The Miami Heat are currently in a “stagnant” position, appearing to have fallen behind other NBA teams that made significant moves this offseason. While teams like the Philadelphia 76ers signed Paul George, the New York Knicks acquired Mikal Bridges, and the Boston Celtics enter the season as defending champions, the Heat’s most notable offseason addition has been Alec Burks. Although Burks is a capable player, he is not expected to be a game-changer that turns the Heat into title contenders. To make matters worse, the team has also lost Caleb Martin to the 76ers, arguably leaving their roster weaker than before.
The Heat aren’t the only team facing this predicament. The Denver Nuggets, who defeated the Heat in the 2023 NBA Finals to win their first-ever championship, are also in a similar spot. They have lost key players from their title-winning squad and now find themselves in a more competitive NBA landscape. Given this situation, both teams might need to consider major moves to remain competitive.
One such possibility is a blockbuster trade. Ishaan Bhattacharya of FadeAway World proposed a three-team deal that would involve the Heat acquiring Jamal Murray, Kelly Olynyk, and Julian Strawther. The Nuggets, in return, would receive Tyler Herro, Nikola Jovic, Josh Richardson, and a 2029 first-round pick from Miami. Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors would get Duncan Robinson, a 2026 second-round pick from the Lakers, and a 2031 second-round pick from Denver.
Bhattacharya acknowledged that the likelihood of the Nuggets breaking up their star duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray is almost nonexistent. However, he argued that such a trade would provide the Nuggets with greater depth and a future draft pick, while the Heat would receive players who could help them compete immediately. Despite the intrigue, it’s improbable that the Nuggets would part with Murray, who they drafted with the 7th overall pick in 2016, given his integral role alongside Jokic.
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