NBA Trade Rumors: Insider hints surprise superstar could demand trade to Miami Heat

NBA Trade Rumors: A respected NBA insider hints at the idea that a surprise superstar could demand a trade to the Miami Heat.

There's an argument to be made that missing out on Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal last offseason put the Miami Heat franchise back a couple of steps. Just when it seemed as if they were on the doorstep of an NBA championship, they are now heading into the offseason right back at the drawing board.

The good news is that they could be one blockbuster move away from finding themselves right back in Eastern Conference contention. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, there's a belief that the Heat will be in a good position heading into the offseason to lure a superstar player via trade. In not so many words, Woj seemed to hint at a superstar approaching the end of his contract that could possibly demand a trade to the Heat.

Reading between the lines, that superstar that Woj may be talking about might be Donovan Mitchell. With one year on his contract after this season, all eyes will be on Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers heading into the offseason.

Could Donovan Mitchell demand a trade to the Miami Heat?

In theory, the Heat would be an excellent potential landing spot for Mitchell. I don't think there are many that would push back on the idea. However, getting to that scenario could prove to be difficult for both Mitchell and the Heat.

For one, Mitchell hasn't proven at any point in his career to be a player that would demand a trade. If he didn't demand a trade away from the Utah Jazz when they were clearly making the pivot toward a rebuilding team, I have a hard time imagining that he's going to do so on a very competitive Cavaliers team. But just for the sake of argument, let's say that he does demand a trade, and the Heat is on his short list or his preferred destination, Miami doesn't have a mountain of tradable assets to beat out other teams that could possibly be in pursuit.

If Mitchell does hit the trade market, there will be a flurry of teams interested. Teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, and others. The Heat aren't likely to beat all of those team's offers. And that's where this scenario gets unlikely.

All that said, no one truly knows what this offseason holds. Could Mitchell demand a trade? Sure. Could the Heat be on his preferred destinations list? Absolutely. Could Mitchell make the Heat his No. 1 option? Yes. Is it all likely going to line up that perfectly for the Heat? No. Not like last offseason. And we all know how that ended.

However, it's also foolish to completely count out this possibility. The Heat is going to be in the superstar market once again this offseason. Will they finally land a fish this summer? And could it be Mitchell? We shall find out together.