Kyrie Irving Could Be the Miami Heat's Perfect In-Season Trade Target

The Heat don't need another major move right now, but if Kyrie Irving becomes available, Miami should be paying very close attention.

Jan 28, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving looks on during the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Miami Heat have had a tremendous offseason so far after they traded for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Heat still have one roster spot open, and they may fill it before the season starts, or they can wait for a potential buyout candidate during the season. The Heat have patched up many of their weaknesses except for perhaps one area. Shot creation and ball-handling.

Besides Giannis, who is going to create offense for the Heat from the guard position when everything slows down and gets in the mud?

That's why Kyrie Irving is the name that immediately comes to mind for me if he ever becomes available.

Dallas isn't planning on trading Irving right now, so this isn't about pretending there's some deal being discussed behind the scenes. Situations change quickly in the NBA, and the Mavericks are rebuilding. There could be a point in the season when it makes sense to trade Kyrie to focus on their younger timeline.

Miami Could Still Need An Elite Playmaking Guard

There's a lot to like about what Miami has built around Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo. They will have the best frontcourt trio with Andrew Wiggins. The Heat needed shooting, so they added Klay Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr.

All of that is great, but my question is: what happens in the fourth quarter of a playoff game when the first action doesn't work, the defense takes away Giannis' initial drive, and Miami suddenly has eight seconds left on the shot clock?

Who gets the ball and who will bail out the Heat? This is where Irving could change everything for Miami.

Before his injury, Irving was still playing at an incredibly high level, averaging around 25 points, five rebounds and 4.6 assists while shooting 40 percent from three. That's important because I'm not interested in Irving simply because of his name or what he accomplished five or 10 years ago. He was still really good before getting hurt.

Miami wouldn't just be adding a point guard. It would be adding one of the most skilled shot creators in basketball, someone who can handle the ball late in games, create his own shot, and also provide the shooting you need when playing next to Giannis and Bam.

Irving Could Make Life Much Easier For Giannis

This is probably what excites me most about the potential fit. Giannis will obviously make Miami's offense better just by being on the floor, but I don't want to see him create everything himself for 82 games and then do the same thing throughout the playoffs.

Put Irving next to him, and suddenly the defense has a completely different problem.

Imagine a Kyrie-Giannis pick-and-roll. If the defender goes under the screen, Irving can shoot. If they play up on him, he can get downhill. If another defender comes over to help, Giannis can attack the basket with an advantage.

They need someone who creates advantages for everybody else, and Kyrie is the perfect person for that role.

Adebayo Would Benefit Too

I also think Irving could make life much easier for Adebayo, and that's an important part of this conversation.

We've seen Bam have success playing the two-man game with guards throughout his career, but Irving would bring a completely different level of shot creation and shooting gravity.

Bam played very well with Kyle Lowry, but Irving is on a whole different level. Irving is such a great shooter that defenders can’t defend under screens; if they do, Irving can pull up and shoot at a high clip. If they play him aggressively, he can use that screen to his advantage and get into the paint and force another defender to help and react.

Whatever the situation is, you're making the game easier for Bam instead of constantly asking him to manufacture offense himself.

Giannis and Bam will have to do so much on both ends of the floor during the regular season. They will need all the help they can get.

Irving Has Already Proven He Can Win

There's another reason I'd be comfortable with Irving in this situation: we already know he can perform on the biggest stage.

He's an NBA champion, he's played in multiple Finals, and he hit one of the biggest shots in Finals history. He's also already shown he can play alongside another superstar and still find ways to dominate games without needing everything to revolve around him.