The Miami Heat have continued to play great basketball, but adding a power forward can help boost them into more legitimate contention.
For Miami, this trade has to be viewed as a no-brainer. Thaddeus Young has been rumored to be unhappy with his playing time in Chiacago to this point, which is a shame because he is one of the better reserve players in all of basketball. In fact, Young could be a serviceable starter on a team such as Miami. Young does not need a lot of touches to be successful, so the Heat could continue to feed guys like Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Kendrick Nunn.
Young’s ability on the floor to play both ways is ideal for Miami’s culture and system, not to mention that the Heat would also benefit greatly from his ability to knock down the three ball. Miami has plenty of power forwards on its roster, but none are of Young’s caliber. In addition to his on-floor abilities, Young’s reputation as a great locker room guy will prove vital to a young team trying to win a title.
Thad also comes with a very good contract for the Heat, who could have a hard time bringing in quality free agents due to cap issues. His contract spans through the 2021-2022 season with only $6 million guaranteed in his final year. For a starting-caliber player, Young is as cheap as Miami will be able to find.
If Thad’s time in Chicago is over, it would be a shame, considering how much hype there was around him being signed in the offseason. The biggest piece of this trade for the Bulls would be the Heat’s lottery-protected first round selection in 2020. This pick is likely to be in the mid to high twenties, which still could help the Bulls in a big way, considering that this draft is somewhat deep. For a team that could be stuck in the lottery again, adding a first rounder is never a bad idea.
K.Z. Okpala is the second piece of this trade that the Bulls could benefit from. Okpala has seen almost no NBA time this season, but the 32nd pick in last year’s draft has a good bit of upside. At 6ft 8, Okpala brings shooting, athleticism, and length to a Bulls team in desperate need of help on the wing. I was a fan of Okpala’s in the 2019 Draft and believed that he was worthy of being a first round selection, so Chicago grabbing him here would be in essence having another first round talent on the roster.
Lastly, adding James Johnson to the mix helps balance out salaries and also unloads his contract in the case of Miami. Johnson appears to be on his way out of the NBA soon, and a contending team like Miami does not need close to $16 million in wasted cap space. Although he does have a player option on his deal for next season, it is unlikely that he would decline it and opt for a minimum-level deal elsewhere. Johnson could find a bigger role as a Bull, but he is not a driving factor for Chicago here.