Realistic proposed trade sends ex-Boston Celtics lightning rod to hated foe

A realistic proposed trade from Lee Tran of Fadeaway World would send former Boston Celtics lightning rod Gordon Hayward to one of the team’s most hated Eastern Conference rivals in the modern age, the Miami Heat, for a package that includes Kyle Lowry, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and a second-round draft pick.

While hyping up the move as one that would move the needle for the Heat, particularly on the offensive end, Tran explained how the Hornets would justify taking Miami’s offer for the oft-injured forward.

“The key return for the Hornets here is forward Jaime Jaquez Jr., who profiles as a solid defensive wing as of right now,” Tran prefaced before saying, “Though the team has power forward P.J. Washington and wing Brandon Miller for the long term, Miles Bridges is a threat to leave at the end of the season. Getting Jaquez Jr. in this deal would ensure the team has insurance for if Bridges decides to move on.”

No Damian Lillard trade will allow the Heat to trade for former Boston Celtics lightning rod

The reason why this deal will be possible is if Miami doesn’t end up trading for Damian Lillard as has been rumored all summer. That things have dragged out this long, and the free agent market had movement on September 5, may indicate that Lillard will be staying put. Of course, a Woj-bomb or Shams-wow could make that take cold at any moment considering how long the Heat’s front office has been talking to the Portland Trail Blazers’.

If a deal doesn’t happen, the market would be open for Miami to get more aggressive for players like Hayward who have expiring deals in case there’s a free agent in the next few seasons the team can pursue.

Who knows? If Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo continue falling short of a title, maybe Pat Riley will get aggressive again and package them for a Giannis Antetokounmpo-type talent to get Miami back to its glory days of the early-2010s.