The 2023-2024 season was a season of ups and downs for the Miami Heat. The Heat made the playoffs through the Play-in for the second season running, but this playoff run was a far cry from the 2022-23 run when the Heat made it to the NBA Finals. Coming into the 2024-25 season, serious questions about the team exist. Jimmy Butler will be 35 when the season starts, and while he remains a fan-favorite, he began to show signs of decline in his performance and health. Butler has never played more than 64 games in a season for Miami, forcing others, such as Bam Adebayo, to shoulder the load on both ends of the floor.
The championship window with Butler is rapidly closing for Miami. If they want to compete with the other Eastern Conference powerhouses like the Celtics, Knicks, and 76ers, moves must be made. The Heat made a significant move at the trade deadline in February, adding guard Terry Rozier, but more is needed to be a serious contender. Rozier struggled initially for Miami but was starting to find his rhythm late into the season before sustaining a neck injury, which forced him to sit out the last four games of the regular season and the entire postseason. Rozier is a great scorer and a decent playmaker. Still, a starting backcourt of him and Tyler Herro will likely be a defensive mismatch in a league with such phenomenal guard talent.
The Heat struggled offensively as a team, ranking 21st in offensive rating and 26th in points per game. The Heat were also the second-slowest team, ranking 29th in pace. Any addition the Heat make should address at least one of the following: three-point shooting, consistent shot-creation, or perimeter defense. Here are three semi-feasible targets that the Heat can trade for to elevate them into the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference.
Brandon Ingram
Brandon Ingram's NBA career has been a bit of an enigma. One of the most highly touted recruits coming out of high school, he went on to Duke and eventually became the 2nd pick in the NBA Draft. Ingram regularly drew comparisons to Kevin Durant due to his height, length, and scoring ability. Even with all his talent, most people would say that Ingram's career has been slightly underwhelming relative to expectations. Ingram has not made an All-Star appearance since 2020 despite averaging at least 20.8 points per game in every season since then. A change of scenery could be exactly what he needs, and Miami could be that place.
New Orleans recently acquired Dejounte Murray, and they still have C.J. McCollum and Zion Williamson on the roster, which has put Ingram in trade talks. Miami would likely have to give up Tyler Herro, a first-round pick, and potentially other role players to get this deal done, but it makes sense from the Heat's perspective. Herro is one of the Heat's only true tradable assets, and Rozier is now playing a similar role to his. Adding a scorer like Ingram would take the onus off of Jimmy Butler as he continues to age. He is a capable shooter and, at the very least, has the tools to be a good defender, which Erik Spoelstra will undoubtedly utilize. It also helps that Ingram is of a similar age to Bam Adebayo as the Heat prepares for life after Butler. Ingram could provide a spark to bring the Heat to the next level.
Lauri Markkanen
The Utah Jazz are in a rebuilding period, having an abundance of draft picks and young players on their roster. Markkanen has proven to be a better player than most Jazz fans had projected he would be when he was acquired in the Donovan Mitchell trade, but he does not precisely fit their timeline. Markkanen is entering his prime years and will want to be playing for a contender. He is coming off a season where he averaged 23.2 points per game, on 39.9% shooting from behind the arc and 89.9% from the free-throw line. In Miami, his scoring and three-point shooting would help significantly to stretch the floor and add another scoring presence on the block.
For years, Miami has been an undersized team, and Markkanen's seven-foot frame would help address that issue. The Jazz would ask for young talent in return, meaning that Herro, Nikola Jovic, and even Jaime Jaquez Jr. would go to Utah should a trade occur. The Heat would be keen on keeping some of their young stars, but there is no doubt that Jazz Executive Danny Ainge would have a hefty asking price for Markkanen. Even with that being the case, if the Heat want to contend now, trading for Markannen would be sensible.
Trae Young
The boldest shout of the three is that if Miami wants people to know they are serious, they should inquire about Trae Young. The Hawks are coming off a poor season, in which they finished with a 36-46 record and fell short of the playoffs. However, their fortunes may be changing, as they managed to get the 1st pick in the draft despite only having a 3% chance. This may have prompted the Hawks to accelerate their rebuild, as they decided to trade away Dejounte Murray for a few role players and more draft capital for the future.
Atlanta could be looking at blowing it up entirely and considering trading Young away. Young is a lethal scorer and one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA, with limitless range and fantastic court vision. He is also regularly near the top of the NBA assist charts, and Bam Adebayo would look to benefit from his lob passes. The Heat would have to give up a plethora of talent to get Young, potentially even having to include Butler in a trade with a third team involved. That being said, with Young possibly being available, the Heat would be wise to at least test the waters to try and acquire his services.
The backcourt would still have defensive issues, but the firepower on offense, combined with Spoelstra's defensive schemes, would help to mitigate that. The Heat acquiring Young would be the statement of the off-season, and while it may not be the most likely move, do not rule it out.
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