Ja, AD, Trae, LaMelo…. do any fit for the Miami Heat? | Five on the Floor

Ja, AD, Trae, LaMelo…. do any fit for the Miami Heat? | Five on the Floor

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All right, we’re going to do a quick episode here, but and we’re not going to sort of deep dive on this stuff because because there’s going to be a lot to go here and we’re not necessarily saying I don’t believe and I I’ll let you answer this question before I go through the list of names that the Heat have to make a move right now, right? Like I I’m of the mind, right? I’m of the mind that you sort of let this thing play out a little bit. Yeah. I mean, as long as you’re playing above 500, they’re in the five seed as we’re recording this. If they were in the West, they would be tied for six. So, they’re essentially like in that range irrespective of what conference they’re in. It’s a good start. They’re they’re not rushing and they’re getting Tyler back. So, like that’s a whole other piece. So, um I think that they it it would be prudent for them to kind of see how the market plays out, maybe see what other trades happen. They don’t they don’t need to be in a rush here. Yeah, I’m I’m with you. I mean, I think that the hero injury sort of delayed all of that anyway. And then the fact that you are playing so well, you want to see if that continues. You got extension decisions to make. They’re limited in some ways by the Rosier holdup. And I don’t know that that’s going to resolve. I know Barry and Ira have done some very good reporting on that stuff. And it seems to me like the Heat should get some relief, but it doesn’t seem like they’re going to bang the table for it publicly. It’s not what they do. This has to be conversations between people who know each other. And there are people who know each other in this. And I I my my thing is and I said this on playback regarding Rosier and then we’ll move forward with this. But the Rosier thing matters because it’s a significant contract that they could move even if a team doesn’t really want Rosier. It’s still an expiring. So there there is some advantage to taking him on potentially. But I my view on this and I if someone listens to the podcast and tells me I’m wrong is that the league may not want to act here because I don’t think all of this is done. I there going to be other players implicated at some point for gambling or props or anything along those lines and once you set a precedent then you have to follow that precedent. So I don’t know everything that’s going on behind the scenes. I admit that readily again Barry and I are have done a lot more reporting on this than I have. Uh I just know that it’s difficult when you have this contract of this player who can’t play for you. You’re also trying to navigate under the luxury tax. You can’t really add anybody till that go over where you’re at until middle of December. So that complicates things. I’m going to go through some names though and I’m just want to here’s what I’m going to do. I’m not going to I don’t want to get into whether the heat would do something or not. Okay. So this is not reporting don’t aggregate this. I’m asking everybody and I run an aggregation machine now. So I I feel partially responsible. Check out the onsi site uh Miami Heat. We got it up to the number two page of all NBA pages this past week. So, thank Brady and not me, but thank Brady and Alex and Austin and Matteo and uh and Major and fans, remember? Well, that’s Well, that’s they’re out there. They’re out there. I’m having more trouble with the Magic and Grizzly sites, I’ll tell you that. Okay, so I gave you some I gave some names here. You tell me if this is a player that you would want the Heat to pursue. Let’s not get to what they would have to trade. Okay, here are some names that as the national media is started to find the heat again, both Kendrick Perkins and Stephen A. Smith are now on the bandwagon. I wrote about that for uh everybody’s on the bandwagon. Zach’s on the band. Zack Lo’s on the bandwagon. I respect him a little bit more. Bill Simmons is on the bandwagon. He even said, “As much as I hate their fans and I hate the heat, he’s praising Hz. He’s praising he loves Larson.” Okay, so everybody’s jumping on the bandwagon. Now, when people jump on the bandwagon, they’re never happy to leave things as they are. Now it’s we’re right back to the Heat acquiring a star, right? That’s where this goes. So, I’m gonna give you a list of names. You tell me whether or not you would want this player on your team. You’re in the Carolinas. LaMelo Ball. No. No. Done. I I wouldn’t I wouldn’t take LaMelo Ball with a first round draft pick. Wow. That That That’s how just di I don’t even know. Is it diametrically opposed, diabolically opposed, whatever? Yes, I am. I am in mind, body, and spirit against anything that is related to the idea of acquiring LaMelo Ball. He is the anti-norm pal as it relates to professionalism. They don’t need anyone like him. The And he’s probably not a bad person. I haven’t had very many interactions with him. um when I do cover the games in Charlotte because I’m sticking to the Heat stuff, but from what I can tell and from what I’ve heard, he does not like lead a group in a way where he can be a team captain and he probably is going to be your highest paid player. I am 100% out. I there’s no way I’m taking LaMelo Ball and I bet you I’m not the only one who feels that way. I’m with you. Um, I think there is a little bit of historical basis for why you might give it a shot, which is I go back to the Jason Williams thing where there were a lot of things said about Jay Will, although those teams won, but that you couldn’t really contain his style of play and the Heat did contain his style of play, probably too much, but then ultimately