7 Zach LaVine trades that tilt the balance of power in the NBA

7. Zach LaVine to the Miami Heat

The Miami Heat spent all summer playing superstar guard musical chairs and had the indignity of falling flat on their backsides. True to Heat culture, they’ve managed to start the season 7-4 despite a slightly negative net rating (minus-0.2), and their 20th-ranked offense (111.1 points per 100 possessions) is their most obvious flaw. 

Zach LaVine probably doesn’t make the Heat an inner-circle contender, but he would easily be the most talented offensive player to run alongside Jimmy Butler in Miami. Miami also has the players, coaching, and schemes to mitigate his defensive limitations. No franchise has done more with less than the Heat over the past five seasons, just imagine what they could do with more. 

To pry LaVine from Chicago, the Heat would likely need to send out both Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry, which creates its own salary issues. However, the inclusion of Alex Caruso solves that and will allow the Bulls to ask for a massive return. LaVine may be a household name, but Caruso is a star in his own right. He’s one of the best defensive players in the league and fits Heat Culture like a glove. 

The draft pick compensation will be steep, and the Heat will almost certainly have to drop the protections on the pick they owe to the Thunder, but three first-round picks and a swap is fair value for LaVine and Caruso. 

The trade won’t vault them over the Celtics in the East, but it should put them on par with the Sixers and Bucks. Jimmy Butler only has so many good years left, and it would be a waste to see them on mediocre teams.