The Miami Heat have been one of the teams that have been linked to possible interest in Kyrie Irving. Before the season began, Miami was seen as a team that needed to upgrade the guards on the roster. After the trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, that seemed to be what they wanted to do.
Miami signed Klay Thompson after he was bought out by the Mavericks, but he would be better off coming off the bench. The Heat would likely be interested in Irving if he came available. However, an NBA insider believes that he won’t be leaving Dallas.
The Heat Might Not Have a Chance to Trade For Kyrie Irving
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, it looks unlikely that the Mavericks will move Irving. Irving seems to like it in Dallas, and the team likes how he has meshed with Cooper Flagg.
“All in all, I’d lean strongly toward Irving staying put at this point. Yet when you talk to rival teams about players who would truly change the playoff landscape if they were dealt, and who are widely expected to generate serious interest because of that belief, Irving still tops the list. Never mind that the Mavericks, and Irving for that matter, have shown no signs of wanting a split. Quite the opposite, in fact,” Amick writes.
Amick believes that the 7-5 start Dallas has gotten off to is enough for them to want to see how this roster progresses. Last season, the Mavericks didn’t have a true point guard on the roster. Irving fits that bill and has looked good coming off a torn ACL.
The Heat lost a lot of their trade assets while acquiring Antetokounmpo. It could be hard for them to give Dallas an attractive package to make them want to move Irving, with most of their depth gone. Irving is also on an expiring deal, though he has a $42 million player option for next year.
Miami Might Have to Go Elsewhere For Guard Help
The Heat need a player who can score and create opportunities for others at the guard spot. Irving would fit that perfectly. However, it looks like they might have to go elsewhere to find that kind of player. With limited assets, they might have limited options.
Miami has been linked to pursuing Kevin Porter Jr. and Gabe Vincent as possible options. Those players likely won’t move the needle too much, especially for a team that has played so poorly defensively. Right now, the Heat have the sixth-worst defensive rating in the NBA.
Things can change when it comes to Irving’s availability. What likely won’t change is the high price Dallas will ask in exchange for him. That could be the prohibitive factor when it comes to Miami actually acquiring someone as good as Irving or close to it.
Heat Get Bad News on Their Pursuit of Kyrie Irving