NBA Trade Deadline: 3 players the Miami Heat should target if Dejounte Murray is out of the picture
The Miami Heat are eager to not only return to the NBA Finals after their disappointing loss to the Denver Nuggets last year, they want to win it all. With the Eastern Conference being as competitive as ever, the Heat currently sit in seventh place. Their 21-16 record sees them tied with the Orlando Magic while sitting just behind a three-way tie for fourth place.
As we approach the February 8 trade deadline, the team will look to make some moves in order to improve their standing and bolster their roster. Currently, one of the names that has continued to be linked to the Heat is Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray.
Despite that, there are a number of teams who are expected to be interested in Murray's services should the Hawks look to enter a rebuild. With that in mind, let's take a look at three players the Miami Heat should target if Murray is out of the picture.
Three possible trade targets for the Miami Heat if Dejounte Murray is out of the picture
#1: PJ Tucker
While PJ Tucker may not be one of the biggest names on the Miami Heat's radar, a reunion between the two would certainly be welcomed by the Heat. If there ever was a player who embodied Heat Culture, it's surely PJ Tucker.
Currently a member of the LA Clippers, reports have indicated that the Heat could be an interested party. With plenty of defensive toughness and veteran leadership to match, expect Tucker's name to continue to surface in trade talks.
#2: Pascal Siakam
Pascal Siakam has continued to find his name in trade talks over the years, however, so far a deal has yet to come to fruition. Whether this winds up being the year that the forward and the Raptors part ways, only time will tell.
With the Heat and Max Strus parting ways this past offseason, Siakam would certainly bolster the team's roster at the power forward spot. Although he doesn't bring the same shooting as Strus, he would be an immediate difference-maker for the Miami Heat.
#3: Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell's name has been on the Miami Heat's radar. Heading into the February 8 trade deadline, a trade for Mitchell would certainly shake up not only the Eastern Conference but the NBA as a whole.
Although the Cavaliers have been hesitant to include Mitchell in trade talks, the Heat have enough assets, and upcoming draft picks to make an enticing offer. Whether or not the Cavaliers change their tune, of course, remains to be seen.
With less than a month to go until the trade deadline, there has been quite a bit of anticipation about how things will play out. As Adrian Wojnarowski previously indicated, he believes this trade deadline could lack some of the big deals that last year's produced.
Despite that, with teams like the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, and Chicago Bulls all eager to make some big moves, that could change. As we enter into the second half of the season, the trade deadline deals that happen could shape the rest of the season and the postseason.