they did win a championship. Uh, but LaMelo is a different deal here in that I think that Jay will ultimately did care about winning. I don’t I don’t get the sense that that’s LaMelo’s pime primary priority. Although now there’s, you know, rumblings behind the scenes and there’s been some reports that he wants to leave because they don’t win enough. The funny thing is they’ve actually done some decent things over the past few months. It looks like they got uh you know, Kip Canipple looks like a rookie of the year candidate. Um was a good pick. They’re going in a different direction. That’s why um the last thing on LaMelo that I just think is important is that uh he may be disgruntled and looking elsewhere, but I I also don’t know what his market looks like league leaguewide and and I just don’t see the Heat as being the destination for him. It just doesn’t make sense. I think his only market is a team that needs box office without victories. That’s that’s it. I I would be out on LaMelo also. I’m not I’m not. Plus, by the way, he has shot the ball so poorly against the Heat through the years. Mhm. His worst shooting numbers against any team are against the Heat. I can’t imagine he’s made a hell of an impression there. But I I’m just saying for me personally, no. You’re going to let Charlotte finesse us twice in trades? No. Oh, that’s the other Oh, that’s the other thing. Oh, that’s I didn’t even think of that. Why did I think of that? Oh, they’re not going to deal with Charlotte. No way they’re going to deal with Charlotte now, right? I don’t think so. I mean, you’re gonna trade for another guard who is racking up stats on bad teams. Well, no, but also you’re gonna trade with That’s a whole another thing that may may have deceived you. Like, exactly. I can’t imagine that. Okay. Uh, Damonte Sabonis. This is an interesting one, and I brought it up as a guy who could help with the rebounding issues when we did an episode specific to how do you fix that via trade, but Sabonis would signal an all-in move. And um the the case that’s being made online is that if Sabonis is going to thrive in the NBA, he needs to play next to a dynamic defender like Bam that can clean up everything that he can’t do. So, I think that that’s the thought process here. Uh, I wouldn’t be opposed to it, but I I would want to know all the other all-in options before I say 100% let’s go. But I mean, there’s no doubt that he’s a walking double double and he’s really skilled offensively. Um, and Bam and and him maybe could work next to one another because of Bam helping him on the defensive end. So, it’s not a it’s not a no. But he also makes what 42 43 million. too expensive. You’d have to get a lot of salary to get there. It’s too expensive. I I I I don’t see it. Um I’d rather have Vousvich at his price. If if that’s the kind of player you’re looking for, um I Simon is better offensively at this stage than Vousvich is. They’re neither of them as good defensively. I I would prefer Vousvich and I think he could become available at some point again. Uh I I don’t I don’t know. It doesn’t do it for me. It doesn’t Also, they’d be playing a different style. He’s a very good player. There’s no question. I mean, offensively, I know there’s been some issues in the playoffs and all that and everything else, but I I I wouldn’t do it. All right, one more here before the break. J, shooting 18% from three. Greg, is it is it because he’s declined or because he doesn’t care? I can’t 100% tell. And that’s a bad thing because I can’t tell if he just um you know how everyone said Dwayne’s game was going to age, but Dwayne was so good the way that he thought through the game that he just figured out ways to remain effective. I don’t see Jaw processing the game in that same way as his athletic ability declines inevitably. The percentages are already netting out in really bad form for him. He looks disinterested at times. I can’t tell if it’s situation or if he’s just kind of aloof in where he is. I’m not giving up the farm for him. If you’re telling me that you find out Tyler and Norm doesn’t work and somehow you give the jaw move a shot by trading Tyler, for instance, I mean, maybe you give it a shot, but that’s not the all-in move that at one time I would have been all about a John Morant um reclamation project, but upon further review, if you actually watch the games, it’s not pretty this year. I’m past the reclamation projects. I don’t know if Riley is, but I don’t know that Riley has that kind of influence at this point. It’s a It is a Riley move. I I agree with Ira about that. I mean, going back to the Tim Hardaway thing from 1995 96 is going back quite a ways. I And I know there’s been other reclamation projects that they’ve taken on that have worked. Some haven’t, but they’ve been low cost. I I to me, the only guys you’re going for now are are the ones you know what you’re getting. Okay? if you have to overpay to get them, you have enough assets now that have developed that you may be able to actually do that. I look at a Anthony Edwards and I look at Giannis and I’m like, do you really, and I’m not saying they’re going to get either of them or I’m even looking at Lori Markin and I’m saying, do you really want to take yourself out of the mix for John Morant who doesn’t want to play the style that you’ve gone to? So, what are they going to do? Completely abandon everything that they’ve done? Literally, he got he got the guy pushed out who’s consulted with Spo on what they’re doing right now. He wants to run a thousand pick and rolls. I my answer is no. And I’ve had to watch them a little bit because I am managing the Memphis site. And I mean, he doesn’t look like a top 20 point guard to me right now. He just doesn’t I and I don’t think it’s just lack of interest. I don’t because I