The Miami Heat might be looking to upgrade their roster and give themselves a needed boost for a potential playoff run this season. Two players that they could apparently target are Kelly Olynyk and Malik Beasley of the Utah Jazz.
“Miami, which has set its potential trade net far and wide as the deadline nears, is among them, with a possible bigger deal that would send both Beasley and former Heat big guy Kelly Olynyk to Miami for a package built around Duncan Robinson, Caleb Martin and a combination of picks and young players (though Miami remains reluctant to put rookie Nikola Jovic in any deals, a stance that could change as the deadline approaches),” wrote Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports.
For a trade to work, the Heat would likely have to give up several assets.
Miami has seemingly been trying to move Robinson for a long time now. The front office hasn’t found a trade partner for the sharpshooter yet, perhaps because of his albatross of a contract.
It would certainly be a sad day for some Heat fans if the 28-year-old were dealt away. At one point, he was one of the team’s most valuable players, but his play has regressed over the past couple of seasons.
As for Martin, the 27-year-old has performed admirably for the Heat, starting at power forward this season despite being undersized at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds. In 37 games, he has averaged 10.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.4 3-pointers per contest.
However, Miami might need to shore up its frontcourt in order to keep up with elite teams, particularly in the rebounding department. The team is hauling in just 41.3 rebounds per game, which ranks 26th in the league.
It is unclear if swapping Martin with Olynyk would provide an improvement in that department. After all, the Jazz big man is averaging 5.0 rebounds per match this season. But at 6-foot-11, he would provide the Heat with more size down low. In addition, he is shooting a bit more efficiently than Martin from beyond the arc.
Beasley could also help in that department as the former No. 19 overall pick from the 2016 NBA Draft is making 3.1 3-pointers per game this season. Among current Heat players, only Tyler Herro is connecting on more than three shots per game from the 3-point line this season.
Miami is reportedly “trying every angle” to get better as it looks to solidify its standing in the playoff picture.
“The Heat are looking to get bigger obviously but they’re looking to get better all over the roster,” one league source told Heavy Sports. “They’re trying every angle. Their shooting has been a major disappointment, they need guys who can make shots there.”
It remains to be seen if Miami can bring in the veterans from Utah. But with a standing of 25-22, the franchise could indeed use some additional help.
