After winning 11 of 12 games, the Heat have now lost three straight contests and currently sit fifth in the Eastern Conference standings at 22-21, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes.
Miami lost a tough 109-106 game to Indiana in overtime on Sunday, ending the contest with Tyler Herro at point guard due to the absence of Goran Dragic. The team compiled 14 turnovers and often struggled to get good looks, shooting below 30% from three-point range for the third game in a row.
“Losing sucks. It’s either winning or misery,” said Bam Adebayo, who finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks in the outing. “… Nobody wants to lose three games in a row, especially considering we fought back from being at the bottom of the East.”
The Heat have upcoming games against the Suns on Tuesday, Blazers on Thursday and Hornets on Friday.
Here are some other notes out of Miami tonight:
- Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald examines why the team has recently struggled with three-point shooting. The Heat are shooting 26-of-105 (24.7%) from deep in their last three games, largely due to inconsistent play at point guard and missing makeable shots. “I think we’re getting good looks,” Duncan Robinson said. “There’s definitely areas for improvement, just in terms of ball movement, player movement, everything. It’s not anyone being selfish or anything like that. It’s just about finding that connectivity and that rhythm. Sometimes it takes seeing a couple go through to really build that. So I think we all agree that we’re right there. We’ve got plenty of guys that can take and make shots. So it’s only a matter of time. But you don’t just want to sit back and be just kind of passive with that stuff. You have to try to work for solutions.”
- Miami is being faced with a trade deadline conundrum, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel examines. The Heat have expressed interest in players such as Kyle Lowry and LaMarcus Aldridge, but both talents are set to become free agents at season’s end.
- Winderman also explores whether the team is facing a tricky free-agency proposition in his latest “Ask Ira” mailbag.
According to O’Connor suggestion
Rockets add a first round pick to trade Oladipo for Gordon
If Rockets buyout Oladipo to save $5 million salary, Dipo can join the Heat
Why not save $5 million?
Why add a first round pick to trade Dipo?
Gordon?? Sillyman… what are you talking about bro?? Do to sleep dude.
sorry… Go to sleep
Lol the Rockets are not going to buy out Oladipo. Another interesting take, Sillivan.
Oladipo/Dragic could work. Good way for Miami to retain Herro and Duncan, and add another defensive ball handler. Lowry is a long shot proabably, Horford and Hill could happen. Heat Thunder Cavaliers should get in a 3 team deal netting Cavs a 2nd or player, Thunder a 1st and Drummond, Heat Horford, Hill
Only way the Lowry trade could work is. You use Iggy and Dragic. Then you hope for Aldridge in the BO market. So many rumors with Heat. Seems they will do something.
And so few with Denver, something is brewing!
A lot of talk recently about what Heat should be willing to pay for Duncan Robinson, and whether or not he should be moved. Right now, it would be extremely hard for me to think he should be moved. I’m not even sure what I would be willing to move him for. If anything, I’d consider the idea of potentially being able to sign and trade him in the offseason, when more options are available. I’m sure the Heat are looking at Max Strus, either to pair with him on the roster, or potentially somewhat replace him, depending on if they move him/what they move him for…
Kendrick Nunn’s future is also interesting. I know they’ve liked Gabe Vincent, and they have other guards, if those guys dont get moved. I’d rather have Nunn than Herro this year, depending on the deal, but going into the future I’m not so sure, with Nunn probably getting something in the $11-15 million range on his next contract…
In certain trades where they may have to move some of their shootk g, with Olynyk and/or Herro, I do worry about potential spacing issues, and losing the ability to stretch the floor from that big spot, so they would have to be careful on who they target, and/or who they can then add in free agency/buyout market. I would imagine that might be a spot where Strus could get a regular contract, of a roster spot is opened
I want to see more of how they look with Iguodala and Ariza there together. 1 of them should start, moving Olynyk back to the bench. Okpala had looked good lately though, especially when Bam was out, so not sure what would be most effective for him
Ok so this is going to be super long, and somewhat redundant in some spots, but a lot goes into this. I had kind of written up a couple of different things previously, and I jumbled them up with added stuff to make a whole full point, so it’s a little unorganized, but I think it explains the thought process well enough.
