NBA fans might be interested in finding out the conditional approach that the Miami Heat are planning to engage in and acquire Kelly Oubre Jr. As most of us already know, this long NBA offseason has been filled with trade discussions and rumors regarding Damian Lillard leaving the Portland Trail Blazers and joining the Miami Heat.
Although most trade talks seem to have come to a standstill at the moment, the majority of the basketball community remains convinced that it is only a matter of time before the team decides to move on from Lillard. After all, keeping an unhappy superstar on a team with young players is a recipe for disaster.
Coming back to the Miami Heat, they have made plans regarding trading for Kelly Oubre Jr. under the assumption that they are able to get Damian Lillard. Since this certainly has the chance to confuse fans who fail to see the connection between both moves, we should take a closer look and find out more.
How will Kelly Oubre Jr. fit into the Miami Heat roster along with Damian Lillard?
Since Kelly Oubre Jr. is currently playing for the Charlotte Hornets, he has not been given a lot of attention from the media in recent times. This is quite sad considering that he is coming off one of the best seasons of his career with the Hornets. This year, Oubre averaged 20.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. He is best known by fans for his incredible athleticism and jumping abilities.
According to recent reports from NBA correspondent Marc Stein, the Heat are planning to acquire Kelly Oubre Jr. under the presumption that they will be able to get Damian Lillard. While this might be a case of counting chickens before they hatch, the Heat is thinking about the future with this decision.
We all know that the Heat will have to give up a lot in order to acquire Damian Lillard. Therefore, they will still need some depth if they wish to remain as contenders. This is where Oubre comes in. Unlike many of the prominent stars in the league, Kelly is on a much lesser 2-year and $24.6 million deal.
The Heat are expected to sign Kelly Oubre Jr. after a trade for Damian Lillard (@TheSteinLine). pic.twitter.com/lgVGdqZ8FQ
— Vice City Alerts (@ViceCityAlerts) September 11, 2023
Considering that he is averaging more than 20 points per game, this would be an absolute steal for the Miami Heat. By including him in their roster, the Heat wouldn’t have to rely solely on Caleb Martin or Duncan Robinson for some additional firepower.
The Heat are expected to sign Kelly Oubre Jr. after a trade for Damian Lillard (@TheSteinLine). pic.twitter.com/lgVGdqZ8FQ
— Vice City Alerts (@ViceCityAlerts) September 11, 2023
Oubre has already proven himself to be significantly better than those players last season in terms of numbers. After all, Martin and Robinson averaged around 9 and 6 points respectively for the Heat last season. Therefore, it is quite possible for Kelly Oubre Jr. to take some of their playing minutes under the assumption that the Heat will be able to get Damian Lillard in the near future.
