NBA Trade Rumors: He can save Miami Heat?

The Miami Heat pushed all their chips into the center of the table this offseason. By pulling off one of the most seismic trades in NBA history, Pat Riley and the Miami front office signaled that South Beach was ready for another parade. Yet, a sluggish 0-2 start to the 2026-27 campaign has already sparked whispers that the Heat might not be done dealing.

The summer of 2026 was defined by Miami's all-in maneuver. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Heat landed two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and veteran big man Bobby Portis from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for a massive haul: Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, and a treasure trove of draft capital that included three first-round picks and a 2030 pick swap. It was a king's ransom designed to immediately catapult Miami to the top of the Eastern Conference.

But early growing pains have exposed a potential need for elite perimeter shot creation—and the rumor mill is already churning.

CBS Sports' Sam Quinn recently floated the idea that Miami could look to pry 34-year-old guard Kyrie Irving away from the Dallas Mavericks. The logic hinges on a drastically diverging timeline in Dallas. The Mavericks are now building around 19-year-old phenom Cooper Flagg, yet the franchise is desperate to replenish a barren asset cabinet, as they do not control their own first-round pick again until 2031.

"Timeline issues don't need to be deal-breakers, but the Mavericks... have to find longer-term assets where they can, and Irving is their most desirable trade piece," Quinn wrote, noting that while Miami is severely asset-depleted after the Giannis blockbuster, they would surely test the waters.

Prying Irving out of Texas won't be simple. Dallas executive Masai Ujiri has publicly stated his intent to keep Irving as a veteran co-star and mentor for Flagg, despite the 15-year age gap. However, as ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported, rival front offices are highly skeptical that the Mavericks can maintain this stance while glaring roster holes remain elsewhere.

For the Heat, pairing Irving with Antetokounmpo would create an unstoppable offensive dichotomy—Irving’s unparalleled half-court shot-making combined with Giannis’s relentless rim pressure. While offseason addition Davion Mitchell has provided steady energy and defensive playmaking for Miami's second unit, Irving’s arrival would give head coach Erik Spoelstra a legitimate, battle-tested closer for the playoffs.

Irving is entering the final year of his $118 million contract, making him a prime, high-stakes rental candidate for a desperate contender. If Miami's early-season struggles persist, do not put it past the Heat's aggressive front office to try and find a way to complete their ultimate championship puzzle.

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