see him engaged with his teammates on the bench. He’s not pulling a Jimmy. So, he doesn’t hate it that much. I just don’t think he’s the same guy. And I think this may be part of it that he’s not the same guy and that’s contributing to some of the discontent. He’s tied for 28th. He’s tied for Sorry to interrupt you. Tied for 28th in his scoring in his salary at 39.4 million. Um just slightly below Bam Adabio. Just no. No, no, no. All right. All right. Well, we’re talking money there. So, we’re going to tell you a little bit about Cash App and I’ll get to three more names quickly here after the break. Cash App is the way you should safely send and receive money. With the Cash App card, you get tons of perks without the hidden fees. Think early access to concert pre-sales, whether it’s Drake or Kendrick Lamar, or maybe both at the same time. Although, I don’t know how that would go. Plus, discounts on everyday purchases and brands that you’re probably already spending money on. It also helps keep your money safe by automatically flagging suspicious transactions and letting you lock your card instantly if it’s ever lost or stolen. Also, we’re basically giving you money here for a limited time. New Cash App customers can earn 10 bucks if they use the code cash app 10. That’s cash app 10 in their profile at signup. Send five bucks to a friend within 14 days. Terms apply. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash Apps bank partners. Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank member FDIC. Discounts and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block Inc. brand. Visit cash.appleodcast for full disclosures. I’m going to start with this one because I I know that the Heat have not had interest in this player in the past, but I kind of feel like he may become available again because the team he’s on has moved in a different direction without him. Has sort of a new best player and Jaylen Johnson uh has some other young players. Uh would you want Trey Young on your team? This team? No. I mean, Trey Young makes the same amount of money as Luca and Anthony Edwards. No thank you. No, thank you. Like, just keep seeing this through with DaVon and Drew. I know people will probably say, “Oh gosh, how could you say no to the the walking double double that is Trey Young?” Uh there’s too many defensive issues. They’re getting back to having a real identity. They’re playing in an offense where they don’t necessarily, at least yet, they haven’t needed one player to be the engine. It doesn’t need to be Trey Young. Moving on, Zion Williamson, that’s interesting. Um, he is right where J is in in salary. 39.4 million. Um, that’s an interesting gamble. I would say frankly though, probably because you’re going to have to give up significant draft capital. Uh, because because I don’t think New Orleans is going to take Miami’s young players. Uh, I think they’re going to want future draft capital. I I don’t take the risk. I’m not in on that. Are you more in than I was in Funny is I was in on it a couple of years ago and it is another Riley move even with the the prospect of him being in Miami which I think is problematic. Um, he did get in shape this year. Mhm. But and and on paper, you put him next to Bam and I mean, Zion can dominate. You know, some of the other guys we’re talking about here can’t dominate, but he just doesn’t do it consistently and he almost never plays and they just dealt with He’s only played seven of the 16 games this year. Sorry. I know. You know, you know what? Forget it. They’re not going to do that again. They’re not. They’re They’re not I I I And and Well, that’s not what this episode was supposed to be about. The question was whether we would do it. I two years ago, I was in on this. I felt like he could have been salvaged. I I kind of feel now that he can’t be. There’s enough evidence, like you said, that he just is never available. And you’re right, New Orleans is going to want picks because they gave up two uh they gave up their pick this year, unprotected, to get Derek Queen, which is interesting because Derrick Queen looks like he may end up being the best player out of this draft. Yeah, he’s good. Um and then the question is, was it worth it? Maybe. Maybe they knew something uh you know that every I mean, he looks like Minnie Joely. Um, I mean the passes he’s been making lately like and that’s another reason like it’s like okay they may want to move on from Zion to just clear that out of the locker room. Everything that’s happened here over the past. We’ll take Trey Murphy. Well, I would take Trey Murphy, right? Yeah, exactly. I mean, that’s right. Well, we talked about Trey Murphy before the season quite a bit. Anyway, I don’t think I would do it. All right. This is the most complicated one. We’ll save it for the end. AD. In the old days, this is an absolute no-brainer that that the Heat would go. He he fits every qualification of what they would go for, right? Of what Riley would go for, right? He’s because it’s the lean into defense that they love. It’s the fact that you can in theory throw it down to him and get buckets and but they wouldn’t need that from him all the time, which AD has shown he can’t do it all the time. Uh but here’s the thing, and he’s younger than Jimmy. I What is he 32? I think Anthony Edwards is uh I’ll get that quickly, but this is the Yeah, he’s 32. Okay, he’s going to be he’s making this year 54 million. The exact same down to the last dollar that Jimmy Butler just got. And his availability has been just as big a question mark as Jimmy Butler in a lot of ways. So, you’d have to ask yourself, I know he’s a much like he’s younger than Jimmy by a few years, but are you willing to take the risk on the availability, and this is also a situation where well, maybe Dallas would