The Miami Heat have already gotten a useful preview of what the trade market could look like later this season, and it came in Thursday’s preseason matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans.
New Orleans may wind up as a seller at the deadline, which puts Trey Murphy, Herb Jones, and Saddiq Bey on the kind of list front offices keep close tabs on. For Miami, that matters. The Heat have put themselves in a spot where championship expectations are the standard after trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo, and adding another wing piece could be the kind of move that pushes them closer to that level.
Murphy would be the headliner of the bunch. He went 3-of-8 from the field and 2-of-6 from 3-point range against Miami, but the appeal goes well beyond one preseason box score.
He’s viewed as the kind of player who could grow into an All-Star in the right setting, and his scoring and shot creation would fit neatly alongside Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo. If the Pelicans are open for business, Miami would make sense as a suitor.
Jones brings a different kind of value. He wouldn’t add much offensively, but his defensive impact could change the shape of a rotation. He’s one of the best wing defenders in the league, and the idea of putting him with Davion Mitchell, Andrew Wiggins, Antetokounmpo, and Adebayo on the floor at the same time is a nasty one for opposing offenses.
Bey is probably the least flashy option, but he may also be the easiest to pry loose. He gives you scoring punch and enough shooting to keep defenses honest from outside.
Any of the three would deepen Miami’s wing group in a meaningful way and give the Heat another tool for a postseason run. And thanks to Thursday’s preseason meeting, they got an up-close look at exactly what those options might look like.
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Heat Season May Come Down To One Player Behind Giannis And Bam
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The more interesting question is which of those next-tier pieces becomes the one that ties everything together when the games get tighter. Miami has enough role players who can fill a job description, but it is the connective presence that often decides whether the offense stays organized and the defense stays in front of the ball. If the Heat are going to turn talent into a real hierarchy, the answer may hinge on which player can do the most demanding work without needing the ball to dominate the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Starters Might Not Get The Tuneup Fans Expected Against Minnesota
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Heat Roster Chatter Suddenly Puts Miamis Bench Spots In Focus
Tim Hardaway Jr. is back in a Miami uniform, and his addition has helped turn the Heats end of roster into a more intriguing conversation than it might have seemed a week ago. The veteran guard gives Erik Spoelstra another familiar perimeter option after signing a one-year deal, while the front office has also been active in managing the back of the roster with players who could matter in different ways as camp and the season move forward.
Dennis Smith Jr. is part of that shuffle as well, and the Heats willingness to cycle him through the system shows how much attention they are paying to bench depth and organizational flexibility. At the same time, Miami still has broader roster questions hanging over it, including ongoing trade interest around Kyrie Irving and decisions involving Myron Gardner and Nick Richards, which keeps the bench picture from feeling settled just yet. [Read more 🡒]