Rudy Gay (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
The Miami Heat could trade Goran Dragic to the Sacramento Kings for Rudy Gay as the Heat prepares for life without Dwyane Wade.
The Heat could elect to trade Dragic, with Miami's future becoming clouded following Wade's departure. With Chris Bosh also uncertain for next season, Michael Saenz of Sports Illustrated's Fansided believes it would "make sense" for the Heat to move the Slovenian point guard.
"Assuming that Bosh is out of the picture, there's really no point in trying to drag it out. It would make all the sense in the world to trade Dragic and hope they can get one or two of the first-round picks they gave up to get him," Saenz wrote.
Dragic has been the Heat's top option at the point guard position ever since securing him on a five-year $90 million deal last year. The 30-year-old guard averaged 14.1 points and 5.8 assists per game for the Heat and was a key cog to the team's success in the postseason.
There is no telling whether Dragic and Whiteside could keep the Heat as contenders, but with Bosh possibly still out for next season and a squad of young inexperienced talents, their hopes of staying afloat in the league have become cloudy.
One possible trade the Heat could explore is bringing a veteran scorer who could somehow replace the void left by Wade. Enter Rudy Gay.
According to Marc Stein of ESPN, the Kings are actively shopping Gay, who, according to Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee, has requested a trade from Sacramento.
Gay, who is entering the final year of the contract extension he signed with Sacramento in 2014, would be a perfect acquisition for the Heat, especially with Wade gone in South Beach. Gay, who averaged 17.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, is a reliable scoring option and could become a mentor to Miami's young talents.
Acquiring Gay also gives the Heat more leverage for the summer of 2017, where top free agents like Russell Westbrook and Blake Griffin could be available in the market.
On the other hand, Dragic would give the Kings a bona fide floor commander whom they can complement with DeMarcus Cousins, who has been consistently linked in trade rumors.
After losing Rajon Rondo and Seth Curry this summer, the Kings are only left with Darren Collison to take the starting role. But if the Kings really want to keep Cousins pleased, Dragic could be the perfect piece Sac-town need to add.
"If Sacramento really wanted to give this DeMarcus Cousins thing a try, they could elect to surround him with better talent. Dragic could be that guy," Saenz noted.
"The pick-and-roll game between Dragic and Cousins could be deadly, especially if Cousins' pop game sticks next season."
It is unknown whether both teams would truly develop interests at each other's tradable assets, but it seems a perfect match, considering the Kings' need of a quality PG and the Heat looking to fill Wade's absence.
