One has to think the Miami Heat are shellshocked after losing out on Damian Lillard, as well as Jrue Holiday, this NBA offseason. Lillard specifically asked the Portland Trail Blazers to trade him to the Heat, but instead, he was shipped off to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Heat somehow managed to defeat the Bucks in the first round of last season’s playoffs, and they then outlasted the Boston Celtics, who now have Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, in the Eastern Conference Finals before losing in the NBA Finals to the Denver Nuggets in five games.
Franchise player Jimmy Butler showed up to training camp sporting an emo look, and it seemed to sum up how the franchise and its fan base must’ve felt once the Bucks and Celtics were done loading up on their new nuclear weapons.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat Updates
Perhaps it’s time for the Heat, who are being counted out as usual, to join in this arms race. Perhaps they should take a chance on Trae Young, the 25-year-old two-time All-Star point guard of the Atlanta Hawks.
That’s the suggestion Eddie Bitar of Fadeaway World made in a recent article.
Miami Heat Receive: G Trae Young
Atlanta Hawks Receive: G Tyler Herro, G Kyle Lowry, F Orlando Robinson, 2027 First-Round Pick, 2029 First-Round Pick
One could realistically question how Young’s freewheeling ways would fit into the Heat’s very disciplined culture and controlled offensive game. On the other hand, one would have to think head coach Erik Spoelstra would tweak things in order to accommodate someone as skilled and quick as Young.
Young isn’t exactly the most efficient player or the best decision-maker, and he is turnover-prone (he has averaged at least four turnovers a game in each of the last four seasons). But perhaps he could refine his game under the tutelage of Spoelstra and team president Pat Riley, who got a young Magic Johnson to take the extra mustard out of his game.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat Updates
Miami was the only NBA team to average less than 110 points a game last season, and it badly needs offense if it is to return to the championship series, let alone win it all. A more mature and refined Young could greatly help in that area, even if it would cost Herro and two future first-round picks.
