The Miami Heat can create a dominant Big Three with James Harden in 2023-24.

The Miami Heat are still one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference this upcoming season because they will be building off an excellent season where they shocked the NBA Universe a second time in four years and reached the NBA Finals in 2022-23. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are back for another run, and the standard of the organization is still sky-high under Pat Riley and head coach Erik Spoelstra.

The Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics are currently better teams than the Miami Heat which means the South Beach franchise might be able to greatly boost their chances to reclaim the top spot in the East by trading for 76ers disgruntled star James Harden. There is no doubt Harden would like the Miami lifestyle and the organization needs a star to carry the offense.

To make the deal happen, Miami will need to take a massive gamble and give up two key pieces for a chance to reach another level. Here is how the Miami Heat can make a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers to acquire James Harden and form one of the league’s best Big Threes.

Trade Details

Miami Heat Receive: James Harden

Philadelphia 76ers Receive: Tyler Herro, Caleb Martin

No doubt, James Harden is not the type of player the Heat want because of his personality, but if there is one organization that can fix him, it is the Miami Heat who desperately need a star to get on the same level as the Bucks and Celtics. Here is why this deal works for both the Heat and 76ers.

Miami Joins Milwaukee And Boston As Favorites In The East

The Miami Heat shocked the world last season, defeating the likes of the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics to reach the NBA Finals for the second time in four years. But they will not be looking for another Cinderella story in 2024, as they want to win the championship and not just make the Finals.

Jimmy Butler has proven to be a franchise player capable of being the best player on a championship team, and Bam Adebayo is one of the best centers in the NBA. The Heat can play uptempo, in the half-court, and commit defensively. The practices are always brutal and every player is expected to perform at their highest capacity under head coach Erik Spoelstra.

For Miami, they have everything in place to win a championship and only need the likes of a third star to bridge a gap between themselves and the rest of the Eastern Conference. A superstar like James Harden not only guarantees a spot for Miami in the Finals but just might make them the favorites over the Lakers.

James Harden is a rare talent, the kind that comes every once in a decade at the very least. His ability to score the ball and set up his teammates makes him one of the best players in the world at this very moment. Last season, even in a “down year”, The Beard led the league in assists per game with 10.7. Even if Harden won’t lead the league in scoring again, he will be one of the best playmakers in the league.

Harden can walk into any team and immediately become the most talented playmaker on the roster barring the likes of LeBron James and possibly Trae Young. With Miami, Harden’s ability to get to the rim will open up lobs to Bam or an easy bucket for him each trip down the floor. We saw how deadly the Harden and Clint Capela duo worked, so imagine how it will work with Bam who is a much more talented offensive center.

Moreover, Jimmy Butler will get some offensive help. Butler did everything for Miami in the Finals and even managed to carry them to three total Finals wins against the Lakers in 2020 and the Nuggets in 2023. With Harden, Butler’s game opens up even more and he can focus on being the best defensive wing in the NBA.

The Philadelphia 76ers have no choice but to trade James Harden because the player is not making life easy for the team right now. As long as Harden is with the team, there will be friction within the organization and we saw it with the Houston Rockets and Brooklyn Nets. In return for getting rid of Harden, the 76ers can bring in Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin.

Herro had a solid season last year, as he was arguably the third-best player for the Heat during the regular season. Herro averaged 20.1 points per game on 37.8% from three. His numbers were solid for a third option but his impact was far greater when he was actually on the court. No doubt, Miami missed the player in the playoffs.

Herro has no fear and his willingness to be an aggressor on offense helped put pressure on opposing defenses every single game. Herro’s mentality is rare for a young player and he will be a perfect cornerstone piece for the 76ers as they move on from their primary playmaker.

At the same time, Caleb Martin is a modern power forward who can run the floor, make threes, and also defend four positions consistently. A new starting lineup with Tyrese Maxey, Tyler Herro, Tobias Harris, Caleb Martin, and Joel Embiid looks very promising as potentially a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference.

Joel Embiid needs players to rely on when looking at both ends of the court and he has that with four reliable starters beside him. Philly can’t afford to rebuild because they have the reigning MVP on the team which means their contending window is still open.

A Blockbuster Deal That Solves Both Teams’ Problems

This trade for James Harden places the Miami Heat on the map in the Eastern Conference. Butler and Adebayo are two talented leaders on both ends of the floor but they have not proven to be enough to win a championship, which makes sense considering most teams that win a title have two or three superstars not just All-Stars. The Heat also need a player who can score the ball at will and after missing out on Damian Lillard, the next-best option has to be James Harden.

A trio of Harden, Butler, and Adebayo can get it done on both ends of the floor as opposing defenses do not have to worry about just handling Butler anymore. This is a legitimate Big Three that is bolstered by role players such as veteran Kyle Lowry, sharpshooter Duncan Robinson, and big man Kevin Love. The Heat will also be in the mix to continue adding pieces to their bench through the trade market or via free agency. Beating their heads against the wall isn’t going to work in the East now that the Buck and Celtics have massively improved.

With James Harden, Miami is not guaranteed to win it all but at least get closer than they are already. As things stand, the Heat have no shot at defeating the Bucks or Celtics in a seven-game series but they can get closer with a Harden deal.

Meanwhile, the 76ers are too talented to blow it up and start trading their assets. Joel Embiid is a dominant scorer, Tyrese Maxey is primed for a breakout year, and role players such as Tobias Harris, P.J. Tucker, and De’Anthony Melton are good enough to be on a contending team. Adding Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin means the 76ers have the tools to create a scary eight or nine-man depth chart filled with talent on both ends of the court.

Just like the Heat, the 76ers are not guaranteed a Finals appearance with this deal but they get closer instead of keeping the team as-is. Herro is only 23 years old and that means a future backcourt of Maxey and Herro could be the cornerstone for the 76ers going forward. Joel Embiid is a top-five player in the world right now and giving him two new starters means he could do enough to earn a top-four seed in the conference.