The proposed trade would send Anfernee Simons to the Miami Heat
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The proposed trade would send Anfernee Simons to the Miami Heat
The point guard position remains an area of concern for the Miami Heat. Both Tyler Herro and Norman Powell are better suited to being secondary ball-handlers.
In a January 16 trade proposal from Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale, the Heat solves their guard issues while also shedding salary and collecting a fistful of draft picks. The proposed deal looks like this:
Heat Get: Anfernee Simons, Hugo Gonzalez, Boston’s 2026 first-round pick, a 2030 first-round pick swap via Boston, Boston’s 2031 first-round pick and the less favorable of Boston’s and Cleveland’s 2031 second-round pick.
Boston Celtics Get: Bam Adebayo and Justin Champagnie
Washington Wizards Get: Sam Hauser, a 2026 second-round pick via the Brooklyn Nets.
“The short answer here is the Heat do this because they don’t envision themselves trading for a top-15 player anytime soon. Dealing Bam rips off the rebuilding Band-Aid, makes Kel’el Ware the primary big of the future and frees up the front office to shop Norman Powell, Tyler Herro and Andrew Wiggins without regard for the standings.”
Favale continued.
“…Though Simons is duplicative with Miami’s army of guards, he comes off the books after this season. He’s also someone the Heat could reroute as they continue leaning into the bigger picture. (Would the Clippers attach all three of their available seconds to the expiring deals of Bogdan Bogdanović (team option) and Brook Lopez (team option), along with the injured Bradley Beal (player option), to land him?).”
Moving on from Bam Adebayo would be a tough sell for the Heat. However, Gonzalez is an exciting young prospect, and the flexibility that Simons provides, as an expiring contract, could help retool the current roster.
Heat’s Adebayo “Is Not A Max Player”
According to an anonymous NBA scout, who was speaking with the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson, Adebayo is no longer a max player type of talent.
“He’s not really a max player anymore,” the scout said. “It’s amazing what’s happened with him. The new offensive system hasn’t done him any justice. His offense has regressed. He’s not getting as many assists [2.6 to 4.3 last season]. He’s better in a pick-and-roll-oriented system than what they’re running now.”
If the Heat feels the same way, maybe they could be convinced to part ways with the veteran All-Star. However, there’s no guarantee the package Favale has proposed would be the type of deal Miami sought out in trade talks.
Adebayo Recently Signed A New Contract
Adebayo recently signed a three-year $161.3 million contract extension with the Heat. He’s been a key component of Erik Spoelstra’s teams throughout his career with the franchise. One below-par season is unlikely to be enough to convince the Heat to part ways with the versatile big.
Furthermore, Adebayo’s impending salary increase will likely be a difficult contract to navigate in trade talks. The type of teams that would benefit most from Adebayo would be moving into second luxury tax apron territory by acquiring him, and that certainly goes for Boston, too.
Still, if the Heat ever does decide to part ways with Adebayo, there will be no shortage of suitors. The bigger question would be whether Pat Riley would have realistic expectations of what a trade return should look like.