Here’s What the Miami Heat Are Asking for in a Potential Chris Paul Deal

teacher_omar@yahoo.com'
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The Miami Heat are reportedly listening to the Oklahoma City Thunder in terms of what they can send over in a potential trade involving Chris Paul.

The Thunder recently acquired Paul in a trade with the Houston Rockets in exchange for Russell Westbrook.

According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Heat need certain conditions to be met for them to even consider what the Thunder have to offer:

“For Miami to consider this, OKC would need not only to take back only unappealing contracts but would need to offer other significant concessions. One could be the Thunder returning Miami’s 2021 and 2023 first-round picks — selections that OKC acquired from the Clippers in last week’s Paul George trade. But there’s no indication that OKC would consider that because it has made obtaining first-round picks a priority in its rebuilding plan.”

The Heat are hesitant to give up assets for the oft-injured Paul as the team’s direction is purportedly to develop young players, but with the goal of contending for the playoffs.

Aside from Paul’s infamous injury history and the fact that he is 34 years old, the remaining three years and $124 million left in his contract are detrimental to the financial health of the franchise.

The 13-year veteran and nine-time All-Star is still a capable playmaker who averaged 15.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and 2.0 steals per game last season for the Rockets. Unfortunately, he only played in 58 games for the second straight year due to health issues.

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Omar is a freelance writer who has followed the NBA for more than 30 years. Prior to the Internet, he devoured every reading material he could find on the game from newspaper articles to books and magazines. He became a Heat fan the moment they acquired Tim Hardaway and his killer crossover, and lamented not seeing him and Alonzo Mourning win a championship. Seeing Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh play in Miami was a surreal moment for him and more so after they validated the Decision with back-to-back championships. He is ecstatic to cover Miami basketball for Heat Nation.