With the NBA trade deadline approaching, the Miami Heat reportedly want to be sellers. Heat players on the trade block are said to include Luol Deng, Norris Cole, Chris Andersen and Danny Granger.
Heat president Pat Riley wants to acquire more assets heading into the offseason, and he's supposedly made a number of players on his roster available. Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler reported Tuesday that Riley is "sniffing around for deals" and hoping to get something done before Thursday's trade deadline.
Per Kyler:
"You can lump the HEAT into the trade deadline seller category. They would move swingman Luol Deng and they have had guard Norris Cole on the market for most of the season. Neither player looks to return much value, but the HEAT are sniffing around for deals. Veteran big man Chris Andersen has become expendable with the emergence of Hassan Whiteside, so you can lump him into the player pool of available guys from the HEAT roster. Danny Granger has been mentioned as well.
"The HEAT don't have a "blow your skirt up" package of assets, but they do have interest in making a deal, so as teams get a little more desperate to deal, Miami is at the table. They just may not have anything anyone wants."
Deng was mentioned in trade rumors earlier this season, and Cole reportedly came close to being traded to the Detroit Pistons a few weeks ago. In addition to Cole and Andersen, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald named Josh McRoberts as another Heat player likely being shopped.
In terms of Miami's possible wish list, the team has been linked to Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez and Denver Nuggets guards Arron Afflalo and Jameer Nelson. As mentioned, though, Miami's lack of valuable assets make it unlikely they land a star before Thursday.
