The Miami Heat have their work cut out for them in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. They know what it takes to find success as the No. 8 seed playing through the NBA Play-In Tournament, taking that route last season and advancing to the NBA Finals.
But, there is one major difference between this year’s team and last year’s; the presence of Jimmy Butler. Butler is the team’s best player and leads the way when they succeed on the court. Unfortunately, he isn’t in the mix this season as he suffered an MCL injury during the team’s Play-In Game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Getting matched up with and defeating the Boston Celtics is hard enough when at full strength. It is impossible to do so without your best player, which Miami learned in Game 1 as they were blown out.
With Butler sidelined, there are some people who are already looking ahead to the 2024 NBA Offseason for the Heat. This will be an important one, as they need to make some moves. As currently constructed, this isn’t a contending team.
Every offseason, Miami is a team linked as a suitor for a star player. The 2024 offseason will be no different, as their plan has been revealed. According to NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Heat are seeking an All-Star caliber player more on the timeline of Bam Adebayo.
Many people immediately assumed that player would be Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers. NBA Rumors have swirled around him potentially going on the block as his future in Cleveland is murky, at best.
But, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report has suggested another potential target for Miami. New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram also fits the bill as someone on Adebayo’s timeline and acquiring him shouldn’t break the bank like some of the other suggestions.
“The fact Ingram isn’t a top-tier star also likely helps the Heat, who aren’t overloaded with trade assets. They should have enough for him, though, especially if there are fans of Tyler Herro in the Pelicans front office. A package of Herro, a young player (Nikola Jović or Jaime Jaquez Jr.) and an unprotected future first-round pick should at least merit a call back,” wrote Buckley.
Ingram, who made the NBA All-Star Game in the 2019-20 season and took home the Most Improved Player award, would be a nice addition to Miami. He has averaged 20+ points in five straight seasons and has shown strong playmaking ability as well.
Earlier in his career, Ingram was also a highly regarded defender. That is something Erik Spoelstra and the Heat could certainly get out of him again. Ingram would provide the team with a long-term building block alongside Adebayo with a higher ceiling than Tyler Herro and insurance for Butler, who has struggled to stay healthy in recent seasons.
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