The Miami Heat are in desperate need of a high-level guard. Terry Rozier was acquired to provide a steady hand at that position, but so far, he has failed to impress.
If the Heat are going to rebuild or re-tool, finding a guard of the future is essential. According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Anfernee Simons could be a potential target for Erik Spoelstra’s team.
“The young guard is the main trade asset to keep an eye on in Portland,” Siegel reported. “There has been plenty of chatter linking Simons to the Orlando Magic since he is from Florida and attended IMG Academy, which is south of the Tampa area. Another team discussed as a potential landing spot for Simons is the Miami Heat, sources said.”
Siegel continued.
“With Butler gone, the Heat are focused on moving forward with Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo as the focal points on their roster. Miami would be a lot more comfortable if Herro wasn’t always tasked with the “point guard role,” and moving on from Terry Rozier will be one of their main goals in the offseason.”
Simons, 25, would be a strong addition to the Heat’s roster. He would slot perfectly next to Bam Adebayo. Simons would also take a significant amount of pressure off Tyler Herro, who is the only true shot-creator and playmaker on the roster right now.
In 69 games this season, Simons is averaging 19.3 points, 4.8 assists and 2.7 rebounds for the rebuilding Portland Trail Blazers. Those numbers could be higher if he was on a more talented team with a bigger role. Simons is in the third year of his four-year $100 million contract. He will enter the final year of that deal next season, which could make him a trade candidate for the Blazers.
According to Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, Zion Williamson would be a logical trade option for the Heat. Of course, that is assuming he was made available by the New Orleans Pelicans after the season.
“The Jimmy Butler-less Heat seem primed for a shakeup, and president Pat Riley seldom misses an opportunity to chase a distressed asset,” Buckley wrote. “Williamson should easily meet that definition. Even if this run has helped restore some value, he won’t cost nearly as much as a player of his caliber normally would. He won’t hit even the 40-game mark, which he has failed to clear in four of his six seasons.”
“The Heat need his offense, though, and they don’t have the trade chips to find this kind of scoring punch and finishing prowess elsewhere. They also have to hope (if not believe) their coaching and conditioning program can bring out his best in ways the Pelicans never have.”
Both Zion and Simons meet Miami’s different needs. The fact that both players would be needed to put Spoelstra’s team back in contention shows the required level of re-tooling. Unfortnuately for Heat fans, Miami doesn’t have enough tradable assets to pursue deals for two high-level players this summer.
The Heat Have Two Options
The Heat have two options heading into the offseason. They can either hit the reset button and begin building from the ground up. Or, they can look to re-tool their roster on the fly. Neither approach is wrong; they just require a different mindset heading into the summer.
Pat Riley has always looked to re-tool rather than rebuild. However, the Heat’s current roster is significantly disjointed. A new forward, a guard, and some high-level bench depth are all on the shopping list.
There is unlikely to be a quick fix in Miami. However, landing Simons could be a sizeable step forward. He’s a high-level guard who could create a strong partnership with Adebayo. Miami could potentially draft a forward and pick up some depth in free agency.
Riley has a big job on his hands over the next year or two. However, it’s not an impossible job. It will be fun seeing how the Heat navigate their latest rebuilding or retooling process. Especially if the end result is a championship.
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