The Miami Heat would be heading into the 2021 offseason with the goal of making major upgrades on their roster. After suffering a first-round exit in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, the Heat must be aware that they need more star power around Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo in order to have a realistic chance of returning to the NBA Finals and capturing the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the 2021-22 NBA season.
One of the potential trade partners for the Heat this summer is the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Kevin Love & Collin Sexton To Cleveland Cavaliers
In a recent article, Dan Favale of Bleacher Report, created a list of offseason trade ideas for every team in the league. For the Heat, it’s the hypothetical blockbuster deal that would enable them to acquire Kevin Love and Collin Sexton from the Cavaliers.
In the proposed trade scenario, the Heat would be sending a package that includes Tyler Herro, Goran Dragic, and Andre Iguodala to the Cavaliers in exchange for Sexton, Love, and the Houston Rockets’ 2022 second-round pick. Before pushing through with the trade, the Heat would first have to exercise Dragic’s team option for the 2021-22 NBA season.
Heat Take A Chance On Kevin Love
With his lucrative contract and health issues, bringing Love to Miami would be a risky move for the Heat. However, when he’s 100 percent healthy, Love would undoubtedly boost the Heat’s chances of winning the NBA championship title next year. He would give them a five-time NBA All-Star who has championship experience and previously played with superstars like LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.
With the years he spent with Irving and James in Cleveland, Love has learned how to excel in an off-ball capacity, making him an intriguing fit alongside Butler and Adebayo in Miami.
Collin Sexton Boosts Heat’s Starting PG Spot
Trading Sexton would also be a huge gamble for the Heat, especially knowing that he’s seeking a massive contract extension this summer. However, talent-wise, Sexton would undeniably be an incredible addition to the Heat. Though he still lacks experience, Sexton would be an upgrade over Dragic at the Heat’s starting point guard position.
Aside from being a decent playmaker, Sexton would also give the Heat a very reliable third-scoring option behind Butler and Adebayo and a threat from the three-point range. This season, the 22-year-old point guard averaged 24.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.0 steal while shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
Proposed Trade A No-Brainer For The Cavaliers
The proposed trade deal would make a lot of sense for the Cavaliers, especially if they have no interest in giving Sexton a huge payday in the 2021 offseason. By sending him and the two years and $ 60.2 million left on Love’s contract to the Heat, the Cavaliers would be acquiring a young and promising player in Herro who could join their core of Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, Isaac Okoro, and Larry Nance Jr. next season.
Iguodala and Dragic could serve as great mentors to the Cavaliers’ young players until they find a trade partner for them before the 2022 NBA trade deadline. If they fail to move both veterans, the Cavaliers may convince Iguodala and Dragic to give back some money in potential buyout talks.
