The Miami Heat aren’t expected to break up their roster ahead of the Feb. 9 trade deadline, but that doesn’t mean they can’t make some small tweaks to their roster.
Portland Trail Blazers wing Josh Hart might be a Heat target, according to NBA insider Zach Lowe.
“Josh Hart is a name that is very, very hot right now. A lot of teams would like Josh Hart. I think Miami will probably express some interest in Josh Hart. He’s a Heat guy. Heat kinda guy.” – @ZachLowe_NBA pic.twitter.com/gSNLB1rVAr
— Dru (@dru_star) January 24, 2023
Hart has played a big role for the Blazers this season, but with the team languishing in the Western Conference standings at 22-25, it might look to flip some of its veteran players for younger assets or draft capital.
The Villanova University product would be a very intriguing fit on the Heat. He’s a solid all-around player that rebounds very well for his size (8.3 rebounds per game this season). Rebounding is one of the Heat’s biggest weaknesses, and that might be why their priority ahead of the trade deadline is to bolster their frontcourt.
It would be interesting to see what the Heat would give the Blazers in a potential deal for Hart. While Miami doesn’t really have the draft capital to acquire a superstar, it could part ways with a future first-round pick or some second-round picks for the 27-year-old.
This seems to be the first time that the Heat have been linked to Hart throughout his professional career. While he has never openly expressed a desire to play in South Florida, he likely would be very happy about it.
After all, a few years ago, he said that Heat legend Dwyane Wade was his favorite player growing up. The little kid inside Hart would surely be happy if the present-day version of him were to land with the Heat.
While the Heat are currently 26-22 on the season and hold the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference, they have been fairly inconsistent. They haven’t looked like the team that made it to the Eastern Conference Finals last season.
Perhaps the squad needs a boost of energy from a new player in order to help it move up the standings. Miami will look to gain as much ground as possible before the league pauses for the annual All-Star Game. Maybe Hart will be a part of the Heat by the time the midseason classic rolls around.
