The Miami Heat got about as close to the NBA Finals as a team could possibly get without actually making it last season.
A Jimmy Butler pull-up 3-pointer that fell about an inch and a half short within the final 20 seconds of Game 7 against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals became the ultimate decider of the entire series. That shot goes in and JB and the Heat more than likely head to their second Finals appearance in three seasons.
Despite getting lackluster performances from Bam Adebayo, newly acquired Kyle Lowry, and absolutely nothing from $90 million man Duncan Robinson, Miami still came within one possession of a tango against the Golden State Warriors for their fourth franchise championship.
To be fair, though, Butler did play above his head for the entirety of the Heat’s postseason run these past playoffs, although he does have a penchant for elevating his output when the stakes rise.
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Those that still doubt the Heat are undoubtedly foolish, as they’ve done nothing but prove that they can be legitimate title contenders under Butler’s leadership. That said, it’d be wise for Team President Pat Riley to find ways to capitalize on the remainder of JB’s prime.
After losing P.J. Tucker this offseason — and only adding rookie Nikola Jovic — the Miami Heat will have to search the trade market to try to upgrade their roster.
Here a few ideas for potential trade packages to pursue: