At this point in the offseason, you can’t help but ask when enough will be enough for the Miami Heat in terms of their seemingly fruitless pursuit of Damian Lillard. The Heat have already tabled a massive offer for the seven-time All-Star, but the Portland Trail Blazers just want more.
If the Heat finally decide to move on from Dame, then one team they could look to do a completely separate deal with should be the Toronto Raptors.
Miami Heat Add OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr. From Raptors
Lee Tran of Fadeaway World has come up with a potentially win-win trade scenario between the Heat and the Raptors. You could say that both teams get the help they need in this intriguing trade proposal:
Miami Heat Receive: OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr.
Toronto Raptors Receive: Tyler Herro, Caleb Martin, 2030 First-Round Pick (MIA)
Dame would have been a massive acquisition for Miami, but OG Anunoby would not be a bad Plan B at all. The Heat lost a couple of key players in NBA free agency with Gabe Vincent and Max Strus heading to greener pastures, and Anunoby could be an important piece for Miami in terms of filling that void.
Last season, Anunoby averaged 16.8 points and 5.0 rebounds, while also connecting on 2.1 triples per game on a 38.7 percent clip. OG led the league in steals last term with 1.9 (Jimmy Butler came second with 1.8 steals per game), and it goes without saying that Anunoby’s arrival would further fortify an already elite Miami Heat defense.
“OG Anunoby is 6’7 with a 7’2 wingspan, and he has the athleticism to comfortably guard all five positions. He is also a solid complementary offensive player and has shown that he can play well with high-usage players such as Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet. He could potentially get a bigger role on offense as well, given the fact that the team doesn’t necessarily have consistent offensive players outside of Jimmy Butler,” Tran wrote.
Gary Trent Jr. and his 17.4 points per game would also be a big addition for Miami as he looks to take on Tyler Herro’s role once the former Sixth Man of the Year is shipped off to Toronto.
Toronto Raptors Get More Firepower With Tyler Herro Acquisition
Losing Anunoby and Trent Jr. would be big blows for the Raptors. However, they get an elite scorer in return in Herro. This dude can get buckets, and his scoring prowess is something Toronto will need now that Fred VanVleet has taken his talents to the Houston Rockets. The 23-year-old is under contract through 2027, making him a viable long-term option alongside Scottie Barnes.
Caleb Martin was a revelation for the Heat in the playoffs last term, and this is the type of player the Raptors could use this coming season. Acquiring Miami’s 2030 first-round pick is a great deal sweetener for Toronto as well.
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