According to a report from Miami Herald reporter Barry Jackson, all the Miami Heat trade rumors around Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls are mere pipe dreams and will likely remain that way.
Heat president Pat Riley is just not going to take too many chances with the team’s financial future.
“Another big-time scorer, Chicago’s Zach LaVine, is available on the trade market,” Jackson wrote this week. “But a person in close contact with the Heat front office said Miami has not been pursuing a trade for him, at least as of now. (I would be surprised if that changes.)”
The early-season NBA trade rumor market has been dominated by LaVine, and with good reason. He has averaged 24.6 points with 4.1 assists and 4.6 rebounds in his last two seasons and has done so efficiently, making 48.0% of his shots and 37.0% of his 3-pointers.
He is a versatile and talented offensive player, and because this group is seen as lacking in offensive punch, players like LaVine will always crop up in Miami Heat trade rumors.
Luxury Tax Problems Weigh Heavily in NBA
The problem with LaVine, though, is that he is in the second year of a $215 million contract.
He is slated to be paid $179 million over the next four seasons, which is a hefty amount for a star player who has taken the Bulls to the playoffs once, and was swept when he got there.
And, as Jackson points out in his column, the Heat are not interested in the long-term luxury tax problems LaVine would bring, especially with a new, more restrictive CBA coming online in the next year.
“Under this new NBA labor deal, every potential trade involving a high-salary player requires careful consideration of this question: Is this a player worth sacrificing future flexibility for?” Jackson wrote before answering the LaVine question. “LaVine isn’t worth sacrificing future flexibility for. And the Heat seems to know that.”
Still, there is some logic tying every big-time scorer on the market to a Miami Heat trade rumor. The offense is very inefficient, even at its best, and even with scoring guard Tyler Herro healthy, which he has not been as he recovers from an ankle injury.
Currently the Heat rank 18th in offensive efficiency, with a rating of 112.1. That is not just because of Herro’s injury, either. In fact, the Heat were worse offensively when Herro was playing, with a rating of 107.5, 26th in the NBA at the time. Last season, the Heat were 25th in offensive efficiency, with a rating of 112.3.
Zach LaVine Connected in Miami Heat Trade Rumors
Thus, there is an assumption from the NBA’s observer class and executives around the league that the Heat are looking for some offensive punch. But each time an opportunity to trade for a player who can bolster the scoring arises—Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal in the past year, and now LaVine—the Heat pass on any such pursuit.
Earlier this month, The Athletic NBA insider Shams Charania fueled the Miami Heat trade rumors around LaVine by reporting that there was mutual interest there.
Charania reported that Zach LaVine was a hot topic of conversation when teams descended on Chicago for the opening of he college basketball season three weeks ago. Wrote Charania:
“NBA teams are probing the availability of two-time All-Star guard Zach LaVine, and there’s been increased openness from the Chicago Bulls and LaVine about exploring a trade, league sources said. Many of the NBA’s 30 general managers are in Chicago on Tuesday for the annual Champions Classic, the major opening night of the college basketball season, and this is where conversations could begin. The Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers are expected to have a level of interest, league sources said.”
Alas, it appears that the Miami Heat has a level of interest. And it is nil.
Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney
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