Miami Heat: Pass or pursue on 5 rumored NBA trade deadline targets
By Dalton Sell
Should the Miami Heat pass on or pursue rumored trade target Trevor Ariza?
The Miami Heat are reportedly looking at a former NBA champion in Trevor Ariza to shore up their shooting efforts on the wing.
According to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, the Heat and OKC Thunder are engaged in ongoing discussions about a deal for the swingman, with OKC searching for a second round pick in return.
Ariza has yet to suit up for the Thunder this season as he is away from the team due to a family matter, but his resume seems to be enough for contending teams like Miami. The battle-tested veteran has been well-traveled throughout his NBA career, helping a handful of playoff teams over the years, even winning a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009.
Shooting 35.2 percent on 4.1 attempts per game throughout his career, Ariza’s most desirable attribute is his floor spacing, something the Heat could desperately use at this point. Hitting just 34.9 percent of their shots from behind the arc this season, the 25th worst mark in the association, it is justifiable for Miami to be in the hunt for more shooting from deep.
On paper, Ariza would be a great trade target for the Heat based on name recognition alone, but his salary raises issues in trying to piece together a trade. Making an expiring $12.8 million this season, Miami would have to pull some financial strings to get a deal done, but if they can do so without giving up any of their key rotational pieces, this move makes sense.
Ariza is by no means a needle tipping addition for any contending squad, but for a team that needs to improve their shooting personnel, he is a solid target for the Heat.