Despite the Miami Heat’s success with their new starting lineup of Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Jimmy Butler, Haywood Highsmith and Bam Adebayo, there is still one glaring problem. This unit lacks size and length, even with newly drafted 7-footer Kel’el Ware on the roster.
Ware has plenty of upside and potential in the Heat’s big man depth. But it’s been clear that he is very raw with still a lot to learn. Coach Erik Spoelstra has opted to take the slower development route with him rather than throw him into the fire with regular minutes.
Miami’s Thomas Bryant trade with the Indiana Pacers has now left just two regular rotation bigs on the roster, in Adebayo and an aging Kevin Love. Ultimately, the small ball lineups have worked in Spoelstra’s system over the years. Although some teams have the privilege of sporting both small and big lineups if needed— the Heat don’t.
They’ve experimented with Love in the starting lineup over the years and it’s worked in spurts, but his defensive limitations hasn’t made him fit for a regular role in that position. That leaves the Heat with potentially exploring outside options, which is where the Chicago Bulls’ Nikola Vucevic comes in.
The Bulls have been stuck in mediocrity for several years now, and they always seem to be viewed as sellers prior to NBA trade deadlines. This season is no different, as Vucevic, Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball could all be formidable options to provide a boost to playoff contending teams.
Vucevic is averaging 21.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists on 58.7% shooting and a career-high 48% from 3-point range on 4.6 attempts.
When it comes to the former two-time NBA All-Star, the reported asking price for his services could start at just one or two second-round picks, according to Jake Fischer. He is currently on a team-friendly annual salary of $20 million, which is set to go up to $21.5 million in 2025-26.
Such a trade facilitated between Chicago and Miami would likely headline Terry Rozier being sent to the Bulls for salary matching purposes.
Rozier is in the midst of a significant down year and has posed a questionable fit ever since he arrived in South Beach. He is averaging just 11.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists on nearly 40% shooting from the field. His points, assists and shooting efficiency is the lowest it’s been since 2018 with the Boston Celtics, and could benefit from another change of scenery.
Since the Heat are tight with available draft picks to use, they could potentially throw in a player like Jaime Jaquez Jr. as the sweetener to a potential deal here. Jaquez is also going through disappointing struggles of his own, shooting just 4 of 33 (12%) from 3-point range in his last 17 games. Miami has the necessary pieces in order to pull a deal off, despite being limited on draft capital.
Listed at 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-5 wingspan, Vucevic could instantly provide that coveted functional size the Heat have needed. He is in the midst of a career year in terms of efficiency, and can pose as an intriguing fit alongside Butler and Adebayo in the frontcourt due to his floor spacing abilities. Although he is in his age-34 season, Vucevic can still play at an All-Star level and has only gotten more polished over the years.
Miami has lacked a true rebounding threat in their big man depth outside of Bam Adebayo.
A potential Vucevic addition could help with this glaring size issue with the team instantly, as he is a career 10.5 rebounder per game. The Heat haven’t had true length amongst their starters since Kelly Olynyk and Meyers Leonard in 2019-2021.
His acquisition could position Spoelstra to slide Adebayo to the power forward position, which could unlock a lot of his true abilities. The current Heat big is 6-foot-9, although appears to be bigger than he really is. The center spot is a role that he has played very well over the years, to the point where he’s blossomed into a three-time All-Star and first team all-defensive talent.
Even though Adebayo can hold down the small ball big role as well as anyone, he could play much more naturally and freely at the four. He would become a legitimate defensive threat on the perimeter, where he could take more advantage of defensive switches and guarding smaller players. Adebayo saw some minutes at power forward over this year’s Olympics alongside Anthony Davis, and the product looked elite.
Vucevic doesn’t bring the same shot blocking threat that Davis does, but the formula has already been displayed there. A potential rotation of Herro, Robinson, Butler, Adebayo and Vucevic with options like Haywood Highsmith, Dru Smith, Nikola Jovic, and Love oozes with two-way versatility. Having Vucevic in the fold gives Spoelstra the overdue flexibility in going with two iterations of big or small lineups.
It could be the last ditch effort to maximize this Butler build, and the Heat should at the very least do their due diligence in inquiring with Chicago.
