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The Miami Heat were one Jimmy Butler three-point shot away from advancing to the NBA Finals last season. When a squad is on the cusp of the Finals, the expectation is to execute a couple of ancillary moves to fill some minor holes, but Miami has unraveled a ton this season. Standing at sixth in the East with a 30-25 record is far from their ceiling, but the Heat made a single move before the February 9th trade deadline.
Dewayne Dedmon was shipped to the San Antonio Spurs to lessen the tax on the Heat's payroll, but that was the only move they pursued in the NBA trade deadline. Miami was rumored to acquire a plethora of players from wings like John Collins or even scorers like Bradley Beal. Still, they decided to stand pat and continue with this roster to supplement the All-Star duo of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.
Not moving either Kyle Lowry or Duncan Robinson
Butler, Adebayo, and Tyler Herro are untouchable pieces they were not interested in moving before this trade deadline. Those were brilliant decisions, but the problem is how Pat Riley did not complete any moves that would bolster their big-man depth or outside shooting. For instance, the Brooklyn Nets now have a myriad of wings at their disposal, so that the Heat could have added someone like Cam Johnson or Dorian Finney-Smith.
These two individuals would have a significant role in Miami because the Heat has yet to find the perfect P.J. Tucker replacement. There needs to be more than Caleb Martin as the primary defender to guys like Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell, and Butler will need to reserve a ton of his energy on the offensive end of the floor. Thus, it was a disappointment that the Heat did not add a rough and physical forward with an elite outside shot.
The choices in the buyout market are minimal, and Danny Green is likely the player closest to the type of player they need. Furthermore, the backup center minutes are a significant question mark as Orlando Robinson or Omer Yurtseven still need to prove themselves to perform consistently. Bam Adebayo has been playing at an All-Star level this year, but he cannot be the only big man on the roster, especially in a series against the Boston Celtics or Cleveland Cavaliers.
Mason Plumlee or Kelly Olynyk would have been decent choices because they were on team-friendly deals. All these names above would have helped, but the continuous looming question is why Kyle Lowry was rumored to be moved numerous times, and it was not close to happening. It was speculated that Lowry would head to Los Angeles, but they decided to go in the opposite direction and add Bones Hyland as their backup point guard.
Kyle Lowry still has one year left on his contract after this year, and Miami must wait until the offseason at the earliest to move him, which could have lowered his trade value even more. Moreover, the Duncan Robinson deal has been a disaster for the organization, and understandably, they can only move him if they insert a couple of first-round picks as an incentive to absorb Robinson's contract.
It has been an underwhelming deadline for the Heat fans, but they are one of the organizations that will be active in the buyout market. The list has not been finalized yet, but it seems like they will add 1-2 veterans who can help them on a short-term basis. Any addition can be a boost, but they should not add to their woes by adding someone like Russell Westbrook.
