Although the Miami Heat streak of four consecutive NBA Finals appearances came to an end this year, a 2015-16 starting lineup that is expected to feature a trio of All-Star candidates should help propel Erik Spoelstra & Co. back into the playoffs.
The re-signing of free agent Goran Dragic to pair with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh instantly makes the Heat one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference next season. When you add a budding star like Hassan Whiteside into the mix, Miami inches even closer to becoming a legit title contender.
With an abundance of top-shelf talent, Miami needs a makeover off its bench and aging role players to seriously challenge for another NBA crown. Here are five players the Heat need to trade during the offseason to become an elite team again.
1. Mario Chalmers
The seven-year veteran has proven to be more productive as a starter than a reserve, and this dilemma is one of the biggest reasons that Miami needs to deal Chalmers sooner rather than later.
The 28-year-old shot an eye-opening 61.9 percent while averaging 17.4 points and 6.5 assists over an eight-game stretch when Wade was sidelined. And over his NBA career, “Super Mario” has consistently performed better in a starting role as opposed to coming off the bench.
Chalmers did post a career high 10.2 points a game this past season, but shot a horrendous 29.4 percent from behind the arc. The Heat could use a sixth man who can score in bunches which it currently does not have.
Next: Chris Andersen
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