Miami Heat Dreams Big: Can The Heats steal Ja Morant from Grizzlies??
Compared to the previous year, the Miami Heat were a very different squad.
Miami shifted their timeline after adding Norman Powell this summer by trading for a slew of veterans and older players.
The Heat appear to have improved despite the fact that this usually means a rebuild. With a team that is among the league’s youngest, Miami might emerge as a surprise contender in the East thanks to the play of youthful stars Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro.
The Heat may lack the firepower to be serious title contenders in the East, despite having a strong squad.
But according to a trade proposal put forward by Ethen Hutton of Sports Illustrated, the Heat can become a superpower by getting Ja Morant from the Memphis Grizzlies. Imagine this trade scenario:
Miami Heat Receive: Ja Morant
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: Andrew Wiggins, Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr., 2027 first-round pick, 2031 first-round pick
Why Should Miami Acquire Morant?
Acquiring Morant would effectively signal a new era for the Miami Heat. With a generational talent joining the side, the Heat would become a new superpower in the East, capable of going toe-to-toe with the best in the league.
As constructed, the Heat are in possession of talented players. When considering their starting backcourt, with Herro and Powell, Miami already possesses impressive offensive firepower.
Injecting Morant into this rotation would require Powell to move to the small forward position, but it would do wonders for the Heat’s overall scoring production.
Morant has shown all the makings of a superstar. Aside from his elite athletic ability and scoring prowess, Morant is known for his showmanship and his ability to perform in clutch situations.
These traits resonate with Herro’s game, creating the potential for the two to be one of the most exciting backcourt duos in the league.
Last season, Morant averaged 23.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game, while shooting 45.4% from the field and 30.9% from three-point range.
The 26-year-old has demonstrated a penchant for going after the hoop while evaluating his play style. Like Herro, he has a strong grasp of the ball, but he poses a greater danger when travelling downhill.
These abilities are a nice addition to Herro’s, since he can attack and be a consistent threat from the periphery.
It appears like Miami would be wise to acquire Morant for a number of reasons. Considering his advanced years, the Heat would do well to strengthen their foundation.
Without delaying its plans, Miami could be able to make a title run next season because to the East’s diminished strength.
His off-court antics and issues may be causing some anxiety, but with Erik Spoelstra as coach and Pat Riley as president, the two-time All-Star is not expected to have much leeway.
The star’s health is another legitimate concern. Morant has a history of season-long injuries, despite the fact that he played in 50 games last year.
If Miami were to pursue his acquisition, this would quickly rise to the top of their priority list.
WILL GAIN ANYTHING FROM THIS TRADE?!
This offseason, the Memphis Grizzlies have demonstrated that they are at least somewhat dedicated to rebuilding.
The Grizzlies have essentially dismantled their core by sending Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic in a trade.
Even though they put an end to trade speculation, that doesn’t mean the Grizzlies won’t decide to rebuild in the future.
The Grizzlies’ superstar tandem of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant has failed to produce postseason success thus far. Memphis has shown their commitment to the former DPOY by extending Jackson Jr.’s deal.
Therefore, it may be prudent to organise the rebuilding around him. Speaking of which, the Grizzlies get some excellent pieces from Hutton’s deal with the Heat.
Memphis would have all the pieces it needs to rebuild in a competitive manner with Andrew Wiggins, Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and two first-round draft picks (2027 and 2031).
Wiggins, whose contract is about to expire, is a talented two-way player with a lot of untapped potential.
Not only has the 30-year-old been a rock for Memphis’ perimeter defence, but he has also been a consistent scorer and rebounder.
In the previous campaign, Wiggins averaged 18.0 points and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 44.8% from the field and 37.4% from beyond the arc.
As he was forced to take on a larger offensive role, the forward’s scoring production increased slightly, suggesting he may be a real threat in Memphis alongside Jackson Jr.
Furthermore, it could be beneficial to acquire developmental pieces like Jovic and Jaquez Jr. They are both about to have breakout seasons, but Jovic’s play at EuroBasket has everyone curious.
Both players have shown a lot of upside as scoring assets. Last season, Jovic averaged 10.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game on 45.6% shooting overall and 37.1% shooting from three-point range.
Meanwhile, Jaquez showed promise even with reduced output, as he averaged 8.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game on 46.1% shooting from the field.
Should they receive more playing time with more responsibilities, both players possess the skill and talent to emerge as significant contributors. On a rebuilding team, assets like these could develop into key players on the roster.
Miami May Hesitate To Part With Young Talent
Even with all the benefits that could be gained from doing this deal, the Heat may be hesitant to part ways with the young talent on their roster.
Even though Andrew Wiggins has been the subject of trade rumours all summer, Miami is dead set on keeping Jaquez Jr. and Jovic around.
It looks like Jaquez Jr. is going to have a breakout season next year. A member of the Heat coaching staff even made an appearance at one of their European players’ EuroBasket games to show their support for their performance.
It is not out of the question that the Serbian forward, Jovic, could find himself in the starting lineup in the future, given his impressive development.
The Heat are probably not going to trade these guys right now because of the amount of money they’ve invested in them.
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