The Miami Heat’s 2023-24 NBA season has not been as successful as they had intended. Due to injuries and poor performances on the court, the squad is set to play in the NBA Play-In Tournament for the second year in a row.
Last year, it was a route that did not bother the Heat at all. As the eighth seed, they advanced to the NBA Finals, where they were defeated by the Denver Nuggets. To get there, they defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks, and the Boston Celtics.
Can the Heat replicate their success in 2024, particularly if they must go through the Play-In Tournament again? It will be interesting to see if they have what it takes, but rest assured that adjustments will be made in the offseason to ensure that this does not happen again in 2025.
When star players enter the market, the Heat are always a viable option. South Beach has a lot to offer both on and off the court, making it appealing to prospective targets for a variety of reasons.
Who would they look to target this offseason? According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, the Heat might be a bidder for Donovan Mitchell if the Cleveland Cavaliers are forced to embrace the painful truth of trading him.
“The Heat are generally a desirable destination. Miami features excellent weather, no state income tax, a long-tenured front office, and one of the league’s best head coaches in Erik Spoelstra. Mitchell is also known to have a close friendship with Heat All-Star Bam Adebayo,” Pincus reported.
When Mitchell became available during the 2022 NBA offseason, the Heat were mentioned as a viable suitor and one of his favored teams. As a result, they should not face the same challenges as the Cavaliers in terms of wanting to stay long-term.
The true challenge Miami will have, as it did while seeking to acquire Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers, is the strength of their trade package. The Heat can only offer their 2024 first-round pick after the NBA Draft, along with first-round picks in 2029 and 2031, as well as up to four second-round selections.
Is that enough draft capital given that two of Tyler Herro, Terry Rozier, and Duncan Robinson would have to be included in the trade? The Cavaliers are likely to insist on including Jamie Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic, their two most recent first-round picks, to sweeten the deal.
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