The Miami Heat are known for going big-game hunting. They have been linked to multiple stars this offseason, including Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell.
A name that may have flown under the radar until now is Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics. It seems that the one-time All-Star has “big fans” among some of the Heat’s high-ranking officials.
Landing Durant seems like a pipe dream for Miami because the team seemingly lacks the assets needed to entice the Brooklyn Nets. Brown could be a more realistic target.
The 25-year-old was the third overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. While he didn’t exactly put the league on notice during his rookie season, he has improved a lot over the years. He earned his first All-Star berth in the 2020-21 campaign, when he averaged 24.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.8 made 3-pointers per game in the regular season.
Last season, he maintained his strong play, as he averaged 23.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.5 made 3-pointers per contest during the regular season. His value also got a nice boost during the 2022 playoffs.
Brown was arguably the Celtics’ best player in the team’s six-game series versus the Golden State Warriors. He led the team with 23.5 points per game and had a 34-point explosion in Game 6.
The Heat would definitely benefit from having a player like Brown on their roster, but Boston surely isn’t going to move him unless doing so would undeniably make the Celtics better.
Only time will tell if Miami makes a splash in the near future.