With the Miami Heat currently first in the Eastern Conference at 32-18, Erik Spoelstra has continuously been working his magic despite being ravaged with a ton of injuries. The trio of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Kyle Lowry have played only 14 games together, but there have been inspiring revelations from the Heat's second and third stringers. Unable to rise to the occasion with his star teammates marginalized, though, has been fourth-year sharpshooter Duncan Robinson.

After signing a massive five-year, $90 million extension in the offseason, Robinson's numbers have dipped well below his standards. He's shooting a solid but unspectacular 36.5% from beyond the arc, well below last season's mark and over eight percentage points lower than his scorching 44.6% clip on threes in 2019-20. The biggest issue with Robinson is his lack of peripheral stats or ability to contribute in other aspects of the game.

But even with skepticism about Robinson growing, Miami should not consider shipping him to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Christian Wood.

3 reasons Heat shouldn't trade Duncan Robinson for Christian Wood

Robinson's shooting prowess is rare

There is no doubt that Wood is a more gifted and versatile athlete than Robinson, but talent is far from the sole basis of roster construction. With Adebayo playing 30-35 minutes every night, it would not make sense for Spoelstra to shrink the floor and insert Wood next to Miami's franchise center for extended stretches. P.J. Tucker has proven a seamless on-court and locker room fit with the Heat; there's no need to mess with this team's current frontcourt rotation.

The hot shooting streaks Robinson is capable of could propel Miami to a few playoff victories as he spaces the floor for their Big 3. Additionally, Butler and Adebayo are subpar shooters, the type of players who need the additional space afforded them by dangerous shooters like Robinson. Max Strus and Gab Vincent have raised their long-range marksmanship, but they have not proven it for longer stretches than Robinson.

Patience is warranted for shooters

Even the Splash Brothers duo in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson encounter some shooting droughts over the course of their career, so Robinson's struggles are definitely temporary. Micky Arison and Pat Riley giving their utmost trust to Robinson by gifting him with a long-term extension is a testament to his incredible shooting ability.

Giving up on someone like Robinson because of his struggles in the first half of the first year of his deal would be a huge mistake for the Heat. For instance, he was essential in Miami's critical Game 5 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2020 NBA Finals. Wood, by contrast, has never appeared in the playoffs. Miami is all in on a championship this season, and can't afford the risk of sacrificing a proven postseason performer like Robinson for Wood.

Wood does not fit Heat culture

Whoever the Heat target at the trade deadline must possess the characteristics of hard work and mental fortitude. Wood's focus and overall commitment have been questioned since his college days, and his recent spat with Kevin Porter Jr. and Rockets assistant John Lucas make clear those issues aren't entirely behind him. Moreover, there are games where Wood just disappears when his shot isn't falling.

Wood's talent is obviously unquestioned, but Miami always looks for more than that in building out its roster. On the other hand, Robinson has that tough and rugged attitude despite his lack of athleticism and vertical explosion. There were instances in the Orlando bubble when LeBron James or Jayson Tatum would target him in pick-and-roll, but Robinson refused to back down or shrink from the challenge, always putting up a fight.