The Miami Heat are top-heavy, lack shooting depth and may not even have a closer. The oddsmakers recognize their weaknesses, giving Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. the 11th-shortest odds to win the NBA title.
The Heat can’t solve all those issues — especially on offense — with a simple one-on-one trade. They don’t have the draft assets or even the requisite pieces to get a deal done. However, one Miami Heat trade idea could be the answer to their problems.
Miami Heat Trade Idea Lands De’Aaron Fox
Heat would receive: De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Heild
Spurs would receive: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, C.J. McCollum, Nikola Jovic
Hawks would receive: Davion Mitchell, Andrew Wiggins
Why the Heat Do It
De’Aaron Fox established himself as one of the best clutch scorers in the league during his stint with the Sacramento Kings. The athletic guard couldn’t truly showcase his skills in his first full season with the Spurs, given that he shared ball-handling duties with Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, and even Victor Wembanyama.
On the Heat, Fox will get the chance to re-establish himself as a go-to option in the clutch, given that neither Antetokounmpo nor Bam Adebayo thrive in that role. Furthermore, Fox and Antetokounmpo could work an intriguing two-man game since both players are excellent finishers at the rim and can also pick-and-pop.
As part of the deal, the Spurs would also land Buddy Hield, one of the league’s premier three-point shooters. The losses of Davion Mitchell and Andrew Wiggins will hurt, but Fox and Hield project to be better fits next to Antetokounmpo and Adebayo.
Why the Spurs Do It
It’s time to unleash Dylan Harper, and the Spurs know that’s not feasible until Fox and Castle occupy the starting backcourt. This hypothetical trade would allow the Spurs to trot out a starting unit of Castle, Fox, Devin Vassell, Tobias Harris (or Julian Champagnie) and Wembanyama, with reigning Most Improved Player Nickeil Alexander-Walker and veteran scoring machine C.J. McCollum coming off the bench.
Surely, that much offensive firepower should allow the Spurs to return to the NBA Finals. More crucially, the trade will allow Harper to showcase his untapped potential. The trade also allows the Spurs to dump Fox’s massive contract that projects to get worse as he enters his 30s.
Why the Hawks Do It
Why would the Hawks give up on Nickeil Alexander-Walker after his career year? That’s a fair question. But the Hawks answered that question this offseason when they drafted Kingston Flemings and traded for Luguentz Dort.
The rookie Flemings isn’t expected to start right away, but he projects to be Atlanta’s future starting point guard. With Dyson Daniels improving as a playmaker, and Ryan Nembhard also on the roster, the Hawks may have the pieces to move on from NAW. Furthermore, franchise star Jalen Johnson typically operates in a point-forward capacity, as evidenced by his career-best 7.9 assists last season.
Until Flemings is ready for a bigger role, the Hawks can insert the incoming Davion Mitchell, a vastly improved shooter, as the starting point guard, with Johnson and Daniels also sharing ball-handling duties. Andrew Wiggins will also be a nice addition on a young Hawks roster that could use his veteran smarts and leadership.
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