The Miami Heat had an incredible season that, unfortunately, did not end in fairytale fashion. The Heat was clearly outmatched against the NBA-champion Denver Nuggets led by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, and there is a long summer of mourning coming for the Florida-based franchise. Despite the disappointing ending to their playoff run, nobody expected the Heat to make it to the Finals despite finishing with the 8th seed in the East after two play-in games.
Miami has a ton of heart and two All-Stars in Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, but they need much more to ever win an NBA championship. The role players are just that and can’t be relied upon to match up with the likes of Michael Porter Jr, Aaron Gordon, Bruce Brown, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, among others. Miami can’t continue running it back with role players around Butler and Bam, and major changes are needed for the team to truly get over the hump. Luckily, it is very possible for the Heat to create a legitimate superteam next season by targeting two major names and also being clever in the free-agent market.
Here is how the Miami Heat can create a superteam next year by acquiring superstar point guard Damian Lillard and former All-Defensive Team member Ben Simmons and creating one of the best Big Four’s in modern history.
Acquire Superstar Point Guard Damian Lillard
Credit: Fadeaway World
No doubt, Damian Lillard deserves better, and it could be time for him to leave. The point guard had a fantastic season on an individual level, posting 32.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 7.3 APG while making his 7th All-Star Team. At the same time, the Portland Trail Blazers might be looking for a chance to get out from underneath Lillard to kickstart a complete rebuild and give the loyal star a chance to compete for a title and cement his legacy as an all-time great. There could be a couple of destinations that suit Lillard best, but one team that stands out is the Miami Heat, a team that top analysts are including in the running for the superstar player.
The Miami Heat clearly need a third star to pair with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. The Heat have somewhat struggled all year long, and even if they are always a threat, nobody expects them to make the NBA Finals, and some might be clear in their stance that they won’t make it out of the first round. Tyler Herro, Caleb Martin, and Max Strus are all important pieces for Miami, but it could be time to move on from the players and find a way to create a superteam. This is what the trade package would look like to bring Damian Lillard on board. The only way Miami can actually engage in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers would be if Lillard formally requests a trade to the Heat.
Trade Package: Tyler Herro, Caleb Martin, Max Strus (Sign and Trade), Nikola Jovic, 2026 First-Round Pick, 2028 First-Round Pick for Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard in Miami makes the Heat the best team in the Eastern Conference, ahead of the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks. The Celtics and Bucks are extremely talented, but Miami gets it done on both ends at the highest level by acquiring a player who can actually create his own shot from the perimeter. In terms of having a shot at making his first NBA Finals, Lillard fits perfectly in Miami. He can dominate the offense while Butler and Adebayo do all the defensive work to make sure the team stays focused and ready on defense. Lillard’s no-nonsense attitude and ability to come up big in crunch time also means the Heat have another weapon they can use in case Jimmy Butler or Tyler Herro are not available.
Miami held a 44-38 record in the East, and while they finished over .500, the team went through too many inconsistencies. The team ranked 30th in PPG and 25th in offensive rating, so clearly, they can’t score enough to be a legitimate title contender. It is far too difficult to play underdog all season long and still compete for a title, even if that has worked over the past few seasons. Instead of relying on their attitude and hard-nosed defense, they can actually become a superteam for the first time since 2014, when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh were at the forefront of the franchise. In terms of scoring and defense, no one can compete with Miami’s Big Three with Damian Lillard on board.
Take A Gamble On Ben Simmons To Fortify Playmaking And Defense
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Miami Heat had the right base to win a championship, but it did not work out because of their true lack of depth. There was no real playmaking being done by any guards and the team struggled to find consistent offense and defense at times. They have a chance to correct that issue immediately by taking a gamble on 3-time All-Star and 2-time All-Defensive Team star Ben Simmons. Simmons is the definition of a pure playmaker, except that he is 6’10” with incredible athleticism and the ability to see over defenses. Much like Magic Johnson, Simmons is an oversized point guard who can affect the game in many areas.
Here is what a trade package for Ben Simmons could look like, even if it means Miami loses three more players of their rotation.
Trade Package: Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, Gabe Vincent for Ben Simmons
Simmons is not the player he used to be and we all know that. Simmons had a putrid season, averaging 6.9 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 6.1 APG on 56.6% FG, 0.0% 3-PT FG, and 43.9% FT. The Australian still has zero confidence in his jumper and can’t make free throws to save his life. However, he is only two seasons removed from being an All-Star who is an elite passer, defender, and rebounder who simply helps his team win games. No doubt, Simmons belongs in an environment that won’t coddle him and force him to work on his game and tune out the nonsense.
