Why The Miami Heat Do The Deal 

By contrast, the Heat are not in a weird place. They’re in a very distinctive one: win now, or fail. 

Those are the stakes when your best player is 33. Jimmy Butler isn’t getting any younger, either. Luckily, the Heat aren’t too far from their goal – they made an Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2021-22. 

With that in mind, Anunoby would be a perfect acquisition. Frankly, he’s the perfect acquisition for any contending team. An elite 3-and-D wing is on the top of every contender’s wishlist. 

It’s hard to say exactly how the Heat would deploy Anunoby. As it stands, they’ve got an opening at the starting 4 spot. Anunoby can occupy that position, but alternatively, the idea of putting him at his natural 3 spot and bumping Jimmy Butler down to the 2 is enticing.

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The Heat’s perimeter defense would be elite in that setup, and with Bam Adebayo in the middle, it should give them one of the best defenses in the NBA. 

Some people would say that’s how you win championships.