Grade the Trade: Brandon Ingram gets title shot with Heat; Pels retool around Zion in bold proposal

Breaking down a bold proposal in which Brandon Ingram gets a fresh start with the Miami Heat and the New Orleans Pelicans begin retooling around Zion Williamson.

New Orleans Pelicans v Miami Heat
New Orleans Pelicans v Miami Heat | Mark Brown/GettyImages
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Grading the trade for the Miami Heat

Grade: A

Considering the priorities and goals that the Miami Heat are likely to have heading into the offseason, Brandon Ingram is exactly the type of target that they should have. At 26 years old, he falls perfectly in line with the Bam Adebayo build and would signfincantly take pressure off of an aging Jimmy Butler. With a new core of Terry Rozier, Jimmy, Ingram, and Bam Adebayo, with still a strong supporting cast of Duncan Robinson, Nikola Jovic, and Kevin Love, the Heat would be a real player in the Eastern Conference.

They may not be a favorite but they'd at least have the talent pool to compete with the likes of the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, and Milwaukee Bucks, which wasn't the case this season.

The front office could make some objections to parting ways with Jamie Jaquez Jr. but with how last season ended, the Heat can't afford to get all that picky when it comes to adding that potential final piece of the championship puzzle.

Perhaps what the Heat would like most about this potential deal is that the addition of Ingram would not only help the Jimmy window, but it would also set up this team for success down the line.