I’ve had this one on the back burner for a long time because I was waiting for the Heat to get eliminated or win it all. Unfortunately, they won it all. I suppose that that makes this article all the more scary because Miami could go over the top next year if they trade Chris Bosh. Well, trading him isn’t enough because he’s still average; they have to fleece somebody else when they trade him. It’s actually pretty easy, considering that he still has a lot of trade value You could tell when you were watching ESPN coverage of his injury; they think that he is an integral part of the team. In reality, there are more Heat players who are better than him than worse than him, but part of that is simply because the Heat are absolutely loaded with depth. But with no further ado, let’s get to some trades. They will be in alphabetical order of primary trade partner.
Miami-Atlanta-Sacramento
- MIA Gets: SF Marvin Williams (ATL), C Zaza Pachulia (ATL)
- ATL Gets: PF Chris Bosh (MIA), 2017 1st round pick (MIA), SG John Salmons (SAC), C Chuck Hayes (SAC)
- SAC Gets: PF Josh Smith (ATL), 2013 2nd round pick (SAC)
From the get-go, I will say that there are probably more plausible trades out there. However, this one might look good because PER says that the real winner in this deal is Sacramento. To be honest, that they got a longish end of the stick probably is true, say they are shedding way-overpriced scrubs and a second round pick in exchange for an average, still overpriced power forward. However, Miami is the real winner. They pick up a borderline star in Williams and a (slight) upgrade at center in Pachulia, while giving up the overpriced Bosh and a 1st round pick way in the future. While surrendering that 2017 1st rounder is a bit risky, I believe that Miami will at the very least be a play-off team at that time, although some protections may still be in order. What Atlanta gets are Bosh, two scrubs, and that 2017 1st-rounder. I think this trade could be enough to lower them to fighting for the 8 seed. Ouch.
Miami-Dallas
- MIA Gets: SF Shawn Marion, C Brendan Haywood
- DAL Gets: PF Chris Bosh
This trade may have less potential pay-off than some of the others because it is more risky. Both Marion and Haywood performed better than Bosh this year, but both are over thirty, unlike the twenty-eight year-old Bosh. This means that they are more likely to decline. Here, Marion and LeBron would both split time between the two forward spots, while Haywood would platoon with Joel Anthony at center until their production levels for the current season is established. Some risk is negated by the fact that Marion, who is older, only has two more years left on his contract, but Haywood has four and may not be able to live out the entire deal. Of course, they can always be bought out. I can see Dallas pulling something along these lines if Deron Williams signs somewhere else because I can see Mark Cuban being desperate. We’ll see.
Miami-Houston
- MIA Gets: C Samuel Dalembert, PF Luis Scola
- HOU Gets: PF Chris Bosh
The fact that Daryl Morey is an analytical GM makes this trade both more likely and more unlikely at the same time. On one hand, he is significantly downgrading when Bosh replaces Dalembert, who was a borderline star last year. On the other, it would nice to get rid of Luis Scola’s albatross contract; the Argentinian is a sub-zero player over thirty, a very bad proposition. He might take it, he might not-if my memory is correct, Morey can still amnesty Scola, whereas Miami would not be able to. This one is interesting, plausible, and beneficial for the Heat.
Miami-Milwaukee
- MIA Gets: SF Mike Dunleavy, SF Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, PG Beno Udrih
- MIL Gets: PF Chris Bosh, SF James Jones
Dunleavy may be over thirty, but he played at a borderline star level last year and is on an expiring deal. Mbah a Moute has three more years on his contract, is above-average, and I think he can play both forward spots. Udrih is kind of a throw-in, but he is also a serviceable back-up for Mario Chalmers and on an expring deal. Jones is better than people give him credit for-he’s better than Bosh, anyway-but he’s not good enough for this trade to not be a Miami fleece. Besides, the Heat are loaded with solid wings anyway with Wade, Mike Miller, Shane Battier, LeBron, and now Dunleavy and Mbah a Moute. I’m sure that LeBron would play a lot more point guard and power forward if this trade actually happened, and that might be a good thing for the Heat. Besides, Luc Richard is only twenty-six.
Miami-Minnesota
- MIA Gets: PF Kevin Love, C Nikola Pekovic, C Darko Milicic
- MIN Gets: PF Chris Bosh, SF James Jones, PG Norris Cole, 2017 1st round pick
With just about any GM on the other end, this deal is implausible. But with David Kahn at Minnesota’s helm, it almost seems likely. He would give up a star, a severely underrated star, and the King of the Scrubs for a not-actually-a-star, an underrated wing who is not that great, an absolutely horrendous point guard with “potential,” and a distant first round pick. If Bosh actually earned his entire salary, this would be a good deal for him, but he doesn’t, so it’s not. Cole, who seems like a throw-in, might have Kahn salivating, considering that GM’s lust for point guards with “potential.” Why else would he have drafted Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn in the same year? Remember, he also drafted point guards Ty Lawson and Nick Calathes before trading them to other teams! In the case of Lawson, I’m sure he’s asking for a Mulligan. If he made this trade, he’d be asking for one here, too. I’d I am fully confident that he’d at least think about it for a good long time. To quote Patrick Minton, the NBA Geek, “Kaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhn!”
Miami-Orlando
- MIA Gets: C Dwight Howard
- ORL Gets; PF Chris Bosh, PG Norris Cole, 2017 1st round pick
In essence, this is a simplified version of the Minnesota trade. I’m sure that Otis Smith would have taken this deal in a heartbeat. Considering that their new GM is a Sam Presti protegé, that might not happen. However, this certainly would be a fleece, and I’m sure that Dwight Howard would sign an extension with Miami.
Miami-Philadelphia
- MIA Gets: SF Thaddeus Young, SG Evan Turner, C Nikola Vucevic
- PHI Gets: PF Chris Bosh
I have no idea if this one would happen, but it’s definitely a fleece. Young can play either forward position, Turner is a swingman, and Vucevic would only turn twenty-two in September. Miami would then have a young outer core that could be maintained if LeBron and D-Wade began to decline. Not a bad deal, especially since they would no longer have so much salary tied up in one spot.
Miami-Phoenix
- MIA Gets: C Marcin Gortat, SF Jared Dudley, SF Josh Childress
- PHO Gets: PF Chris Bosh, 2013 2nd round pick
From Phoenix’s perspective, this gives them a new “star” to build around if Steve Nash doesn’t stick around. From an analytical perspective, they just got fleeced. Besides Nash, they just got rid of their three best players, and Nash is a Free Agent. While Childress rarely played, Gortat and Dudley were integral parts of the team. Miami might have to surrender a whole mess of picks, but this trade would eventually go through, making the Heat all the richer.
Miami-Utah
- MIA Gets: PF Paul Millsap, PF Enes Kanter, SG Raja Bell
- UTAH Gets: PF Chris Bosh, 2013 2nd round pick, 2014 2nd round pick
I believe that this last trade might just be the most feasible. Millsap is on an expiring contract, while Bosh is locked up long-term. Kanter has a future and is already above-average, but he is a “project player,” and I’m not sure if teams recognize how much value he already has. And while Raja Bell is not terrible, he is thirty-six, is not exactly that close to average, and is being paid more than $3 million each year for more two more years. This trade is by no means balanced, but it is possible, especially if Miami was willing to throw in more picks.
I certainly hope none of these trades go through. If any of them did, Miami would only have a catastrophic injury or a completely unexpected contender blocking their title run. Thanks for reading, and please comment.
Fanfare Sports Blog 