Getty Pascal Siakam #43 and Fred VanVleet #23 of the Toronto Raptors celebrate against the Cleveland Cavaliers
Talk suggesting that the Miami Heat start making significant roster changes and even blowing up their roster has started this season. NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley recently opined that the Heat should start over. “It might be time to break the team up and start over,” Barkley suggested on a December episode of Inside the NBA.
The Heat aren’t the only team that could be looking to deal their players and start over. Eric Pincus wrote a recent column about potential fire sales for a number of NBA teams falling out of contention. In it, the Heat were a team identified as potentially benefitting from a possible Toronto Raptors sale, and Pincus noted that there are a few players that Miami may be interested in.
“The list of teams interested in [Pascal] Siakam, [OG] Anunoby (especially Anunoby), [Fred] VanVleet and [Gary] Trent is varied, likely including the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers, Lakers, Suns, Kings and Nets, among others,” Pincus wrote.
Why Toronto Could Trade Key Players
After drafting the 2021-22 NBA’s Rookie of the Year award winner Scottie Barnes, it is believed that the team may look to start over and build a team that will complement him more. That leaves Siakam and Annouby, who were already in Toronto prior to Barnes being drafted as potential trade pieces.
“Additionally, Pascal Siakam and Anunoby are under contract through 2023-24 (Anunoby can opt into 2024-25). If the Raptors are to change direction, some around the league believe now would be the time, as players tend to draw less in return when they are on expiring contracts,” Pincus wrote for Bleacher Report.
One source also told Pincus that the Raptors are likely looking to trade Gary Trent Jr. “I don’t think they want to keep Trent,” the source told Pincus, who cited his salary as a possible cause for the move. Trent is being paid $17.5 million this season with an $18.8 million option for 2023-24.
Fred VanVleet is a player that is getting attention from teams with young players as a potential veteran mentor to come in and help a developing team, and the Heat likely isn’t in the running for that move. VanVleet is an All-Star himself and was part of the 2022 team and could add a lot to the team he was traded to.
Potential Heat Trades with Raptors
Some of the options for the Heat have a lot of upside. Siakam would be interesting in how he paired with Heat center Bam Adebayo. He could be a solution to the team’s question mark at power forward. Siakam and Bam play with a similar style. Both can defend multiple positions with their size and speed, and both have made an All-Star team. Siakam has impressed this season, averaging 25.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game, which would add a much-needed scoring and playmaking ability to the Heat’s roster. The Heat’s frontcourt would consist of three potential NBA All-Defensive Team members which is intriguing of itself.
O.G. Anunoby is also an interesting piece that could be available for the Heat. He is currently averaging a career-high 19 points per game on over 47% shooting while also grabbing nearly 6 boards per game (5.8). Anunoby also has a career shooting percentage of 36.8% from behind the three point line. Each would be interesting pieces for the Heat, as would Trent, but his salary makes it harder to justify for a smaller average than Anunoby scoring and without the ability to rebound and get assists that Anunoby has as well.
The Heat could shop players like Duncan Robinson, Caleb Martin (after December 15,) Max Strus, and Nikola Jovic in potential trade talks. Would Toronto consider a deal for either of those players?