As the Damian Lillard trade saga continues, the Miami Heat are still trying to figure out what their roster is going to look like in the 2023-24 season. The Portland Trail Blazers aren’t making it easy.
But if the Heat do ultimately land the seven-time All-Star, it sounds like both Christian Wood and Kelly Oubre Jr. will be players to watch as potential additions for Miami.
“If the Heat do finally ever figure out a Dame trade…….Watch for both Christian Wood and Kelly Oubre to be on the team’s radar as possible vet minimum additions in free agency per league source.”
– Greg Sylvander (@5ReasonsSports)
— Jeremy Kazieva (@jkazieva16) August 20, 2023
Players like Wood and Oubre are often unavailable at this stage of the offseason, but it’s been an unusual summer in the NBA. There are some quality players still on the board as free agents, leaving the door open for a team like the Heat to swoop in.
Wood has become a very polarizing player, but he’d be an impactful addition for the Heat on offense. He’s a double-double threat who can stretch the floor. Last season, he averaged 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from beyond the arc.
The 27-year-old is capable of playing the 4 and 5. He’d likely love some stability in his NBA career, as he’s already played for seven teams. He’s already been linked to the Heat a few times this offseason.
Oubre, meanwhile, is capable of being a good two-way player, and he just had one of the best offensive seasons of his professional career. The small forward averaged 20.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in the 2022-23 campaign while shooting 43.1 percent from the field and 31.9 percent from deep.
The University of Kansas product has been linked to the Heat in the past.
Since the potential additions of Wood and Oubre seem to be contingent on the Heat getting a deal done for Lillard, folks in South Florida should probably remain focused on the big prize, which is the 33-year-old superstar.
Portland has seemingly been uncooperative with Miami in trade talks for Lillard, but there’s still time for the two sides to come to an agreement. Lillard finished third in the scoring race last season, and that type of production would take the Heat to new heights in the Eastern Conference.
Miami will open its 2023-24 season in late October, leaving roughly a two-month window between now and then. Time will tell if the Heat do ultimately add Lillard, Wood and/or Oubre before things get underway this season.
