NBA Trade Rumors: Could James Harden emerge as a worthy backup plan for the Miami Heat in the event they miss out on Damian Lillard?
It’s been nearly two months since Damian Lillard requested a trade to the Miami Heat. The fact that there’s been no reported traction on a potential deal between the Portland Trail Blazers and Heat is not a good thing. In fact, you can make the argument that it’s quite concerning that serious trade talks haven’t even been held. Less than two months away from the start of training camp, it could lead one to believe that this is something that may never come to full fruition.
And if this deal never comes, it would be a huge hit to the risks that the Heat have taken this offseason in essentially waiting out this process. Miami has been relatively inactive this summer in larger part due to Lillard. In fact, they completely sat out the Bradley Beal pursuit due to the fact that they believed Lillard would eventually be traded.
If Lillard doesn’t get traded, for one reason or another, it will leave the Heat in an even more desperate place. There will b some that argue that the Heat is fine with or without Lillard. I’m not one of those people. Jimmy Butler is a year old and the team lost two starters in free agency. Josh Richardson was an excellent signing but it’s unfair to put the pressure of replacing the production of two starters on his shoulders.
It’s not debatable; if the Heat doesn’t acquire Lillard, they’re heading into the 2023-24 NBA season with a worse roster. However, if the Heat has a plan b that could be salvaged. Interestingly enough, I can’t help but wonder if James Harden, another disgruntled star, could emerge as a plan b for the Heat if nothing ever materializes on the Lillard front.
Could James Harden emerge as a plan b for the Miami Heat?
Looking back, the Heat made a ton of sense for Harden when it was immediately reported that he had requested a trade after opting in. Miami needs a point guard and a star that can act as a No. 1 option on the offensive end of the floor.
In theory, Harden would be a great fit next to Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. And you’d have to think that Harden would be OK with a trade to the Heat. The question is at what point the Heat would pivot away from Lillard and whether they’d be able to meet the Sixers’ trade demands.
Both of those questions are far from a foregone conclusion. But the idea of Harden as a plan b for the Heat is not that outlandish.