be a little more open-minded to getting young players to surround Cooper Flag um versus just straight up draft picks. So, maybe you could work something out there. They also could, if you’re going to tell me, maybe they’d be interested in Tyler. Uh, I mean, maybe we could talk about something, but this is also another situation where when I look at that, it’s not the type of slam dunk where I say salvage the future, go all in. That’s the guy. I I don’t get that sense. Do you are they keeping wear in a deal? I don’t think you could. See, if you’re not just I just wonder because with wear and that we’re starting to see some signs. Um, it is it is such a such when you look at the East this year, Ethan, I can understand somebody’s going to get themselves into it. Are you really scared of Detroit and Toronto at the top of the conference? Is that really scared of New York? You aren’t going to think like that. No, you’re not scared of New York either, and you’re not scared of Cleveland. So, and you’re not scared of Orlando. So, I And and that’s the other thing. A lot of these teams are not scared of the Heat or anybody else. Like, there there’s no right. So, somebody’s going to do it. Somebody in the East is going to do it. Okay. And I guess the question for the Heat becomes, is should it be us before it’s somebody else? I I see him going most likely to the East. I think they will move him. I know Cuban’s back involved, but it just makes sense to move him. He’s not on Flag’s timeline, and they have to kind of start fresh. And AD, unfortunately, is associated with the whole Luca thing. So, you know, when you get So, I do think they will move him, but when you look at the Heat situation, you put him next to Bam and that’s a generational defensive front court. Like, literally, that is that is that it’s one of and we just saw him in the Olympics. It’s one of the best defensive front courts of all time. And you still, even if you traded Tyler, you still have Norm and some of these other pieces and Hawz and others to provide scoring. You still have Wiggins and his contract most likely. you still if you’re training Tyler uh although you may need a little money to get there. The funny thing is Tyler and Rosier would would in picks would work but they the heat don’t you know. So that’s moneywise um on Tyler’s current contract but I just I don’t know I don’t know that that’s the direction you want to go because you mentioned availability. Now the thing is with AD’s availability is a lot of the stuff has been freak injuries. It’s not him sitting out for the sake of sitting out like we saw with general soreness, right? Um, and and the thing is is that maybe you are okay managing that the way they did with Shaquille, they kind of understood that Shaq was going to get in great shape. And I think AD probably probably could be talked into that as well. He would um knowing that you also needed to manage him in a different kind of way. and they got two years of of of what we’ll call one was much better, but obviously there was a two-year run where Shaq was really a pillar. And that’s essentially what you’d kind of in my eyes would be betting on is maybe max a three-year period where you’re essentially saying this is how we’re going to save this Bam Tyler experiment before we have to fully exit and go in another direction. Well, but you’re not saving the Bam Tyler experiment perhaps if you’re Oh, yeah. If Tyler’s involved, you’re right. So then you’re extending Norm and then you’re going a little bit older. I think they’re going to extend Norm anyway, but they’re going to they’re going then you’re saying two guys who are basically the same age and then Bam’s sort of right behind them. I could see it. I can see it and I don’t want to rule it out. Alex did a story on it where he kind of downplayed it and I I I don’t think it’s likely. I think I I’m looking at Detroit. I think there’s a couple of other teams in in the East. It’s not going to be Cleveland obviously because they’ve got their bigs. the Knicks, unless they decide, you know, Towns is not it and then they and they pivot again. I I don’t I I don’t think Toronto I although Messiah’s not running things anymore, so it’s hard to say. And they’ve just committed to this this new team that is surprising so far. I I I won’t rule it out. As long as Riley’s in that front office, this just feels And remember also Spo has spent a lot of time around AD. Mhm. So I don’t know what he thinks of him. Bam too. Bam too. I just I would of the names on this list. I still don’t think it’s worth blowing up where you’re moving. And because to me, Giannis and Anthony Edwards are still the two guys that I look at and I’m like, but since you’re not getting Luca now, the two guys that I’m like, all right, like you don’t take yourself out of that mix. But the AD thing, like to put together something generational in the front court, I don’t nobody’s scoring off that. like nobody like this year, you would also be making a calculated move to try to capitalize on a weird year in the East and so it would be contingent upon them continuing to be uh playoff contending team because you the now would be super important for an AD acquisition. It wouldn’t be something where you get him so that you could win in two years. You would need to be making that run immediately. Absolutely. It’s uh interesting question to ponder and we just wanted to kind of go through some of these names again. 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The Miami Heat don’t need to do anything, since they’re winning. But national media members are tying them to disgruntled players from other teams. Which of them might make sense for the Heat at some point, if any? Ethan and Greg go through the list.

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