How This Trade Impacts Miami Heat
Unless the Miami Heat decides to trade away a player such as Bam Adebayo or Tyler Herro, who the chances of doing should be 0 percent, this type of deal with the Indiana Pacers is likely the most that they will be able to do.
Miami owns one draft pick in the next two years, which is a pick in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft. KZ Okpala is someone they like, but as the only piece they can trade, he is sent to the Indiana Pacers in this deal to help balance out the roster.
The one area the Heat may be weakest is at backup point guard. Kyle Lowry has remained relatively healthy thus far this season, knock on wood, starting 18 out of 20 games. But, it wouldn’t hurt to have some veteran experience behind him.
Miami has been deploying Herro as the backup point guard off the bench, but if Lowry were to go down, they don’t have many options to turn to. Putting Herro in the starting lineup would ruin their second unit and likely isn’t a realistic option. So, acquiring a veteran such as Brad Wanamaker would be smart.
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Wanamaker is stuck deep on the depth chart with the Indiana Pacers behind Malcolm Brogdon and T.J. McConnell. With Caris LeVert also able to run the offense, Wanamaker isn’t receiving many opportunities, but with the Heat, he could carve out a role off the bench.
With 21 games of playoff experience, he would provide Eric Spoelstra with another veteran he could turn to in a pinch should the need arise. He would help keep Lowry fresh throughout the regular season so that he is good to go for the postseason as well.
