The Miami Heat have been involved in several trade rumors this season but no deals have been made yet. One of their informal questions has now been answered.
Victor Oladipo He chose his $9.4 million option for the 2023-24 NBA season, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
This means a few things for the Miami Heat.
First, it provides Miami with a trading asset if they need it. Perhaps Oladipo’s commercial value isn’t very high right now, given his history of injuries. However, there are many teams who would be open to Oladipo’s exploitation and skill set.
Miami is interested in adding another star this offseason. If they can facilitate the trade, they could put Oladipo in a package for a superstar or ship him to another team in a three-team deal.
When it comes to trades, having Oladipo under contract gives the Heat more options for the season.
If the Heat decide to keep Oladipo, he could be a valuable asset, depending on his health. Injuries have been the unfortunate story for him for about half of his career. Prior to his battle with major knee injuries, Oladipo was an All-Star for the Indiana Pacers.
The Heat took an opportunity on Oladipo. They didn’t get many chances to see Oladipo in action, but they did see flashes of a highly capable player. He will be one of their best defenders on the ball and has occasionally shown his goalscoring ability.
Oladipo’s defensive ability was best in the final postseason showing against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. In the third game of that series, he had four steals and more deflections.
The Miami Heat are hoping that Oladipo can at least retain his defensive ability if he returns for them next season. They’re also hoping he looks like the All-Star who played for the Pacers. As for the Eastern Province champions, they seem comfortable betting on Oladipo and his health.