Getty Washington Wizards star Kyle Kuzma runs the floor during a game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Miami Heat had an opportunity to guarantee themselves a playoff spot on Tuesday night with a play-in victory over Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks. Instead, they were felled once again by something that has plagued them not only this season, but for multiple years running now.
Namely, a lack of offensive firepower in the clutch.
Sure, the team’s defensive efficacy waned during the final weeks of the regular season (and it wasn’t pretty in this game, either). But Erik Spoelstra‘s lack of options in the halfcourt at the end of tight games has been perhaps equally problematic.
For his part, Jimmy Butler has been able to overcome his own limitations as a shooter and carry his club to wins at times. But on those nights when he falters — like his 6-for-19 showing against Atlanta — things get rough for the Biscayne ballers.
That performance prompted Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma and former NBA star Brandon Jennings to make some offensive-minded suggestions about what the Heat need to do in order to succeed amid the big loss.
Kyle Kuzma & Brandon Jenning: Heat Need ‘Bucket-Getter’ (Maybe Damian Lillard)
As the Heat-Hawks affair came to its disappointing conclusion for the South Beach faithful, Kuzma hit the tweet machine with his big theory on what Miami needs in order to get back into the title conversation. And it was hardly a new concept for fans that suffered through the up-and-down regular season.
“Heat need a bucket getter,” Kuzma tweeted and, in short order, Jennings responded with the name of a baller who fits that description as well as anyone.
“Dame,” Jennings declared.
Of Course, Damian Lillard has been a fixture in the trade chatter on social media, around the hoops blogosphere and among the sport’s talking heads for several years running. Now, though, the seven-time All-Star — who averaged 32.3 points and 7.3 assists over 58 games with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2022-23 — may finally be gettable.
Lillard reignited the discussion about his Blazers future last month when he declared that he’s not really interested in rebuilding — something his team arguably has to do, and sooner rather than later. And even if he was down for such a project, he’s still the one trade piece the Blazers have that would allow them to jumpstart a rebuild with multiple picks and other assets.
So, moving him is probably the move to make either way.
Could the Heat Make a Legitimate Play for Dame?
In discussing possible Dame trades with people around the Association, Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney asked an East executive about the Miami possibility. And while building the deal isn’t exactly a breeze in their eyes, the exec did offer a glimmer of hope that the two sides could potentially come together on something.
“It would have to start with Tyler Herro, once his extension kicks in, you can send him to Portland. Then it is a matter of, can they include Kyle Lowry? Duncan Robinson? Portland would have to take back a bad contract to make it work,” the executive told Deveney.
“So then, how much draft capital is Miami willing to give up? They owe a pick (2025 first-rounder) to OKC, so they can only give up a couple picks, and they could include [Nikola] Jovic. They’d have to put everything into the now and there’s a chance they’re going to be willing to do that.”
The Heat still have an opportunity to qualify for the postseason as the No. 8 seed provided they beat the Chicago Bulls on Friday.