Miami Heat Could Upgrade Power Forward Position In Trade With Utah Jazz

The Miami Heat faced a lot of criticism in the offseason for their poor efforts with roster construction. Having made no significant moves thus far, Miami appears to be lacking as a threat in the East.

With Pat Riley clearly expressing that the team would not be "running it back" this season, it was evident that the roster would see some changes. 

The Heat had major offseason plans, primarily associated with bringing in a star-caliber player to form a new Big Three. In this regard, the Heat have shown an interest in acquiring several big names such as Zion Williamson and Kevin Durant.

Unfortunately, none of these trades materialized. Instead, all the franchise has seen in the offseason is Duncan Robinson's departure and the addition of Simone Fontecchio.

With talented players like Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro headlining for the team, the Heat need to add more talent, particularly to their undersized frontcourt. In an attempt to keep them competitive, we present a trade proposal that allows Miami to upgrade its power forward position while offloading an underperforming asset.

Proposed Trade Details

Miami Heat Receive: John Collins

Utah Jazz Receive: Terry Rozier, 2027 second-round pick (OKC/NYK/SAS swap), 2031 second-round pick (UTA swap)

The trade doesn't move the needle for either team, but it gives Miami something to build off of. With an intention to become a more competitive side next season, the addition of John Collins could help propel the team forward.

The Heat Bolster Their Frontcourt

John Collins' arrival spells some changes to the Miami Heat's current starting rotation. While the backcourt would remain largely unchanged, the frontcourt would see a massive upgrade in talent.

Heat forward Andrew Wiggins has garnered a lot of interest from the Los Angeles Lakers in trade rumors this offseason. But if the Heat choose to retain him, he would start in the small forward position next to Collins and Adebayo to fill out the team's frontcourt trio.

Collins brings a lot of length to the Heat team. While his defensive prowess is lacking, the forward brings a lot to the table with his offensive skill and versatility.

Last season, the Jazz big man notched an average of 19.0 points and 8.2 rebounds while shooting 52.7% from the field and 39.9% from three-point range.

While being a reliable presence on the perimeter, Collins is also a very capable player in the post. His athleticism also allows him to be an effective rim-runner and lob threat, a bonus when paired with Bam Adebayo.

At 6'9", he doesn't solve the team's need for size, but he does bring a lot of flexibility with regard to their rotations. With young centers like Kel'el Ware and Vladislav Goldin on the bench, the Heat could have a very reliable big man rotation going next season.

The trade is also low-risk for the Heat as Collins is on an expiring contract. With almost $27 million coming off the books next season after the forward hits free agency, Miami could expand its cap space to sign a superstar.

The Jazz Acquire Rozier With Picks

This trade deal has a lot less value for the Utah Jazz than it does for the Heat, but it does promote their ongoing rebuild. With the acquisition of Terry Rozier, the Jazz add a veteran point guard who also happens to be on an expiring contract.

The addition of Rozier comes at a necessary juncture, as Jordan Clarkson completes his buyout to join the New York Knicks. Although Rozier can't effectively match Clarkson's scoring output, he would prove to be a solid scoring option off the bench.

Last season, the veteran guard recorded an average of 10.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. These numbers were a sharp decline from his time with the Charlotte Hornets only a season ago, where he averaged 23.2 points and 6.6 assists per game before joining the Heat.

While these could be attributed to the fewer minutes he played, Rozier also faced backlash in light of his betting controversy. The result was lower productivity, which has undoubtedly affected his stock.

Despite this, the guard has garnered some interest from teams in the trade market, all the same. But in a deal with the Jazz, the Heat would need to part with some draft compensation to sweeten the deal. Hence, Miami sends the 2027 and 2031 second-round pick swaps to Utah, with the 2031 belonging to the Jazz initially.

Are The Miami Heat Contenders In The East?

The Miami Heat are at a very awkward point in the offseason. After their failures in the playoffs, it was widely expected that the team would be aggressive in strengthening its roster. This has not been the case.

While they still have some talented pieces on their team, the Heat are far from being viewed as contenders, even in a particularly weakened Eastern Conference.

Although the team has drafted well, there is a lot of work to do if the franchise intends to stay competitive. With a long offseason left to go, the Heat have ample time to make the right moves to build a more cohesive lineup.