The Miami Heat have had some ups and downs early in the season, which saw them deal with injuries to their roster. Along with those injuries, the Heat dealt with inconsistencies where they would win one game, but then drop the next two games, including a four-game road trip where they lost consecutively. Miami has a roster with proven all-stars in Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, Bam Adebayo, and a rising star in Tyler Herro, but the one glaring problem they have is their lack of depth in the big man department.
Ever since PJ Tucker left to go play for the Philadelphia 76ers in the free agency market last season, the Heat haven’t pursued a big man to fill that role. Instead, they have experimented with who could actually work in the four spot to some varying degree with either Caleb Martin or their two rookies Nikola Jovic and Jamal Cain. With the trading blocks beginning to open, along with some players looking to be bought out, Miami should consider taking a look at a few players that could help them solve their big-man problem.
Nerlens Noel
Nerlens Noel hasn’t done much since joining the Detroit Pistons. Having only played in six games, Noel averaged 1.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.3 blocks per game for the Pistons. Already playing behind rookie Jalen Duren and veteran Marvin Bagley III as a third-string center, Noel isn’t being utilized at all. It also doesn’t help that Detroit is in 15th place in the East. With teams such as Dallas and Portland piquing interest in Noel, the Heat should do the same to boast their big-man depth.
Bojan Bogdanovic
Not too long ago, Bojan Bogdanovic put on a blistering performance against Miami, having dropped 31 points in a blowout victory for Detroit. Since that time, the Pistons have lost three consecutive games. Along with the Pistons being at the bottom in the East as mentioned earlier, it may appear that Detroit could be off-loading the talent they have now for a possible chance at drafting Victor Wembanyama. There have been rumors linking Bogdanovic to New York and the L.A. Lakers. Bogdanovic would be a welcomed addition to the Heat, who clearly have offensive issues. It should be also mentioned that Bogdanovic was drafted by Miami in the 2011 NBA Draft.
The Miami Heat have had some ups and downs early in the season, which saw them deal with injuries to their roster. Along with those injuries, the Heat dealt with inconsistencies where they would win one game, but then drop the next two games, including a four-game road trip where they lost consecutively. Miami has a roster with proven all-stars in Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, Bam Adebayo, and a rising star in Tyler Herro, but the one glaring problem they have is their lack of depth in the big man department.
Ever since PJ Tucker left to go play for the Philadelphia 76ers in the free agency market last season, the Heat haven’t pursued a big man to fill that role. Instead, they have experimented with who could actually work in the four spot to some varying degree with either Caleb Martin or their two rookies Nikola Jovic and Jamal Cain. With the trading blocks beginning to open, along with some players looking to be bought out, Miami should consider taking a look at a few players that could help them solve their big-man problem.
Nerlens Noel
Nerlens Noel hasn’t done much since joining the Detroit Pistons. Having only played in six games, Noel averaged 1.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.3 blocks per game for the Pistons. Already playing behind rookie Jalen Duren and veteran Marvin Bagley III as a third-string center, Noel isn’t being utilized at all. It also doesn’t help that Detroit is in 15th place in the East. With teams such as Dallas and Portland piquing interest in Noel, the Heat should do the same to boast their big-man depth.
Bojan Bogdanovic
Not too long ago, Bojan Bogdanovic put on a blistering performance against Miami, having dropped 31 points in a blowout victory for Detroit. Since that time, the Pistons have lost three consecutive games. Along with the Pistons being at the bottom in the East as mentioned earlier, it may appear that Detroit could be off-loading the talent they have now for a possible chance at drafting Victor Wembanyama. There have been rumors linking Bogdanovic to New York, Atlanta, Dallas, and the L.A. Lakers. Bogdanovic would be a welcomed addition to the Heat, who clearly have offensive issues. It should be also mentioned that Bogdanovic was drafted by Miami in the 2011 NBA Draft.
Thaddeus Young
This may come out of left field, but a player like Thaddeus Young could help Miami bolster its depth in the big-man department. Currently playing for the Toronto Raptors, Young could be utilized as a starter alongside Adebayo in the frontcourt, giving the Heat some much-needed help in the paint and grabbing rebounds. There is a downside to the possibility of acquiring Young and that would be the Raptors having some leverage in the deal, which could mean giving up an all-star as part of the trade. In his two seasons with Toronto, Young averages 5.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game.
Myles Turner
Myles Turner is another name that is often brought up as a trade piece, but often for the midseason trade deadline. The Indiana Pacers center averages 17.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, along with 2.4 blocks this season. Turner would be another ideal player that could fit in the Heat’s roster, but again, Turner would be more of a midseason acquisition and the Pacers would likely have some leverage in the deal with Miami.
John Collins
John Collins’ name has been linked to several teams that have shown interest in acquiring the center from Wake Forest. Among the teams are Brooklyn, Dallas, Utah, and Washington. Miami should also find itself on that list of teams that are interested in acquiring Collins. This season has been quite challenging for Collins, who hasn’t played a single game for the Atlanta Hawks since November 30th.
Collins has sat out with an ankle sprain, which doesn’t help the Hawks and their injury woes. With Collins’ name being mentioned consistently in trade talks, the Heat will need to jump at the chance of showing some interest in him.
Jae Crowder
Crowder’s time with the Phoenix Suns has been tumultuous since the free agency period last season. Despite the success that Phoenix is having this season, Crowder isn’t reaping the benefits of it. Crowder has been vocal about his disdain toward the Suns’ front office and demanding to be traded. Recently, Phoenix looked to pull off a three-team trade with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Houston Rockets, but the deal fell through, at least for the moment.
Crowder has played in back-to-back NBA Finals for Miami in 2020 and Phoenix in 2021, given his reliability on the offensive and defensive end. A welcomed return to South Beach could be just what Crowder needs, however, other teams such as Atlanta, Boston, and the L.A. Lakers are also pursuing their chances of acquiring him.
Only time will tell if or when Miami will make a trade or acquire a big to help bolster their depth. Adebayo is flourishing right now, but he could only do so much. Dewayne Dedmon is only used for defensive and rebounding purposes and Omer Yurtseven is still resting with an ankle injury. The Heat still has time to assess who they can go after, but they can’t allow that time to slip away by thinking that they have just enough to compete, especially in a competitive Eastern Conference.
The Heat Check Magazine 