NBA Rumors: The Miami Heat are reportedly interested in a trade for Mike Conley, but is that in the best interest of the franchise moving forward?
For the past couple of seasons, the Miami Heat have been stuck in NBA purgatory.
They haven’t been talented enough to really compete on any level in the Eastern Conference – they have missed the playoffs two of the last three years – and haven’t been bad enough to secure a high enough lottery pick to really change the course of the franchise.
NBA purgatory.
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Additionally, they have also been in salary cap hell since the summer of 2017 when the Heat uncharacteristically signed Dion Waiters, James Johnson, and Kelly Olynyk to long-term deals (after giving Hassan Whiteside big money the year before).
Where has this left the Heat? Well, without much financial flexibility until the summer of 2021. So, in essence, it would make sense for this team to try to ride out this storm of bad decisions that the front office made a couple of offseasons ago and try to prepare for 2021 when they will have some real cap space to maneuver with.
However, as we’ve learned back in 2017, Pat Riley isn’t a man too fond of patience. It’s part of the reason why he gave out bad contracts a couple of summers ago. And perhaps part of the reason why Miami is reportedly interested in pursuing a trade for Mike Conley.
According to Sean Deveney of Sporting News, the Heat are expected to make a run at Conley in the next few weeks.
But, would it really be a smart move?
Of course, the upside to the Heat doing such of move would be to get rid some of their dead weight on the roster. If they could move Hassan Whiteside, for example, it would make sense. The team clearly doesn’t want him on the roster and he clearly doesn’t want to be there. But the money is too much for him to opt out and head into free agency this summer.
Thus, throwing Whiteside in a trade for Conley could really help stabilize the team’s locker room. With that said, what else would the Heat have to give up? They’d certainly have to give up an asset or two, whether that be Josh Richardson, Justise Winslow, Bam Adebayo or their first-round pick in this year’s NBA Draft.
Another factor that should be considered is the fact that Conley would probably be under contract for the next two years, for about $33 million each year. That’s a tough pill to swallow. And considering that he’d be the team’s best player over that span, I’m not sure if that’s the place the Heat should willingly jump into.
Plus, then there’s the whole fit thing. Goran Dragic would almost have to be thrown in the deal or sent to a third team – assuming he opts into the final year of his contract.
All in all, making a move for Conley would make the Heat only marginally better – and that’s assuming that he will remain healthy. Conley has had health issues in the past and hasn’t played more than 75 games in a season since the 2012-13 campaign.
Sometimes it’s better for a team to swallow its medicine and wait out its past mistakes. The Miami Heat have to be that team for the next two seasons. If a star presents itself, sure go after him. Mike Conley isn’t one of those players.