NBA insider names two potential trade targets for the Miami Heat
The Miami Heat missed out on Damian Lillard this summer. Pat Riley spent all summer trying to prise the All-Star guard away from the Portland Trail Blazers. However, Lillard ended up being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. As such, the Heat are expected to be active in the trade market as they look to upgrade their roster.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix , who was speaking on a recent episode of “The Crossover” podcast, the Heat could have interest in Pascal Siakam or OG Anunoby.
“I would expect (the Miami Heat) to be aggressive,” Mannix said. “ Maybe that means a Pascal Siakam. Maybe that means an OG Anunoby. That’s someone I don’t think they’d hesitate to pull the trigger on because you could resign those guys if you’re Miami.”
Siakam is in the final year of his current contract. He will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Anunoby has a player option on his deal for next season, which he is widely expected to decline. Toronto is unlikely to retain both players, knowing they could lose them for nothing at the end of the current season.
As such, it makes sense that teams are keeping an eye on developments with the Raptors. A team like Miami could use an athletic forward with legitimate size, length, and skill to help round out their starting unit. Unlike the potential trade for Lillard, Miami wouldn’t need to gut their entire roster to get a deal over the line, either.
However, just because Anunoby and Siakam make sense on paper doesn’t mean they’re going to emerge as Miami’s top targets. Riley could turn his attention to the current issues surrounding the Chicago Bulls and look to prise one of DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, or Alex Caruso away from the struggling Eastern Conference franchise.
Still, the case for Siakam or Anunoby to team up with Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler is too good to ignore, which is why we’ll likely continue to see rumors surrounding a potential partnership in the coming months. Whatever Miami decides to do, you can rest assured that they’ve done their due diligence. The Heat have developed a reputation for making smart moves and finding ways to consistently be in contention once the playoffs roll around. After all, this is a team that fought through the play-in tournament all the way to the NBA Finals last season. Miami knows how to win, both on the court and in the front office.
