Why This Trade Makes Sense For The Miami Heat
Duncan Robinson, Andre Iguodala and Kendrick Nunn all played different roles for the Heat last year, which is why this team was so successful. Everyone on last’s team had a set role and they came together when it mattered most, resulting in them becoming the first 5-seed to ever reach the NBA Finals.
In a shorter season this year and with other teams around the league pairing NBA All-Stars up with one-another, the Miami Heat could find themselves struggling throughout the year. Jimmy Butler had a great stretch of games last year in the NBA Bubble and was deemed to be their “go-to” guy, but Butler over the course of his career has been nothing more than a fantastic facilitator and floor general.
He is not looked at like other All-Stars such as Damian Lillard, Kawhi Leonard or even Jayson Tatum. Butler is a great player in his own right, but he needs another high-level talent on the wing in order to thrive. Tyler Herro could grow into that type of player and Duncan Robinson could continue to provide consistency from three-point range, but in the end, this Heat team needs another superstar talent.
Bringing in Zach LaVine in the trade outlined above makes a lot of sense for the Heat because LaVine is an upgrade from Duncan Robinson, Andre Iguodala is in the final years of his career and Kendrick Nunn is now behind Goran Dragic and Avery Bradley in the Heat’s depth chart.
While Robinson and Nunn are both guys who can have a big impact on the organization moving forward, LaVine helps this team win now and contend for a title now, which is what Pat Riley and the Heat organization want. Even with them trading away both Robinson and Nunn, they still have Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, plus rookie Precious Achiuwa as young talents to build with, so this team would be fine in terms of young talent.
Zach LaVine is off to another fast start this season, but in Chicago, he has no chance to contend for a championship, yet alone even make the playoffs! The Chicago Bulls could wind up missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, causing LaVine to waste away the prime of his career. His best chance to contend for a title is in Miami and the Heat’s best chance to win a title is by trading for LaVine.
