After being one game from an NBA Finals appearance last season, the Miami Heat have struggled to play consistent basketball this year. Miami’s 36-33 record is only good enough for seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
There had been a ton of speculation leading up to the trade deadline, that the Heat would work some magic to improve the current roster. At the end of the day, all they did was make a move sending Dewayne Dedmon to the San Antonio Spurs in order to avoid the luxury tax.
Miami could very well be looking back on the uneventful deadline, wishing that they made a real splash.
According to Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, one trade the Heat might wish they pulled off is one for a pair of Charlotte Hornets scorers, Terry Rozier III, and Kelly Oubre Jr.
Buckley outlined the following deal in a recent article.
Heat Receive: Terry Rozier and Kelly Oubre Jr.
Hornets Receive: Kyle Lowry, Nikola Jović, Omer Yurtseven and 2028 first-round pick (top-four protected)
Trade Brings Much Needed Offensive Reinforcements for the Heat
If the trade was to happen, there would’ve had to be some sort of angle for both teams. Buckley broke down why each side would benefit from pulling the trigger on the trade.
“It’s time for Miami to pull the plug on the Lowry experiment,” Buckley wrote. “The only thing sadder than his injury updates is the real possibility that he isn’t worth the wait anymore. The Heat miss his on-court orchestration, but that only goes so far when he’s finishing fewer than 40 percent of his field goals and 34 percent of his threes. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo deserve more help. This trade would deliver some. No, the deal probably wouldn’t push Miami back to the conference finals, but it would give this group’s 26th-ranked offense more oomph. Rozier can find shots for himself and his teammates, Oubre is electric in the open court and both are capable (albeit streaky) shooters. Plus, they give enough effort on defense to get on coach Erik Spoelstra’s good side. As for the Hornets, an overhaul around LaMelo Ball is overdue. Anyone with win-now talent who doesn’t fit his timeline should be heavily shopped. This deal would give Charlotte a first-round pick, a first-round rookie in Jović and a 24-year-old center in Yurtseven, plus a sage leader for however long Lowry sticks around Buzz City.”
How Would Rozier and Oubre Fit With The Heat?
Like Buckley pointed out, the addition of Rozier and Oubre would’ve given the Heat some much needed scoring help without giving up any key pieces. The team hasn’t been getting much from Lowry, who’s been injured quite a bit this year. In the games where he does play, they still don’t get very much from him.
Lowry has averaged just 12 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game, while making just 39.6% of his attempts from the floor and 33.3% from beyond the arc.
Both incoming players have put up decent numbers this year, and would likely thrive in less demanding roles.
Rozier averages 21.3 points, 4.9 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 41.3% from the floor and 33% from beyond the arc.
Oubre has been good for 20.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game, making 42.9% of his shots from the floor, and 31.9% of his attempts from 3-point land.
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Heat ‘Wish’ They Completed Kyle Lowry Trade for ‘Electric’ Scoring Duo