the market alongside LaVine, while the future of their final 2021 acquisition, Nikola Vucevic, remains uncertain. Trading LaVine might be the final domino that leads to Ball and Vucevic being moved, allowing the team to adopt a new philosophy with a new core.
Neither Rozier nor Robinson would be valuable long-term assets for the Bulls, but both have easier contracts to manage compared to LaVine’s nearly $50 million annual salary until 2027. Rozier averaged 19.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists last season after joining the Heat around the trade deadline from the Hornets. Robinson had a decent season, averaging 12.9 points, but his shooting hasn’t reached the levels seen in 2020.
The Bulls have struggled to find trade suitors for LaVine, so moving him for this cost shouldn’t be a problem. They can either hold on to both players or easily move them to another team. Robinson might need a year to build up his value on the court in a low-pressure situation, but Rozier could be moved almost instantly as a veteran scoring guard.
The Heat Need To Keep Moving Forward
Pat Riley’s front office has always been extremely cautious when making major deals that could disrupt the functioning of the franchise. Outside of LeBron James in 2010, almost every Heat player has had to fully adjust to being part of the team, with the organization giving no inch on their demands of their players. LaVine’s attitude might seem like a bad fit in Miami, but given his career’s current position, the 28-year-old would have no choice but to buy in to prove his value beyond his current contract in the NBA.
Rozier and Robinson themselves are poor defensive players, so using that as a reason to avoid acquiring LaVine would be unwise. LaVine is better equipped physically to be a more impactful defender than either, provided he expends more energy on that side of the floor. The only real concern will be his availability, but after a light workload last season and mid-season surgery, LaVine has had plenty of time to prepare his body for the next season.
The Bulls won’t move forward as a franchise if they continue clinging to LaVine, so they should bite the bullet on this deal and move forward with the ideal route of tanking next season. This deal might benefit all parties involved, provided everyone can make sacrifices to accommodate each other.