Miami can revive Simmons’ career and bring him on board to be a forward, perhaps the position in which the player can excel. Simmons is not a good shooter and that means he can’t play point guard, and since he is very efficient around the rim, he can roam around on offense while being a playmaker and cutter. Defensively, Simmons will also create a hellacious lineup alongside Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Playing alongside three other All-Stars means that the spotlight will be off of him, and that could bring out the best of one of the most hyped prospects in modern history.
Again, it is a gamble because the 26-year-old might never recover his All-Star form following his back injury and mental struggles, but it is a risk worth taking if Miami wants to add two big names to the roster and clean the roster up to lessen the number of undrafted role players.
Acquire Four Solid Free Agents 
Credit: Fadeaway World
The final step for Miami’s superteam is to upgrade the roster’s depth since they lost Tyler Herro, Caleb Martin, Max Strus, Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, and Gabe Vincent, who all plays pivotal roles during the season. As good as these role players are, they only led Miami to the 8th seed in the East over 82 games in the regular season and that was a big enough sample size to see the team wasn’t good enough to win it all.
Here is the way the Miami Heat can improve the roster and it involves signing free agents who will accept mid-level exceptions and minimum contracts to fill out the roster. The salary cap next season is projected to increase, and that means the Heat can pay the four star players and still have some depth. No doubt, the main target would be a shooter who can space the floor alongside Damian Lillard while Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Ben Simmons continue their streaky ways.
The shooting guard targets could include Dennis Schroder, Malik Beasley, Lonnie Walker, and Coby White. Either one of these players can score the ball from deep, move the ball quickly, and have very short memories. With shooting improving the depth, the Heat should look to add forwards. These forwards include Grant Williams and Matisse Thybulle, two defensive-first players with length and hustle energy. Williams is a very solid three-point shooter (39.5% 3-PT FG in 2023), so he might fit into the starting lineup alongside Bam Adebayo. Thybulle is another defensive wing who can’t shoot but can defend at a high level.
Finally, with shooting and forward play intact, Miami needs a backup center. This was obvious in this season’s Finals since Cody Zeller was helpless against Nikola Jokic. Considering the Denver Nuggets are coming back next year with most of the same core, Miami needs a defensive center with length and size. The main target has to be Andre Drummond, a 29-year-old player who led the league in rebounds four times and can easily average 6.0 PPG and 6.6 RPG as he did in 2022. With Drummond on board, along with shooting and forward play, Miami has a team that can win it all next year.
Miami Is Back To Win It All
Damian Lillard might be a top-10 player in the world because he keeps getting better every year in terms of finding ways to score the ball. Despite posting spectacular numbers across the board, especially offensively, Portland is not finding playoff success despite Lillard’s brilliance, as they will completely miss the postseason. This could be the final season where Lillard stays quiet because it is obvious the superstar point guard will not waste his remaining prime years on first-round exits. Lillard is 32 years old, making this season a critical point in his future Hall of Fame career.
Dame deserves his time to succeed in a big market surrounded by other star players. Finally, Dame has a legitimate chance to win a ring thanks to the presence of star players: Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and possibly Ben Simmons if he can return to All-Star form. Even if Simmons doesn’t become an elite player, Butler and Adebayo have made two Finals appearances and Lillard can boost them to actually win a title instead of falling short every time.
Miami would be the force in the East for at least three or four more years because Butler will be at a high level until the age of 37 at least with the way he works hard in practice. Adebayo is only 25 years old and has just made his second All-Star Team this season, and Simmons is 26 years old and has some hope. With this much talent around him, along with a future Hall of Fame coach in Erik Spoelstra, Lillard has everything to succeed and possibly even place himself in the forefront for the Finals MVP award.
Miami’s plan to create a new starting lineup with Damian Lillard, Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Ben Simmons bolstered by Malik Beasley or Lonnie Walker with the likes of Grant Williams, Matisse Thybulle, and Andre Drummond coming off the bench means the Heat can have the deepest and most talented roster in the Eastern Conference. Finally, the Heat can continue their top-10 defensive ways led by Butler and Adebayo, except Lillard can boost the team’s 30th-ranked offense and make them an elite two-way side. The 2023 Finals loss could be a blessing in disguise because Pat Riley could be forced to go all-in for Damian Lillard and take a massive gamble on Ben Simmons to finally win it all.
