The Miami Heat have had one of the quietest offseasons of the summer, with their biggest acquisition being the signing of Alec Burks. The Heat are losing steam in the Eastern Conference, with the Celtics emerging as massive favorites. The Knicks and 76ers have made aggressive moves to keep up with the Celtics, and the Bucks, Cavaliers, and Pacers are in better positions to take the fight at the top than the Heat.

The franchise could be in their final season with Jimmy Butler, as the Heat forward’s contract status seems up in the air. The team needs to make one final push toward becoming a winning team, otherwise, they might have nothing to show for the Butler and Bam Adebayo era outside two overachieving Finals appearances. To give the team a shot in 2024-25, they need to take a chance on a disgruntled Bulls star who’s a former All-Star.

Trade Details

Miami Heat Receive: Zach LaVine

Chicago Bulls Receive: Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, 2027 Second-Round Pick (MIA)

The Heat take on LaVine’s questionable contract by splitting the cost with two contracts such as Rozier and Robinson. If any team can take a bet on LaVine right now, it’s the Miami Heat as they’ll hope that their infamous ‘Heat Culture’ brings him back to his best self.

The Miami Heat Get A Major Offensive Infusion

The Miami Heat have been one of the most unremarkable offenses in the NBA over the last few seasons, keeping themselves competitive through their defensive stability, anchored by Bam Adebayo. The Heat are always solid defensively given how emphasis on that end is baked into the team’s playstyle, so could they get good defensive value by adding a scorer with the physical tools to be impactful?

LaVine spent a large chunk of the 2023-24 season injured but averaged 24.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists and played 77 games in his last full season in 22-23. He has had solid defensive moments over his career, but it’s hard to see why he’d be incentivized to play aggressive defense on a perennial mid-table squad like the Bulls. LaVine is 6’5″ with a 6’10” wingspan, giving him the physical attributes to defend. If there’s any point he will feel compelled to commit to that end, it’d be now.

LaVine is a three-level score who could become the team’s primary scoring option or share that responsibility with Tyler Herro. Butler’s offensive production has gradually declined over the last few seasons, with the team electing to put the regular season load on others to keep Butler fresh for the postseason. Adding LaVine would make that process easier and improve the team.

The Bulls Continue Tearing Down Their Team

The Bulls have already made major changes this summer, waving goodbye to two of their marquee 2021 acquisitions Alex Caruso and DeMar DeRozan. Another 2021 acquisition Lonzo Ball is expected to be on the market alongside LaVine with the final 2021 acquisition Nikola Vucevic’s future still unknown. Trading LaVine might be the final domino needed which will lead to Ball and Vucevic getting moved so the team can adopt a new philosophy with a new core.

Neither Rozier nor Robinson would be valuable long-term assets for the Bulls, but both have easier contracts to manage than paying LaVine nearly-$50 million annually until 2027, Rozier averaged 19.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists last season, joining the Heat around the trade deadline from the Hornets. Robinson had a decent season averaging 12.9 points, but his shooting still hasn’t found the levels we saw in 2020.

The Bulls have been hard-pressed to find trade suitors for LaVine, so giving him away for this cost shouldn’t be a problem. They can hold on to both players or easily move them onto a new team. Robinson might need a year to build up his value on the court in a low-pressure situation, but Rozier could be moved almost instantly as a veteran scoring guard.

The Heat Need To Keep Moving Forward

Pat Riley’s front office has always been extra cautious when it comes to making major deals that could upset the functioning of the franchise. Outside LeBron James in 2010, almost every Heat player has had to fully adjust to being a part of the team with the team giving no inch on their demands of their players. LaVine’s attitude seems like a bad fit in Miami, but given the position his career is in, the 28-year-old would have no choice but to buy in to prove his value beyond his current contract in the NBA.

Rozier and Robinson themselves are poor defensive players, so using that as the reason to avoid acquiring LaVine would be silly. LaVine is better equipped physically to be a more impactful defender than either, provided he just expends his energy more on that side of the floor. The only real concern will be his availability, but after a light workload last season and mid-season surgery, LaVine has had plenty of time to prepare his body for the next season.

The Bulls won’t move forward as a franchise if they keep clinging on to LaVine, so they should bite the bullet on this deal and move forward with the ideal route of tanking next season. This deal might benefit all parties involved, provided everyone can make sacrifices to accommodate each other.