Inside The Heat

NBA Insider Zach Lowe Expects Miami Heat To Pass On Talented But Troubled Star

Shandel Richardson|
Aug 12, 2023; Springfield, MA, USA; Miami Heat president Pat Riley walks the red carpet at the 2023 Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Symphony Hall. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Aug 12, 2023; Springfield, MA, USA; Miami Heat president Pat Riley walks the red carpet at the 2023 Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Symphony Hall. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

In this story:

Miami Heat

There have been few summers the Miami Heat were not major players in the free agency market.

This offseason, expect the Heat to have plenty interest in new acquisitions after the departure of Jimmy Butler in February. Among the possibilities is Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant but NBA Insider Zach Lowe feels the pairing will never happen.

"I don't see it," Lowe said on his podcast earlier this week. "I don't think that's the star Miami will go for when they use their ammo and they will inevitable try to use their ammo."

The Heat had their share of free agent/trade hauls in recent years. They landing of Chris Bosh and LeBron James in 2010 led to two championships. Later, team president Pat Riley acquired Jimmy Butler. It didn't equate to a title but there were two trips to the NBA Finals.

The problem with Morant is baggage. He tends to make the news for his antics more than his play, especially of late. Last season he was suspended twice for off-the-court incidents involving waving guns. This year, he's drawn more attention for in-game celebrations inolving guns.

Morant makes sense from a talent standpoint because he pairs nicely with Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo. Just not sure if he's a good fit in Miami.

MORE HEAT STORIES

Tyler Herro's defense gets criticized

Takeaways from Heat's loss to Cavs in Game 2

Could Heat land Damian Lillard this summer?

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

Follow our coverage on Facebook

X: @ShandelRich

Published
Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star. TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here