Miami Heat president Pat Riley reportedly would be “fine” with running back the team’s current roster if it can’t find the piece it wants this offseason.
Riley said they would be fine with that if they cannot find piece they want
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) June 21, 2023
The Heat reportedly were finalists for guard Bradley Beal in the trade market, but he was eventually dealt to the Phoenix Suns by the Washington Wizards.
The Heat have also been rumored to be interested in Portland Trail Blazers guard Damiand Lillard this offseason. Jimmy Butler reportedly is trying to recruit the seven-time All-Star to come to South Beach via a trade.
A Chicago Bulls insider floated the idea that Zach LaVine could be an option for Miami as well.
However, if a deal for Lillard – or another player the team covets – doesn’t materialize, Riley seems content with the team he has.
The Heat have been one of the best teams in the league since signing Butler, making the Eastern Conference Finals in three of the last four seasons. The team has also been to the NBA Finals twice over the stretch, but it came up short in both instances.
It makes sense that the Heat don’t want to force a trade when they already have a core that they can win with. Miami also has to worry about potentially bringing back Gabe Vincent and Max Strus in free agency this offseason.
Even as the No. 8 seed in the 2022-23 campaign, the Heat found a way to make the NBA Finals. The team also completed the feat without guard Tyler Herro, who broke his hand in Game 1 of the first round against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Heat clearly believe in the core of Herro, Butler, and Bam Adebayo, and the team may be better off waiting for the right player to come available rather than forcing a trade just for the sake of making a move.
The Heat do have the pieces to make a deal, as they could use Kyle Lowry’s contract (which expires at the end of the 2023-24 season) to help facilitate a trade for a star player with a big salary.
It will be interesting to see how the Heat proceed as the offseason continues, especially with the 2023 NBA Draft set to take place on Thursday night.
