Russell Westbrook. (Rick Bowmer, AP)
Q: The Heat should get the Lakers to help get a trade with Utah. Utah gets Russell Westbrook, Tyler Herro and four first-round picks (two from the Lakers, two from the Heat). Miami gets Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley and the Lakers get Kyle Lowry and Duncan Robinson. Utah would probably buy out Russ, but otherwise seems like it works. – Daniel.
A: And, yes, double-checked this on ESPN’s Trade Machine and it worked. Typically, I avoid such trade speculation, but decided to address this question because I believe it will take such creative thinking, such as a multiple-team deal, for the Heat to find a path to Donovan Mitchell. But you are talking about the Heat giving up a lot for that pathway to Donovan in Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson and two first-round picks. And I’m not sure the Lakers are pulling such a trade-pick trigger for Lowry and Robinson. As for the Jazz, they very well could sign on the dotted line, with the option to then deal Herro for additional draft capital. From a Heat perspective, it could come down to what they think Mike Conley has left in the tank at 34, with a contract less onerous than the one held by Lowry. (The deal also would give the Heat room under the luxury tax to add an additional player.)
Q: There is a strong unlikelihood that Danny Ainge is ever going to play nice with Pat Riley. – Sean.
A: For the right amount of unprotected draft picks, Danny Ainge would slick his hair back like Pat Riley and maybe even grow a goatee. As Riley, or someone like him, would say, it’s not personal, it’s business. Bring a bushel of first-rounders to Ainge and the Heat would be on.
Q: I petition to make the Heat’s Classics their permanent jerseys. – Niko.
A: Except there essentially is no such thing as a permanent jersey these days. Still, they certainly do conjure memories of those initial Heat days, when No. 4 meant Rony Seikaly, not Victor Oladipo, when No. 21 meant Kevin Edwards and not Dewayne Dedmon, and when No. 2 was the province of Rory Sparrow and not Gabe Vincent.
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Originally published at Tribune News Service