5 perfect trade targets for the Miami Heat

2. Heat can add culture-setter in Marcus Smart

This is perhaps outside the box, and even far-fetched. The Memphis Grizzlies have Marcus Smart under contract through 2025-26 and while the current season is a lost cause, the plan is to return to contention next season once Ja Morant is back at full strength. Smart was pitched as the solution to all of Memphis' woes when the trade went down last summer. His defense, his leadership — his grit. He's the perfect Memphis player. He's the missing piece.

Unfortunately, this season is enough to make the Grizzlies re-evaluate their plans. Smart is 29 years old and there are indicators of an impending decline for the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year. This could mark Memphis' opportunity to sell high. Smart is currently injured, out for at least another few weeks. The Heat should at least poke around.

Despite a noticeable decline in performance over the last couple seasons, Smart is an undeniable force on defense. His versatility 1-4 — sometimes across all five positions — is exceedingly rare for a 6-foot-3 guard. He would take pressure off of Jimmy Butler as Miami's No. 1 answer to the NBA's elite perimeter scorers. Smart also leads with his voice, on the court and in the locker room. The Heat love to sell the 'Heat Culture' ideal and man, does Marcus Smart sure fit the bill.

Smart helps on offense too. He has developed into a legitimate point guard, capable of pressuring the defense as a ball-handler and creating for teammates. Last season in Boston marked the highest assist percentage (26.4) of Smart's career. His 3-point shot has been off since arriving in Memphis, but he's averaging 14.5 points and 4.3 assists on .430/.313/.768 with very little time to build a rhythm in a new environment. There's enough there for the Heat to mount a serious push.