The Miami Heat should be incredibly proud of what they were able to accomplish this season despite losing the 2020 title to the Los Angeles Lakers.
When Jimmy Butler signed with the Heat in the summer of 2019 via a sign-and-trade deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, there wasn't one single pundit who picked Miami to get to the Finals and represent the Eastern Conference.
However, behind Butler, Bam Adebayo, Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro and head coach Erik Spoelstra's coaching, the Heat won 44 games during the 2019-20 regular season and took out the best team in the NBA record-wise (Milwaukee Bucks) in the second round of the playoffs in five quick games.
Butler's Game 3 performance against the Lakers will go down as one of the greatest outings in NBA Finals history. The five-All-Star registered a 40-point triple-double and single-handedly willed the Heat to victory in Games 3 and 5 of the series against LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
However, it's clear Butler needs more help on the offensive end if the Heat aspire to win the 2021 title. While odds are Miami would have put up a better fight against the Lakers had Dragic not gotten hurt, it's evident the Heat lack more shot creators in the half-court next to Butler.
With that being said, here are two players the Heat should try and trade for this offseason.
1. Derrick Rose
This Finals series against the Lakers showed how much the Heat need a lead guard and explosive scorer when Dragic isn't on the floor. Kendrick Nunn is going to be a fine player for Miami, but he's still developing and not ready to contribute at a high level in the Finals, which was apparent against the Lakers, though he did play well in Game 5.
While his health will always be a major concern since he’s undergone four knee surgeries since winning the MVP award in 2011 with the Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons point guard Derrick Rose is the ideal player for the Heat to trade for this offseason.
The Pistons will probably require a first-round pick for Rose, as that is what the team wanted for the Chicago native at the 2020 trade deadline.
Assuming the Heat re-sign Dragic this offseason once the lefty becomes an unrestricted free agent, Rose could be Dragic's backup at the point guard spot and start when Dragic is hurt. The three-time All-Star already has a rapport with Butler since the two were teammates on the Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves, so Jimmy knows what Rose can bring to the table for the Heat.
In 50 games for the Pistons in 2019-20 before games were suspended in March, Rose averaged 18.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 26.0 minutes per night. The youngest MVP in NBA history also shot 49.0 percent from the field, 30.6 percent from beyond the arc and 87.1 percent from the free-throw line.
Despite coming off the Pistons' bench for most of the season, Rose scored 20 or more points 26 times for Detroit. That’s the type of scoring punch the Heat need alongside Butler, Adebayo and Dragic.
Moreover, the open looks Herro and Duncan Robinson would get from 3 would be massive since Rose can get to the rim at will and is always drawing multiple defenders.
Rose, who is set to make only $7,682,927 in 2020-21, can take some of the offensive pressure off from Butler, especially in the fourth quarter when the game slows down in the playoffs and half-court scoring becomes a premium.
He's not MVP D-Rose anymore, but there aren’t too many better one-on-one scorers in the league right now than Rose.
2. Victor Oladipo
Victor Oladipo has been linked to the Heat ever since he and the Indiana Pacers weren't able to agree on a contract extension. The high-flyer will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2020-21 season, so Miami could just wait to sign him then instead of giving up assets to acquire him this offseason.
However, the problem with that route is Butler is getting older and the Heat have to maximize his prime. Even waiting one year to get Oladipo could threaten Miami's chances to win a title since the Brooklyn Nets will have Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving leading the way next season and beyond.
The Nets are already the betting favorite to win the East next season. If the Heat can get Oladipo this offseason while keeping the core of Butler, Adebayo and Herro intact, they could have a lethal Big 4 of Butler, Oladipo, Adebayo and Herro.
Like Rose, Oladipo is that elite half-court scorer the Heat need next to Butler. He's also a three-level scorer unlike Rose, who struggles from beyond the arc.
For his career, Oladipo averages 17.3 points on 35.0 percent shooting from deep.
Heat president Pat Riley did a great job reconstructing the team in the first year of the post-Dwyane Wade era, so it's going to be exciting to see what the GodFather does this offseason.
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