The Miami Heat spent most of the summer looking to add another star to team with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo but were unable to do so after asking about Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell. Their plan was to run it back with the team that was a game away from the NBA Finals last year. However, after a slow start to the season it may be time to look for players that can help turn the season around for the Heat.
So far, Miami has been linked to players like Bojan Bogdanovic, who has had a stellar start to the season and will likely be available at the deadline. KJ Martin has also been a player that the Heat are said to have interest in after his playing time with the Houston Rockets has diminished. Jae Crowder has expressed his interest in joining the Heat and the Phoenix Suns have revealed their asking price that it would take to get a deal done to bring him back to South Beach.
Heat Linked to Kyle Kuzma in Trade Deal
Now, the Heat have been linked to a ‘shocking’ trade that Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz says could happen sooner than later. As part of the deal the Heat landed Kyle Kuzma from the Washington Wizards in a multi-player deal.
Miami Heat Receive: PF Kyle Kuzma, PG Monte Morris, G/F Will Barton
Washington Wizards Receive: PG Kyle Lowry, F Haywood Highsmith, 2023 first-round pick (lottery-protected)
“Getting Kuzma solves the starting power forward problem, as the 27-year-old has been a talented scorer for Washington in an expanded role. Morris can step in as Miami’s starting point guard in place of Lowry, and Barton is a do-it-all wing Erik Spoelstra can plug into the rotation.
Washington could use Lowry as a placeholder at point guard in the backcourt next to Bradley Beal, and moving veterans such as Kuzma and Barton open up more playing time for Rui Hachimura, Deni Avdija and Corey Kispert to shine. The Wizards also get Miami’s first-round pick next summer, assuming the Heat reach the playoffs,” Swartz wrote.
Kuzma has been awesome this season and could bring a lot to this Heat team. He’s averaging 18.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists for the Wizards. Monte Morris is also a quality point guard that would bring his 8.7 points and 5.1 assists per game. And Will Barton adds offense and playmaking as well and all for only Kyle Lowry who has had his own struggles and inconsistency.
Heat Linked to Kyle Kuzma Earlier this Summer
Swartz linking Kuzma to the Heat isn’t the first time that a deal has been speculated about a potential Kuzma deal. In an column from Heavy Sports’ NBA Insider Sean Deveney shared that they could look to move on and start their rebuild in Washington.
“The Wizards have been loathe to rebuild as long as they have Bradley Beal on the roster, and perhaps that will continue. But should they begin looking to the future, Kuzma would find himself on the block. He is not the bruiser the Heat might like at power forward, but he’d add a scoring dimension to the position that the team lacks,” Deveney wrote.
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Heat Linked to Three Player Haul in Blockbuster Kyle Lowry Trade Proposal