The Miami Heat are not usually an active team at the trade deadline, but rumors have them looking at some players this year and names like Kyle Lowry, Chris Kaman, Gary Neal and Pierre Jackson could be potential targets as the team gears up for a third straight title run with LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade.
According to ESPN.com, the Heat could be in the market for multiple players, as Erik Spoelstra and Pat Riley are interested in adding some insurance, including on the wing for Dwyane Wade's knees and also down low for Greg Oden. The team has high hopes for Oden this year, but he still remains a question mark, while Wade is a great player, but after he broke down for part of the playoffs last season Miami may want to be ready if that happens again.
SI.com proposed a number of options earlier in the season that included Evan Turner and Caron Butler and now, according to Pro Basketball Talk, the team could look into Lowry as well as Chris Kaman and Gary Neal. Kaman has been getting some heat from teams after he said he was disgruntled with his role on the Lakers, while Neal has been mentioned in trade rumors since he had a blowup with his Bucks team. Milwaukee is the worst team in the league and they look like sellers at the deadline and names like Neal and Caron Butler could be on the move.
Lowry would be an interesting option, but there is no way this deal is going down, as the Heat do not have the pieces to put it together for the Toronto Raptors. Lowry is set to be a free agent and that is the main motivation for Masai Ujiri to make a deal and now it appears that the Knicks are back in the mix after previously bowing out of any potential negotiations back in December.
The Knicks, according to ESPN New York, are looking to make a big move at the deadline and they have checked out Jeff Teague as well as Lowry and are motivated to make at least one significant deal by February 20. The report says that the team is looking into a possible three way trade and that could send Lowry to the Knicks, while Teague ends up with the Raptors and Iman Shumpert moves to the Hawks. The Knicks want to do all they can to keep Carmelo Anthony in NY and this three way trade could be a way to convince him to stay.
Miami could use some more size up front and while Lowry is out of their reach, there are other players like him out there that could work. Neal is a solid option and likely wouldn't cost too much from the Bucks, while Dion Waiters and Andre Miller also could be available. Miami doesn't have much to offer, but they realize a third championship is crucial to the legacy of this team and adding some strength at the deadline could go down.
