Getty Cam Reddish #0 of the New York Knicks.
The last few weeks have been filled with speculation about what the Miami Heat will do ahead of the February 9 NBA Trade Deadline. Miami has been on a bit of an upswing, winning 13 of their last 19 games. The hot streak has them slotted at sixth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 25-21. As the deadline grows closer, fans are wondering what Pat Riley and Miami’s front office have planned.
The newest of many rumors surrounding the Heat surfaced on January 20. Ian Begley of SNY reported that some of Miami’s team personnel are intrigued by Cam Reddish of the New York Knicks.
Reddish is a player whose name has been thrown around quite frequently in trade rumors. Teams around the league, and their fans, have been intrigued by the low-risk high-reward trade piece. The former Blue Devil is just 23-years-old and the Knicks aren’t asking very much for him, according to Begley.
“It’s worth noting that teams in touch with the Knicks say they are seeking a second-round pick in return for Reddish in a trade,” he wrote.
The 6-foot 8-inch wing was drafted 10th overall by the Atlanta Hawks back in 2019. He hasn’t really found much of a role in the NBA since. He was traded to New York on January 13, 2022, and has struggled to consistently break into Tom Thibodeau’s rotation. Since joining the Knicks, he’s played in just 35 of the team’s 86 games. When Reddish has played, he’s averaged 7.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in about 18.7 minutes per game.
If the Heat were to strike a deal for the 23-year-old, he’d be an interesting addition, but really wouldn’t fill a major need. His 30.4% clip from beyond the arc wouldn’t solve the team’s 3-point shooting issues, and he doesn’t have the size to take pressure off of Bam Adebayo.
Heat Could Deal Max Strus for ‘High Quality Starter’: Report
Another name that’s been thrown around in Heat related rumors is Max Strus. In a January 19 article for the Miami Herald, Barry Jackson listed some possible moves Miami could make to improve their roster. He touched on the possibility of the team dealing the sharpshooter.
“With Max Strus playing better recently, that could incline the Heat to keep him and sign him this summer, though Strus could be put in play for a high-quality starter,” he wrote.
Strus has appeared in 44 of Miami’s 46 games this season, playing 31 minutes each time. He’s averaging 13.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists, on 40.3% shooting from the field 33.9% from beyond the arc.
The 26-year-old has taken a step back this year in terms of shooting, which historically has been the best aspect of his game. Strus broke into Miami’s rotation last season and became a staple, thanks to his efficient 41% clip from deep.
Miami Heat ‘Not Going To Go Too Far’ To Resign Max Strus
Should the Heat elect to keep Strus around past the deadline, then they’ll have to decide whether or not to sign him to a new deal.
An anonymous Eastern Conference Executive gave Heavy Sports‘ Sean Deveney some insight about the potential decision.
“They want to keep him (Strus) but they’re not going to go too far to re-sign him,” the executive told Deveney. “He has been disappointing this year as a shooter, which is too bad because I think he has actually gotten better as a player overall. But if his shots aren’t falling, he is not bringing a lot to the table. If they could do a deal in the range of the Caleb Martin contract (three years, $20 million), he could stay put. If someone wants to go over that, they’ll move on. He is not going to be their top priority, though.”