As the Miami Heat look to find a player this offseason that can help take them over the championship hump, popular NBA podcaster Bill Simmons recently offered up a bold trade idea that could land the team the game-changer guard they have been looking for.
The Heat’s 2023-24 campaign fell well short of their expectations after reaching the NBA Finals this time last year. However, while their first-round ouster to the Boston Celtics was a letdown, the team still has the pieces to remain a playoff contender for several more seasons.
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But just making the postseasons is not enough for Miami and star Jimmy Butler. The goal is to get the organization its fourth title and Butler his first. That is why they are expected to be active in the summer trade market and could be contenders for Donovan Mitchell if he becomes available.
While there have been various reports that their top star could be traded this summer, those rumblings have died down lately, and it seems like Butler plays at least one more season despite wanting a contract extension. So, if the Heat do make a blockbuster acquisition, who might they target? Well, on a recent edition of the “Bill Simmons Podcast,” the popular NBA analyst and podcaster had an interesting idea.
Trae Young stats (2023-24): 25.7 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 10.8 APG, 1.3 SPG, 37% 3PT
“This is my favorite, Trae for Herro and [Duncan] Robinson and Miami’s pick in the draft. They’ll have to draft the guy and then trade him. And then their 29 unprotected first, and that’s the trade,” Simmons said [h/t Inside the Heat].
There has been rumbling since last season that the Atlanta Hawks could trade the three-time All-Star and this summer seems as likely a time as ever. Young would give them the elite scorer they need to take the load off Butler, another talented ball-handler, and a person to pair with Bam Adebayo for years to come if Butler does end up getting traded next year.
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