Heat Prioritizing Kevin Love Over Russell Westbrook

The Miami Heat were very quiet ahead of the NBA trade deadline. While they sought to make some upgrades to the roster, the only deal that they completed was trading Dewayne Dedmon to the San Antonio Spurs in a salary-cap-motivated trade. The Heat attached a second-round pick along with Dedmon for the Spurs to take on his salary, as they promptly waived him.

Miami was attempting to find new homes for Duncan Robinson and Kyle Lowry, but nothing came to fruition. Teams were seeking multiple first-round picks to be attached to Robinson and talks involving Lowry just didn’t get past the finish line. The LA Clippers were reportedly one team interested in Lowry but they went in another direction.

It was certainly disappointing to not land an upgrade via trade as Miami could certainly use one. They continue to get the job done defensively, ranking 4th in defensive rating, but their offense has struggled all season. Heading into the All-Star break, they are 27th in offensive rating.

Luckily for the Heat, they will have another chance to upgrade the roster. With the Dedmon trade, they opened up a roster spot, which means they can be buyers on the buyout market. Numerous veterans have already found new homes and it sounds like one of the available players will eventually land in South Beach.

Russell Westbrook, should he secure a buyout from the Utah Jazz, has been connected to the Heat. Alas, he isn’t their No. 1 target. According to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Miami is prioritizing a big man, such as Kevin Love or Serge Ibaka, over a point guard such as Westbrook or Patrick Beverley.