As a Heat fan, Lowry would be amazing, but there are only a couple of different versions of a trade for him I can sort of see making some sense, but still there are significant holes in them. Most of it has to do with not thinking Toronto would do it, or even if they should do it, and it’s also questionable for the Heat, with so many potentially needed moving parts, where they may create holes on the roster, and then still have to add there. I could potentially see LaMarcus Aldridge fitting in that scenario, but they would still have at least a spot to fill, and depending on which iteration of the deal, they may end up more lacking on the wing…I’m not sure Toronto should move Lowry, and I would like to see him stay with them, with everything he has done there, and him still being so valuable, but maybe if Lowry wants to be traded to the Heat, that makes things a bit different. These are the options as I see them, if they do move him
First, I would trade Herro in a deal for Lowry, at least over Duncan Robinson. Maybe in a couple of years Herro will be a much better player, but Lowry is still a great 2 way player, fills a need guarding the guard spot, and isnt just going to fall off a cliff after this year, and if they can keep him, I can see him being valuable for at least 2 more years. I would also be willing to move the 2025 1st round pick, which is 1 of the only 2 1st rounders they can move, but with it being a few years away, that makes it that much more important that someone like Herro be in the deal. I would not be willing to move Goran Dragic for several reasons. Besides what he means to this organization, and wanting him to stay the rest of his career, he and Jimmy Butler are super close, and he is also close woth Lowry, making them a great fit off the floor, as well as on it
I would be willing to also include the 2027 1st round pick, and possibly even the only 2nd round pick the Heat have left, which is Phillys in 2022 in a specific scenario. That scenario where I would be more inclined is if Toronro were potentially willing to include OG Anunoby, which I dont think they would, and dont really think they should, but that would make it into a much bigger trade. It would take 1-2 young players plus the picks to make it even considerable, which is why I said I didnt think they would do that.
I would prefer to flip Ariza, and keep Iguodala, for the most part, but his salary cant be aggregated in a trade until after the trade deadline, which obviously isnt helpful there, so his salary wouldnt be useable in salary matching
For Lowry by himself, I’m not sure the pieces that would need to be added would make much sense, with maybe a couple of exceptions, and then it’s back to the same issue with I dont think Toronto would do it. So i would trade Herro for Lowry, and if I need to move Herro, Olynyk, Bradley, Harkless to match salaries, plus the 2025 pick, I would do that, assuming the Heat would then sign a couple of FAs at the 4/5 spot, but I dont see Toronto doing it. For Iguodala instead of Bradley/Harkless, I would have to think about that, or someone like Stanley Johnson would at least have to come back, but then you still have issues to fill, so again, doesnt make much sense as the team is constructed b/c you’re filling one need and making another need even more glaring, most on the being there, which doesnt help.
So ya, I would do it for Lowry, but that wouldnt be enough to help the Heat’s issues by itself. In the situation with Anunoby, a similar issue is there, and it would obviously have to turn into a bigger trade to match salaries. I would do something like Herro, Okpala, Olynyk, Avery Bradley, Mo Harkless, Andre Iguodala probably both 1st round picks, and the 2nd round pick for Lowry, Anunoby, Stanley Johnson, and maybe Totonto’s 2023 2nd round pick, but that wouldnt be enough, in my opinion, for Toronto to make a move like that. The Heat would probably come up an asset short there
So pretty much what I said. I just dont think Toronto would do it. In simpler to see form, these are the 3 trade ideas
Heat get Lowry
Toronto gets Herro, Olynyk, Bradley, Harkless, 2025 1st round pick
Heat get Lowry, Stanley Johnson, Aaron Baynes, and 2023 Toronto 2nd round pick
Toronto gets Herro, Olynyk, Bradley, Harkless, Iguodala, Heat 2025 1st Round pick
Heat get Lowry, Anunoby, Stanley Johnson, 2023 Toronto 2nd round pick
Toronto gets Herro, Okpala, Iguodala, Olynyk, Bradley, Harkless, Heat 2025 1st round pick, Heat 2027 1st round pick, and 2022 Philly 2nd round pick
If Heat can somehow pull off one of these deals and sign Aldridge/another big, and depending on if Iguodala moves, another wing/4 that makes it a decision that would be super worth. I could also see them signing at least 1 of their 2 way guys to full deals in 1 of these scenarios, depending how many roster spots they’d open…all of that being said, as discussed, it’s a super long shot