NBA insider pitches outside-the-box landing spot for Trae Young

Trae Young has been heavily involved in trade rumors over the past few months. With the Atlanta Hawks having the No.1 overall pick, Trae trade rumors are only increasing. The Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, San Antonio Spurs and Brooklyn Nets are among rumored suitors.

On a recent podcast episode, popular NBA analyst Bill Simmons listed the Heat as a possible Young destination. It's worth noting Simmons isn't basing this trade idea on intel but rather on fit and intrigue. Regardless the trade proposal is interesting and we've seen shocking moves in the NBA before so a Young to the Heat deal can't be ruled out.

Let's dive into Young's potential fit with the Heat and the details of this hypothetical deal.

Does Trae Young to the Heat make sense?

Simmons mentions Heat Culture as a primary factor in Young's fit with Miami. For years Young has been criticized for his poor defense and ball-dominant style of play. The Heat are filled with elite defenders and have a system that makes players buy in to sacrifice for the betterment of the team. This could lead to Young playing more off-ball next to an established creator in Jimmy Butler. Additionally, Miami needs another shot creator and perimeter scoring.

Notably, the Heat ranked 21st in offense and 19th in three-pointers made this season. The Heat acquired Terry Rozier before the trade deadline however, he never truly exploded with Miami and they may look to upgrade the guard spot once again. Young solves Miami's clear need for perimeter creation and can provide it at a star level. He has averaged at least 25 points and 8 assists in each season since his rookie year. Furthermore, Young's playmaking abilities could elevate Butler and Bam Adebayo. 

Since Pat Riley's candid press conference, many are speculating about Miami's direction. Specifically, there have been questions about Butler's future with the team. At 34 years old, Butler is seeking a two-year $113 million dollar contract extension. Given Butler's regular-season availability and age, it's possible the Heat move off him this off-season. The Heat have been an eighth seed in back-to-back seasons and despite their incredible run to the finals last year, it's unclear if this core is a consistent title contender. Trading Butler would give Miami a chance to re-tool. 

However, a possible Young trade gives the Heat an exciting possibility to improve the roster and move closer to contention while keeping their core players. Last offseason the Heat famously pursued a Damian Lillard trade. With the addition of Young, Miami's title chances would significantly increase and they would likely be a top-four team in the East. Ultimately, Simmons' idea of a Young to the Heat deal makes a lot of sense from a fit perspective.

Bill Simmons' Heat-Hawks Trae Young trade

Simmons proposed the following trade when discussing the possibility of Miami landing Trae.

Herro and Robinson offer the Hawks some wing shooting and well-rounded scoring off the bench. The two picks, including the 15th overall pick in this year's draft, give the Hawks some needed draft assets. Overall, this trade offers the Hawks a solid return. The Hawks will certainly trade Young or Dejounte Murray this off-season recent reports suggest it could be both.

However, Young has been the Hawks' franchise player since being drafted in 2018. Given this, it's possible the Hawks set a higher asking price for Young and move Murray for a cheaper return if they aren't satisfied with any Young deal.

While this deal is solid value the Hawks would likely seek more in return for Young. Adding a young player such as Nikola Jovic would move the needle for the Hawks. However, the Heat are very high on Jovic and could be reluctant to move off him. Regardless, a Trae Young-Heat trade is something to monitor as the NBA off-season approaches.