Thanks to a weakened Eastern Conference in 2024-25, the Atlanta Hawks are very much in the thick of things despite having a losing record through the first 15 games of the NBA season. And unless they turn things around and show that they can compete with the favorites like the Celtics and Cavaliers, they may finally look to committing to a rebuild this year by trading away their star player.
Miami Heat Could Be Buyers On NBA Trade Market
The rumors have been surrounding Trae Young for a while now. He has been the best player on the Hawks’ roster since he was drafted in 2018, and he was able to lead his team to the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2020-2021 campaign.
But there have been questions about whether Young can be a legit #1 player on a championship team. His three-point shooting makes him one of the most dangerous offensive players in the game, but he lacks heavily in his defensive prowess, even making him a liability at times on that end of the floor.
Trae Young had 19 AST tonight.
That’s the most AST in a game this season. pic.twitter.com/KZxuB46WSj
— StatMamba (@StatMamba) November 19, 2024
There have been hypothetical trades thrown around that involve Trae Young finding a new NBA team, but nothing has come to fruition over the past couple of years. But there may be a team south of Atlanta that could be interested in adding a star for perhaps one last run at a conference title.
Pat Riley and the Miami Heat are always on the hunt for their next star. With Jimmy Butler in place, they have been in the rumor mill for names like Damian Lillard, James Harden, and even Kevin Durant in recent years. But they’ve failed to bring in any of the heavy hitters, and have hovered around the 6-10 range in the East for the past couple of years.
It goes without saying that they’d be very interested Trae Young. His shooting would give the team a new element, and he would be the first Heat player to average 10 or more assists in nearly 30 years (Tim Hardaway averaged 10.0 in ‘95-‘96). His floor spacing would likely open things up offensively for Butler and Bam Adebayo, and Miami would have one of the better offensive attacks in the East.
Miami May Lack The Necessary Capital To Make A Deal
But do they have the necessary capital to make a trade with Atlanta? They aren’t the deepest of teams as it is, and they’d have to give up some serious assets if they want to make a trade work. Packages that include some combination of Tyler Herro, Terry Rozier, and Jaime Jaquez Jr have been floated, but Miami would likely have to include some draft picks, too.
That’s where things get tricky. Not only would the team have to sacrifice some immediate depth in order to bring Young in, but they’d have to add some other assets, as well.
But the Heat don’t exactly have a surplus of draft selections to work with. Their lottery-protected first round pick in 2025 is owned by the Thunder, and their 2027 selection is earmarked for the Hornets. That leaves them with just two first round picks in the next four drafts, of which they’d likely have to give up at least one in order to facilitate a trade for Young.
The Los Angeles Lakers are another team to watch when it comes to a potential Trae Young trade. LeBron and company will look to maximize his final years in the NBA, and bringing in a true point guard could be key in making them a contender in the West for 2024-25.
