Trade targets: All 30 teams
Miami Heat
Record: 29-24
5th place in East
Status: Buyers
Update (Feb.16): The Hornets, Grizzlies and Heat made a trade centered around Courtney Lee. Read the trade grades here.
Pat Riley's Heat are going to be one of the most interesting teams at the deadline. Miami is always in win-now mode.
While the season has been a disappointment, the Heat have been better lately and are well situated to make a run in the East. With Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng and Hassan Whiteside among eight Miami players headed for unrestricted free agency, the Heat are as apt to pull off a blockbuster shake-up as anyone.
Potential trade targets
Carmelo Anthony
Blockbuster alert! The Heat can entice the Knicks' with long-term prospects in Whiteside and Justise Winslow, and the notion of more open cap space this summer. Miami would send Whiteside, Winslow, Luol Deng, Josh McRoberts and Chris Andersen for Anthony and Langston Galloway -- assuming Anthony would waive his no-trade clause to play with Wade and Chris Bosh.
Pau Gasol
Here's one from Kevin Pelton of ESPN Insider, a three-way trade. The Heat would send Whiteside, McRoberts, Andersen and Udonis Haslem to Portland, the Blazers would send Mason Plumlee and Cliff Alexander to Chicago, and the Bulls would send Gasol to Miami.
That deal might not go down well among Bulls fans, as Plumlee lacks the Hall of Fame resume and skill set of Gasol. But Plumlee is 10 years younger and is on an extremely modest salary for this season and (likely) two more, while Gasol can become a free agent this summer.
For the Heat, it's a way to get an instant difference-maker and another offensive facilitator who can guard bigs if they have decided that Whiteside is not part of the future there.
Ryan Anderson
A deal of Whiteside and Deng for Anderson was floated by ESPN's Tom Haberstroh for good reason: it provides an immediate boost for the sagging Miami offense, and puts the onus to re-sign Whiteside on the Pelicans.
Danilo Gallinari
If you can't get Anderson, what about Gallinari, who could play the 4 in small lineups and the 3 next to Bosh and Whiteside? This would require sending Winslow to Denver, but it might be worth it. Deng would also have to be included to make the salaries work. In fact, maybe Miami could force Denver to take Chris Andersen as well, saving some tax money.
Lou Williams & Roy Hibbert
The Lakers get Whiteside, Deng and filler in advance of throwing max money at the Miami center in a few months. The Heat get a replacement rim-protector for 15 to 20 minutes per game and an explosive bench scorer in Williams who fits with both Wade and Dragic.
Jae Crowder, Avery Bradley & Tyler Zeller
For Miami, a trade with Boston would be about accepting a talent deficit in hopes of improved chemistry in the form of shooting and even better defense. The Heat could deal Whiteside, Deng and a couple of expiring deals for this Celtics trio. For Boston, it's all about getting first crack at Whiteside. Even so, this might be a tough sell.
Most trade value
1. Chris Bosh
Bosh remains one of the most productive and versatile stars in the NBA and he has three more big-money seasons left on his deal.
2. Goran Dragic
Dragic hasn't had a great season and questions abound whether he's a good fit as Dwyane Wade's backcourt mate. Yet Dragic has the best raw plus-minus of the Miami starters. If you broke up that backcourt in a non-sentimental world, Dragic might not be the one to go.
3. Hassan Whiteside
Whiteside might be the biggest question mark in the league right now. He's 12th overall in WARP, but Miami doesn't seem to miss a beat when he isn't playing.
4. Justise Winslow
The rookie Winslow is raw offensively but already has made an impact contribution on defense. He could step in for Luol Deng if Deng is the one to go.
5. Luol Deng
The Heat need more shooting at Deng's position and Winslow can hold the fort on the defensive end. With a $10.1 million price tag on his expiring deal, Deng is in the right financial range to be moved.
Most valuable draft pick
2018 second-rounder
This might be as good as it gets for a while in terms of draft assets to trade. The Heat will likely send their 2016 first-round pick to Philadelphia (originally swapped in the LeBron James sign-and-trade with Cleveland) and their 2018 and 2021 first-round picks to Phoenix (for Goran Dragic). At the moment, they cannot move another first-round pick.
In other words, the Heat are about out of trade sweeteners.
Toughest contract to trade
Dwyane Wade
At $20 million, Wade's expiring deal is a lot for a rent-a-player, even if he didn't have a no-trade clause, which he does.
Player most likely to be traded
Chris Andersen
Miami's flexibility is limited by again having a payroll above the tax threshold and the prospect of paying a hefty penalty as a repeat cap offender. Off-loading the little-used Andersen would help a lot.