One trade every NBA team needs to make

Miami Heat

The Heat have started stringing together a few more wins lately and are staying afloat just inside the Eastern Conference playoff picture despite all the injury problems they’ve had. One problem that still lingers when looking at their future as hopeful contenders, though, is their small forward situation.

Luol Deng isn’t quite the player he was a few years ago with the Bulls and despite his defensive ability he doesn’t do much for the Heat’s 24th ranked offense. In order to add another scorer who can create their own shot and take some pressure off Dwyane Wade, the Heat could look to Rudy Gay.

As Marc Stein of ESPN reported at the end of January, the Kings may well trade Gay providing they receive an appropriate offer:

"Sacramento is said to be seeking a quality young player in return if it parts with Gay. Or a player they like with at least one year left on his contract after this season, which would give the Kings some insulation against trading for someone in February who turns around and leaves town in July. (Gay, 29, is scheduled to earn $13.3 million from the Kings next season before he’s forced to decide on a $14.3 million player option in 2017-18.) In short: Sacramento isn’t outright trying to move Gay but would be willing to do so in the proverbial “right deal.”"

This doesn’t make matters easy for the Heat, as outside of Hassan Whiteside who several teams would love to get their hands on, they don’t have much to offer. If they want to at least call the Kings and try to make something happen, though, they could offer a package of Deng and Josh McRoberts.

The Kings struggle with their 21st ranked defense, so Deng can help address any issues at the perimeter more than Gay, who’s always been known as an offensive specialist rather than a hustling defender. As for McRoberts (who’s now returned from injury), the Kings get a versatile big man with the kind of passing and shooting to help the second unit offense.

This could easily be too little for Sacramento to part with a player of Gay’s talent, though. However, with Deng’s expiring $10.1 million contract, the Kings would ditch that amount and obviously Gay’s $13.3 million salary for 2016-17, too. The Heat’s best hope is that the Kings want some extra cap space for the summer, as this move really helps them in that area.

Next: Toronto Raptors