A blockbuster trade proposal has the Miami Heat acquiring a future Hall of Famer and perennial All-Star to help Jimmy Butler on offense.
Miami is coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals. A lack of scoring depth proved costly for the Heat, who simply relied too much on Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo to carry the way.
It’s clear that the Heat are in need of another scorer if they’re to bounce back from their second NBA Finals defeat in four seasons. More specifically, a scoring point guard and elite ball-handler would go a long way in helping Miami get over the hump next year.
At NBA Analysis Network, James Piercey proposed an enticing trade idea that would see the Heat land All-Star guard Kyrie Irving from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for fellow guard Kyle Lowry, Victor Oladipo and Duncan Robinson:
“An underrated aspect of this Heat Finals run was the Kyle Lowry renaissance.
For a while, Lowry appeared to be washed up. Eventually, Miami realized that he simply couldn’t start anymore. In limited minutes, Lowry made a major impact as a spark plug off the bench.
Still, the Heat could use a starting caliber point guard. Irving certainly exceeds that requirement. In fact, he’s one of the most talented players in the NBA. Is he a risk? You bet. We’ve got Irving abandoning the Mavericks here. He’s been prone to leaving teams throughout his career. At the same time, if this pays off, who knows?”
Irving’s four-year run with the Brooklyn Nets was marred by never-ending controversies and issues off the court. The Nets traded him to the Mavericks ahead of the deadline, but Irving’s arrival in Dallas wasn’t enough to help the struggling club qualify for the postseason.
With Butler about to enter his age-34 season, it’s unfair to rely on him to carry the bulk of the offense. Irving, Adebayo and Butler would certainly make the Heat even more dangerous in 2022-23, but it remains to be seen if Dallas will actually be keen on parting ways with their star guard.
