Why The Miami Heat Do The Deal 

By contrast, the Heat are also preoccupied with time in this deal. With that said, they don’t have an eye on Chris Paul’s clock – they’re thinking about their own. 

After all, at 32, Jimmy Butler is no spring chicken. In 2021-22, he still appeared to be in prime condition. In all likelihood, he’ll perform similarly in 2022-23. After that, his trajectory is anybody’s guess. 

With that in mind, the Heat need to strike while they have a title window. There is absolutely a risk factor here – parting with a first-round pick only to watch Paul show significant signs of decline would be quite unfortunate. 

If this deal is available, it’s a risk the Heat have to take. It feels safe to assume Paul will outperform Lowry in 2022-23 for a simple reason: Paul always outperforms Lowry.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Chris Paul, Phoenix Suns & Miami Heat Updates

Moreover, with Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro handling the bulk of the playmaking and shot-creating duties, the Heat are an appropriate location for Paul to transition into a lower-usage role. 

If the Heat can help him do so while maximizing his impact, they made be able to buy themselves a little more time.