Should Miami Heat Starhunt Elsewhere With Cavs Seemingly Catering To Donovan Mitchell With Bickerstaff Firing?

Apr 25, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach JB Bickerstaff shouts during the second quarter of game three of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports | Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Heat-Donovan Mitchell trade rumors may be nearing an end before conversations even started.

On Thursday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news that the Cleveland Cavaliers are dismissing coach JB Bickerstaff. The decision was likely made in hopes of retaining Mitchell for at least one additional year, a similar move to the Phoenix Suns recently firing coach Frank Vogel. The Cavaliers failed to advance past the second round with Bickerstaff at the helm, but did reach the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the first time in six years.

"The Cleveland Cavaliers dismissed coach JB Bickerstaff on Thursday," Wojnarowski posted. "Bickerstaff led Cavs to conference semifinals and won 99 regular-season games in past two years, but change comes with hope of advancing deeper."

ESPN Sources: The Cleveland Cavaliers dismissed coach JB Bickerstaff on Thursday. Bickerstaff led Cavs to conference semifinals and won 99 regular-season games in past two years, but change comes with hope of advancing deeper. pic.twitter.com/fxl7FJPdQ9

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 23, 2024

The Heat may look elsewhere for star power to pair alongside Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo thanks to this decision, perhaps on the same team. Mitchell's backcourt partner, Darius Garland, is a strong trade candidate if the organization hopes to compete with the five-time All-Star leading the charge. Miami would not have to part ways with one of their young stars, Jaime Jaquez Jr. or Nikola Jovic, to obtain Garland.

Another possible option is one of the Atlanta Hawks' star guards, Trae Young or Dejounte Murray. Young could provide much-needed volume scoring at a higher asking price while Murray embodies the idea of 'Heat Culture', specializing in two-way ability.

Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Inside the Heat. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on Instagram @anthony.pasciolla.

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