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Bradley Beal is now headed to the Phoenix Suns, which means Pat Riley and the Miami Heat must go back to the drawing board and figure out what to do next. Beal reportedly waived his no-trade clause to form a big three with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in The Valley. The Suns reportedly acquired the former Washington Wizards guard in exchange for Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, pick swaps, and multiple second-round picks.
Meanwhile, Miami figures to be an active player in the trade and free agency market this offseason after falling to the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals. The rumor mill is already quickly heating up this summer and the first big domino just fell. Regardless, the Heat remain in the thick of things as they look to finally break through and win a championship.
Several big names, including Beal, have been linked to the Heat. With the three-time All-Star opting to go in a different direction, the Heat will look elsewhere to make their own splash this summer. With that said, here are two trades the Heat must now target as Bradley Beal makes his way to Phoenix.
1. Damian Lillard
As they lose the Bradley Beal sweepstakes, Miami has reportedly now shifted its focus on trading for Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, according to Chris Haynes.
Miami’s focus is Portland superstar Damian Lillard with the genuine belief this could be the offseason the veteran guard seeks a change of scenery, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 18, 2023
Lillard has become more open than ever in discussing about potentially leaving the Blazers for another franchise. The 7-time All-Star has remained adamant about his desire to finish out his career with the Blazers. But Miami believes this could be the summer Lillard pushes for a trade out of Portland.
Miami would be an ideal spot for Dame Time, and even he knows it, too. During a recent interview, Lillard revealed the Heat as a team that intrigues him. He even called Bam Adebayo as his “dawg.”
Getting Lillard would undoubtedly erase the sting of losing Beal. In fact, the Blazers star is the even bigger fish to catch in the trade market. And if the Heat get him, they have a real shot to win the 2023 NBA Championship.
Lillard is exactly what Miami needs — a primary shot creator and ball handler that will take the majority of the scoring load off Jimmy Butler. Butler exerted so much effort on both ends of the floor during the playoffs, which could be the reason why he seemed to have run out of gas in the Finals. While he certainly isn't one to make excuses, Butler will need someone of Lillard's caliber to lead the way.
2. Chris Paul
Hear me out here. What if Miami turns the Wizards-Suns deal into a three-teamer? Miami could acquire Chris Paul in the trade, while sending Kyle Lowry to Washington, instead. The Suns still get Beal, while the Wizards get Shamet and perhaps even net more second-round picks from Miami.
In fact, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the reason why the Beal-to-Suns deal hasn't been finalized yet is because the Wizards are being given a chance to field the trade market for a potential landing spot for Paul. Miami is definitely a destination he could go to.
Part of the reason for holding up full completion on the Wizards-Suns trade will be to allow Washington to field offers from third teams that would give Chris Paul a chance to land with a contender, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 18, 2023
Acquiring Paul wouldn't be that expensive as well, as they only give up Lowry and a couple of second-rounders maximum. Beal didn't command a single first-round pick, which is a major letdown for the Wizards. So, the price of Lowry along with seconds should be enough to land CP3 in South Beach.
Paul may have had the worst season of his career in 2022-23, but he is still more than capable of being the lead point guard of a championship-caliber team. The Heat need another playmaker and shot-creator next to Jimmy Butler. The 12-time All-Star still fits the bill.
