Getty Josh Richardson and Josh Hart. The Miami Heat have been linked to Hart in trade rumors.
As the February 9 NBA Trade Deadline approaches, time is running out for the Miami Heat to improve their roster. After a slow start to the season, the Heat have somewhat found their footing, winning 14 of their last 21 games. If Pat Riley and the Miami front office have been convinced that the team is worth spending on, then the time is now to get a deal done.
The Heat have been linked to plenty of players of the last month and a half. Most recently they were linked to Josh Hart of the Portland Trailblazers. On the January 24 edition of the “Lowe Post Podcast,” host Zach Lowe was joined by Bobby Marks of ESPN. Lowe discussed the possibility of Miami making a move on Hart.
“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.”
Hart has appeared in 45 of Portland’s 47 games this season, playing 34 minutes each time. He’s averaging 9.6 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, on 50.3% shooting from the field 33% from beyond the arc.
If Miami was to make a move for the versatile wing, then they’d have him through the end of next season. Hart signed a $37.9 million extension before last season.
Clippers Interested in Trading for Heat’s Kyle Lowry: Report
Miami potentially having interest in Hart wasn’t the only rumor to surface on January 24. The other name tied into trade speculation was veteran Heat guard Kyle Lowry.
Kevin O’Connor of the Ringer hinted that the Los Angeles Clippers could be interested in making a move for the former Toronto Raptors star. In a January 24 article, he went into detail about LA’s potential trade targets.
Kyle Lowry Praised by Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro After Heat Win Over Pelicans
Lowry’s season hasn’t been what the Heat might’ve expected when they brought him in, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t had a few solid outings. The most recent came in Miami’s 100-96 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. The aging star scored 9 straight points in the fourth quarter to help seal the win for the Heat.
After the game, both Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro had some kind words about their teammate.
“You could just see his life grow. I know that sounds crazy but, as a basketball player when you get nine straight, it’s one of those things where we call that a heat check… It’s just one of those things where the basket looks like the ocean,” Adebayo told the media via Bally Sports Sun: Heat.
Bam Adebayo postgame press conference covers the end of the game, the Heat defense, Kyle Lowry and more 🔊
“I thought it was good to see,” said Herro via Bally Sports Sun: Heat. “You know Kyle, he can do that anytime that he really wants… He’s a seasoned vet, he’s closed many games, a lot of big games, and right now he’s just choosing to differ to me, Bam, and Jimmy (Butler), but there’s plenty of opportunities in front of us where he’ll be able to be aggressive and he knows, and we all know that he can do that and he’s capable of that still.”
Tyler Herro speaks after the HEAT victory against the Pelicans as the Heat have won 5 of their last 7