The Miami Heat are currently in the hunt for two of the best NBA players available for trade: Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell.
Incredibly enough, though – they are not the favorites to end up with either guy. Oddsmakers still believe that the likeliest end result here is that Durant remains with the Brooklyn Nets next season and that Mitchell either stays with the Utah Jazz or gets dealt to the New York Knicks.
So what happens if Miami whiffs on both guys?
What is their Plan B?
According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, if the Heat can’t get Durant or Mitchell, they’ll just run it back with the squad that almost made the NBA Finals last year.
“Both [R.J.] Barrett and [Tyler] Herro are expected to command maximum paydays,” he wrote.
“By all accounts, it seems unlikely Barrett will find a new deal in the interim. And regardless of the trade outcomes, there’s a greater sense of optimism among NBA executives that Miami will come to terms with Herro prior to the 2022-23 campaign. ‘They always seem to pay their guys,’ one assistant general manager said.”
This makes sense on all fronts. Herro is fresh off averaging 20.7 points per game on a career-high 39.9 percent from beyond the arc. In addition, he also chipped in 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. He is talented and a strong fit on the Heat’s roster.
Did he get an objectively awful tattoo this summer? Sure. Did he get outed by his girl in embarrassing fashion? Yes. But that’s all off-the-court nonsense.
Stephen Curry’s reaction to Alex Morgan’s photo. https://t.co/3oPEL5gOFW
— Game 7 (@game7__) July 20, 2022
On the court, Herro tends to deliver more often than not. And there are far worse consolation prizes out there for not getting Durant or Mitchell than someone with his skillset.
Miami will make a strong play for a big name superstar. However, if one isn’t out there to be had right now, their Plan B should still leave them in great position heading into 2022-23.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
