Trade Proposal: Miami Heat Add Dominant Big Man in Risky Trade With Division Rival

Miami Heat fans have joined pundits for months in debating whether the team will buy or sell at the trade deadline. If the team adds players, the idea (understandably so) has been Miami will acquire a starter who can contribute immediately.

Could Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela significantly help the Heat?

The 30-year-old Capela remains a consistent double-double threat, averaging 10.2 rebounds and 9.3 boards. Although the Hawks are 13-12 and in the postseason race, Capela is on an expiring contract.

NBA insider Marc Stein recently reported Capela is “very much available” ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Here’s what a possible trade involving the Heat and Hawks may look like:

Heat acquire: Bogdan Bogdanović, Clint Capela

Hawks acquire: Duncan Robinson, Terry Rozier

Clint Capela with the drive and JAM 💪 pic.twitter.com/mqlfMPTpXs
— NBA TV (@NBATV) November 29, 2024

Heat fans may be disappointed in hypothetically giving up Robinson, a fan favorite and the starting shooting guard. However, Bogdanović is a proven sharpshooter in his own right. He averages 12.4 points and 3.7 rebounds, albeit on a career-low 40.8 shooting percentage.

This trade is more about Capela, who’d be a major acquisition even if he isn’t anywhere close to superstardom. Capela’s potential arrival also allows the Heat to move All-Star big man Bam Adebayo to power forward. Preparing to battle a frontcourt duo of Adebayo and Capela doesn’t sound fun.

Adding Capela means the Heat field a starting lineup featuring two players in the last year of their contract. All-Star forward Jimmy Butler hits unrestricted free agency next summer. It’d be a win-now approach for a team some believe should hit the reset button.

By no means is this a perfect trade idea, especially when it comes to Miami’s starting lineup. Aebayo hasn’t regularly seen time at power forward since 2021. Although the Heat could theoretically start Bogdanović at shooting guard, he’s finished among the top six in Sixth Man of the Year voting two of the last three years.

Bogdanović averaged 16.9 points in 79 games (33 starts) last season, the first time he started over 30 games since his rookie year in 2018. However, he’s come off the bench in all 10 appearances thus far.

BOGI BANG

4th 3 of the Game 💦 pic.twitter.com/00EkkOlUWD
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 7, 2024

We like the idea of Miami acquiring Capela, especially if Adebayo is open to playing the four. However, landing Bogdanović and subsequently shaking up the backcourt worries us. Robinson is a capable starting shooting guard, while Rozier has fared much better since moving to the bench last month.

Miami needs to cut over $12 million in cap space if it trades for Bogdanović and Capela. That's why Rozier and Robinson are on the move.

For now, we’ll rule against this trade. Again, the problem isn’t Capela, who’d seemingly be a natural fit in Miami. It’s the other logistics of such a move that, at least temporarily, give us pause.

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Jake Elman works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat on SI. He can be reached at jakeelman97@gmail.com or follow him on X @JakeElman97.