What the Miami Heat actually need at the trade deadline

We are closing in on the trade deadline portion of the NBA year, also known as "The Miami Heat are linked to (insert any NBA player on the market)."

Rumors are a part of the game, but when it comes to the Heat, it's important to keep in mind their line of thinking when it comes to making deals and shaping certain rosters.

The first part of this equation is this: they're in the whale hunting business.

No matter their spot in the standings or the names on their squad, tracking the statuses of the league's top talents when ready to break out of a situation is always going to be plan A.

Actually landing those superstars is another conversation.

So when it comes to what the Miami Heat need at this trade deadline, a superstar like Giannis Antetokounmpo would seem to be on their 2026 wish list.

The second part of their possible deadline needs may not be what some want to hear, but it could possibly include selling off certain players to acquire some first round picks.

Andrew Wiggins has been a name floated around in that sense. He's been playing great basketball for Miami, has been one of their more consistent players, and adapted to every style and lineup that has been thrown his way.

With that said, the only way Miami can conquer their goal of acquiring top level NBA talent is by building up their assets for when that day actually comes.

The key is that the team picks a direction. As we know, being in the middle is the worst place to be in professional sports.

That leaves us with what the Heat shouldn't do this trade deadline, in my opinion.

Even with this current Heat team's flaws, there's no doubt they have a ton of functional depth whenever they're healthy. So naturally a consolidation trade, or rotational upgrades should be discussed, right?

I'm not too sure about that.

A quick fix for the frontcourt?

One name on the trade market that has been floated around is Daniel Gafford.

The Miami Heat are not a Daniel Gafford-type player away.

During the Jimmy Butler years in Miami, as the team still scouted the league for that star player to pair with Butler and Bam Adebayo, there were also times where a secondary move was needed as well.

For example in 2020, when the Heat went out and got Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala at the deadline before going on a run to the NBA Finals that year in the bubble.

The point is that those teams could prioritize that second or third tier upgrade, because they had a number one that was capable of going on playoff runs in unexpected, and tremendous, fashion.

In all honesty, the deadline for Miami doesn't seem like it's gearing up to be a loud one.

Either going for the star, or taking the steps to increase that potential offer for that star.

The extension question marks for Tyler Herro and Norman Powell also make this situation a bit more complicated, as there are multiple roster decisions that are having to be made all at once.