Most fans feel that the Miami Heat need to make some moves in order to establish themselves as one of the contenders in the East once again. They might have made two trips to the NBA Finals this decade but at the moment, it feels like a number of teams have left them behind. The hope is that the Heat will be much healthier this time around. But even if that turns out to be the case, it will be difficult for them to make a deep playoff run. Of course, if the Heat are able to pull off the right trade, they might launch themselves right back into contention.
Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls has been heavily linked with them as a possible trade target. New Orleans Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram might be an even better option though. In the article ‘5 Best Targets For The Miami Heat Ahead Of 2024-25 Season’ on FadeAway World, Eddie Bitar suggested a potential trade offer of Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Haywood Highsmith for Ingram.
Bitar wrote about Ingram’s fit with the Heat: “Acquiring Brandon Ingram would give the Miami Heat a versatile scorer who can slot seamlessly alongside Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. In the 2023-24 season, Ingram averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game while shooting 49.2% from the field and 35.5% from three-point range. His offensive arsenal includes a smooth mid-range game, the ability to score in isolation, and a knack for creating shots for his teammates. Ingram’s length (6’8″ with a 7’3″ wingspan) also adds defensive versatility, allowing him to guard multiple positions, which fits Miami’s switch-heavy defensive scheme.”
Herro was considered a potential superstar not too long ago. But his numbers have plateaued over the last three seasons and there are concerns that he has hit his ceiling already. While parting ways with Herro would be a difficult choice to make, it is one that a lot of Heat fans have become increasingly open to in recent times. Jaquez Jr. had a fantastic rookie season and trading him away would be a tough choice to make for sure. He could be a great player with some more experience under his belt.
Highsmith is a solid role player for the Heat and he even started a decent number of games last season and averaged 25.1 minutes in the playoffs. But all things considered, he would be the easiest of the three to replace.