While the Miami Heat were initially reluctant to part ways with Jimmy Butler before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, they ultimately shipped the disgruntled six-time All-Star to the Golden State Warriors.
Andrew Wiggins is an above-average NBA contributor, but if the Heat want to surround Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo with a former MVP who could give them hope for the future, they could land a Philadelphia 76ers star big man this summer.
“The Miami Heat have always been aggressive in chasing superstars, and Joel Embiid fits the mold of a dominant force they’ve been missing in the paint,” Fadeaway World’s Eddie Bitar wrote Friday.
“The Heat have struggled with interior scoring, relying heavily on Bam Adebayo’s versatility rather than having a true go-to big man.”
“Adding Embiid—who’s still an elite post presence—would take a significant load off Tyler Herro while giving Miami a true franchise center.”
“Imagine Erik Spoelstra designing sets for an Embiid-Adebayo frontcourt—one that could dominate defensively while still allowing Embiid to be the primary offensive weapon.”
Bitar’s trade proposal would require the Heat to send Wiggins, Haywood Highsmith, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and two future draft picks to the 76ers for Embiid.
While it’s challenging to admit, Embiid and the 76ers could benefit from parting ways in free agency.
Embiid has received numerous accolades with the 76ers over the years, but things have gotten stale in Philadelphia lately.
By joining the Heat and moving on from the franchise that selected him No. 3 overall in the 2014 NBA draft, Embiid could positively change his career outlook and silence his naysayers.
With Embiid and Adebayo holding it down in the low post and Herro tormenting defenders on the perimeter, the Heat would have a legitimate chance to replicate the success they enjoyed during the Butler era.
A mind-blowing summer trade involving the Heat, 76ers, and Embiid isn’t wild to envision.
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