The Miami Heat could have the opportunity to make a splash this offseason with the Atlanta Hawks on the other end of the deal.
Sports personality Bill Simmons recently proposed a trade that would send Heat guard Tyler Herro to the Hawks in exchange for star Trae Young.
“But this is my favorite, Trae for Herro and [Duncan] Robinson and Miami’s pick in the draft. They’ll have to draft the guy and then trade him. And then their 29 unprotected first, and that’s the trade,” Simmons said.
At this low asking price, most championship contenders would likely make an offer of similar value. The Hawks accepting the deal strongly depends on their opinion of Herro, a similar situation to the Heat hoping to acquire Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers last offseason.
The former Sixth Man of the Year averaged 20.8 points on 44.1 percent shooting in 42 games, compared to Young’s 25.7 points on 43 percent shooting in 54 appearances. The main reason Atlanta’s front office would part ways with the three-time All-Star is due to a lack of confidence in his partnership with Dejounte Murray.
“You basically turn them into Herro and Robinson and some assets, and then if you’re Miami, you keep Butler. You have Bam, Trae, and Heat Culture—just the kind of guy who is a warrior,” Simmons stated. “It would just seem like the kind of trade I’d be like, oh man, and then the more I look at him, I’m like, oh [expletive], that might actually have been a good trade for them. I don’t know why, but I like him in Miami for some reason.
The Miami Heat are selecting Indiana Hoosiers center Kel’el Ware with the No. 15 in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Ware averaged 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks on 58.6 percent shooting and 42.5 percent from three-point range in his sophomore season at Indiana. The Heat were in desperate need of a true backup big man for All-Star Bam Adebayo, who stands at just 6-foot-9. Ware is a massive upgrade in the size department at 7- feet, 240 pounds, with strong athletic tools on both ends of the floor. He had 15 double-doubles in 30 games, and he blocked three or more shots in eight games.
Fans of both the Heat and NBA are a bit surprised by the pick, as players such as Dalton Knecht and Jared McCain remained available. Guards Devin Carter and Bub Carrington were selected with the two picks prior, both of whom were rumored targets for the Miami Heat’s front office.
If the Heat proved anything with their recent selections, which raised questions, it’s to never doubt team president Pat Riley. Last year, the team drafted former UCLA forward Jaime Jaquez Jr., who panned out into one of the class’ top rookies, earning a spot on the NBA’s All-Rookie First Team.
This pick undoubtedly relieves pressure from Adebayo, but time will tell if the Heat regret passing on the consensus best prospect available, Knecht.
