The Miami Heat will presumably make a trade by this season's deadline but how big of a swing will the franchise take?
Bleacher Report released an article, listing the 10 most likely players who could be dealt prior to the deadline. Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is among those names and the Heat are listed as a potential destination.
"While Morant was a back-to-back All-Star in 2022 and 2023, he's been limited by injuries and suspension (for brandishing a weapon on Instagram Live)," the article wrote. "No longer a relentless, explosive attacking guard, Morant doesn't have the outside jumper (20.8 percent from three this season) to offset diminishing athleticism."
Morant is not the same player as his playoff seasons with the Grizzlies but at only 26 years old, he still has the opportunity to revive his career in terms of being that All-Star caliber scorer he used to be.
"Interested teams hoping Morant can get his body right and revive his once-electric career need to weigh the risk against the size and length of his contract," the article added. "At this early stage, just under a month from the deadline, the buzz around Morant has been relatively quiet. The Grizzlies aren't believed to be open to paying a price to get him off their books, but Morant is considered available. The Miami Heat, a franchise with a strong culture, may be willing to take the chance on revitalizing a former All-Star."
A trade for Morant would presumably not be cheap but another disgruntled All-Star guard, Trae Young, was just dealt for an expiring veteran contract and a solid role player. There could be a scenario where Miami is able to acquire Morant without having to part with their best trade asset, Kel'el Ware. The Heat were reportedly interested in Kevin Durant this past offseason but were reluctant to part with any of their young talent. Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jaquez Jr. were rumored trade assets last offseason along with Ware but Riley has stuck with the young members of the rotation.
Parting with a player like Andrew Wiggins seems much more likely in a trade like this. With him potentially opting into his player option following this season for one more year, the Grizzlies could still see him as a strong piece of their rotation. Wiggins has quietly been one of the best players on the team this year but adding a guy like Morant could lift the franchise into legitimate Eastern Conference contenders.
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