NBA Trade Rumors: 5 trades Miami Heat need to make

Rudy Gay

With Luol Deng, the Heat have a capable small forward to suit their defense-first mindset. That’s always been the facet of Deng’s game that has stood out since his days with the Chicago Bulls and his two All-Star appearances in 2011-12 and 2012-13. His offense, on the other hand, has fallen off. With 9.7 points per game, only 33.6 percent three-point shooting and the lowest PER (12) of his career, it’s clear Deng is showing signs of age at 30.

If the Heat want to add some firepower to their 20th ranked offense, Rudy Gay could be the way to go. And after averaging a measly 91 points over their last 10 games, the spark that Gay can bring should be a priority for the Heat.

Despite being one of the top offensive forwards in the NBA, he still isn’t too valuable to trade for the Kings. They have a ton of offense with DeMarcus Cousins, multiple shooters and the arrival of Rajon Rondo, which has allowed them to rank a surprising 10th place in offensive efficiency. And with the emergence of Omri Casspi, who’s having a career-year with 12.6 points per game on 51.1 percent shooting while ranking 4th in three-point percentage (45.8), the Kings have a forward to take Gay’s starting spot.

Now, as Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops has reported, Gay is available for trade and the Kings have supposedly been active in looking for potential deals. This at least gives the Heat something to work with despite having limited pieces to offer.

"Need a forward? Rudy Gay is available, multiple league sources tell SheridanHoops.com."

So, who can the Heat offer the Kings for a player as talented as Gay? It’s not easy if trying to exchange talent and nothing else. His arrival in Miami would add some real athleticism and his 17.9 points per game on 46.6 percent shooting (a career-high 45.8 percent from 16 feet, too) is something that not many players can offer.

The best possible deal the Heat could put together would most likely be Deng, whose expiring $10.1 million contract gives the Kings some extra cap space to look forward to in free agency. If necessary, the Heat can include another play to bulk out the deal and encourage the Kings a little further.

By acquiring Deng, the Kings would be able to simply let him leave this summer when his contract expires. They can part ways with his hefty contract and give themselves even more money to play with in free agency as their best case scenario is stealing the 8th seed with a first round demolition from the Golden State Warriors. There’s no need for them to think a trade can help their playoff chances now.

Whether the Kings use this trade to remove salary and aim in a different direction in free agency (which seems more likely), or they try to re-sign Deng to benefit their 24th ranked defense, they have some options going forward. Meanwhile, the Heat get a highly talented upgrade at small forward if they somehow pull this off.

Next: A secondary small forward option