New Orleans Pelicans: The Benefits of A Deep Miami Heat Run

A Deep Miami Heat Playoff Run Benefits the New Orleans Pelicans’ Long Term Plans

For the New Orleans Pelicans not being in this year’s NBA playoffs, there are a lot of storylines that they tie into. As I watch the games unfold, I’m keeping my eyes on each one of them and how they might harm or benefit the New Orleans Pelicans.

Today, I want to turn my focus to the Miami Heat. Currently, the Miami Heat are 6-0 in the NBA Playoffs. Led by All-Star forward Jimmy Butler, this year’s Heat team is a tough and gritty squad that plays a beautiful modern offense and a unique defense that utilizes a mixture of man and zone concepts.

Making the playoffs at the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference was viewed as a success for this team, but many felt like they were still one major piece away from championship contention. Reports were suggesting that Miami was waiting for the 2021 offseason to sign a star like Victor Oladipo or Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Now that the team’s 6-0 and putting a beating in on Antetokounmpo and his Milwaukee Bucks squad, Pat Riley might realize that the Miami Heat are closer to a championship than they think. If they make the Eastern Conference Finals this year, that benefits the New Orleans Pelicans.

How This Miami Heat Run Can Help the New Orleans Pelicans

Recently, I wrote about a draft-night trade idea for New Orleans Pelicans stud defensive guard Jrue Holiday. For as much as Jrue Holiday means to the New Orleans Pelicans franchise and the New Orleans community in general, his fit with this team’s young core has been questionable.

In my deal, I stated that the Miami Heat might realize that they’re closer to the title then they thought and they could turn to the New Orleans Pelicans to make a trade for Jrue Holiday along these lines:

With every playoff win, Miami adds, this ideal trade for the New Orleans Pelicans becomes more likely.

My reasoning is this if the Miami Heat either falls to the Milwaukee Bucks in a hard-fought series or loses to more talented teams like Boston or Toronto in the Eastern Conference FInals, the team might realize they need another star now.

Adding Jrue Holiday to Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo with key contributors like Andre Iguodala and Jae Crowder returning would make the Miami Heat one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. They would instantly become a favorite in the Eastern Conference.

For the New Orleans Pelicans, this is a chance to fill a lot of their roster holes in one move. Tyler Herro is the three-point sniper with upside, Kendrick Nunn who has already fallen out of the Heat’s playoff rotation can be a solid back-up point guard, and Kelly Olynyk can give the team a stretch big they have desperately needed.

Did I mention, the Miami Heat get a lottery pick in this deal and get to keep Duncan Robinson? Also, the New Orleans Pelicans move down in the draft but to a spot where they can still add a wing with upside which is the last hole on their roster.

This move is a win-win move, a rare one in the modern NBA. When I first wrote about it, many readers thought it was unrealistic. No way, the Miami Heat does that deal they thought. Now though, as the Heat begins to rack up playoff wins down in the bubble, the best Jrue Holiday deal on the market becomes more realistic for the New Orleans Pelicans.