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The Miami Heat suffered a devastating game seven loss in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Boston Celtics. They were one Jimmy Butler three away from matching up against the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.
Miami has a great roster, but a few moves could help them get to the Finals. The Heat have a superstar in Jimmy Butler paired with a young star in Bam Adebayo and quality depth around them. Miami is great at finding talent to play roles and fit into the Heat culture.
One key move they can make this offseason is extending guard Tyler Herro, who took home the 6th Man of the Year award this season. Herro thrived in his role and is one of the best scorers for Miami.
He averaged 20.7 points per game along with five rebounds and four assists while shooting 44.7 percent and 39.9 percent from three.
The Heat have been linked to multiple big names to add a legitimate third star. Miami's only route to do that is through a trade or sign and trade due to limited cap space.
With that said, here is the one player that the Heat must trade in the 2022 NBA offseason.
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The Heat Trade That Must Be Made
Duncan Robinson
While Duncan Robinson has been a solid role player for the Heat, he had a down season. He averaged 10.9 points while shooting 39.9 percent from the field and 37.2 percent from behind the arc.
Robinson is entering the second year of a five-year $90 million deal. He is not a quality defender and was not played much in the playoffs for that reason.
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Miami had Max Strus take over the starting spot, who provides three-point shooting and is on a cheaper contract. Strus averaged 10.6 points, shooting 44.1 percent from the field and 41 percent from three. Strus was a more efficient shooter, which makes Robinson expendable.
Robinson could also be enticing to a team looking for a sharpshooter. The Heat could use his contract to yield another quality role player that fits another team need.
If Miami is looking to add a third star, Robinson could be attached alongside Herro in trade packages. Bradley Beal, Donovan Mitchell, and Jerami Grant have been names linked to South Beach. Beal and Mitchell would cost a ton, but Grant would be a more attainable player.
The Detroit Pistons could be looking for a three-point marksman alongside Cade Cunningham in the backcourt. Grant is entering the final year of his contract and has interest from many contending teams as a three and d forward.
Miami has a good package to put together and could win the sweepstakes with Robinson as a focal point of the trade. Although he doesn't have the same spot he had the previous two seasons for Miami, he can still thrive as a role player. The Heat found another player in Strus, who plays a similar role, which led to a logjam at that spot. Miami did not feel comfortable sending him out there on a nightly basis in the playoffs, as he was targeted on the defensive end.
Butler proved that the bubble was not a fluke, guiding the team to a deep run. He is always able to elevate his game, averaging 27.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 2.1 steals per contest. Butler plays elite two-way ball and is one of the hardest-working players in the league.
Surrounding him with a better roster can help the Heat go further in the postseason. Trading Robinson is the easiest route to get that done.
Miami has some important offseason decisions to make as the Heat start their bid to get back into the Finals.
