The Miami Heat have leapt back into the serious contender conversation after acquiring Goran Dragic on Thursday.
The star guard was acquired by Miami on Thursday, with the Heat managing to give up very few key rotation players.
Miami sent Danny Granger, Justin Hamilton, Norris Cole, and Shawne Williams out and received Goran and his younger brother Zoran Dragic from the Suns in a three-team deal that also involved the Pelicans.
Granger has been injured most of these season, Hamilton has been a nonfactor for years, Cole has struggled despite being penciled in as the starter before the season, and Williams is good but certainly won’t be sorely missed.
With Dragic, Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, Chris Bosh, and Hassan Whiteside as their starting five, Miami is all but assured of a playoff position that looked unsure just days ago.
Miami, at 22-30, currently has the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference, tied with the Charlotte Hornets. The Nets, Celtics, Pistons, and Pacers are all within two games.
The trade deadline completely shifted the bottom of the playoff picture. The Hornets were unable to add anyone other than Mo Williams, while the Pacers weren’t able to snag Reggie Jackson.
The Nets (acquiring Thaddeus Young for Kevin Garnett), Celtics (adding Isaiah Thomas for a draft pick) and Pistons (getting Jackson for D.J. Augustin) are definitely favored higher than Charlotte and Indiana for the last spot thanks to the roster upgrades.
But it seems they may all be competing for one spot, with the Heat now considered by many a lock.
Sure, Wade and Bosh have struggled with injuries. But they got time off over the All-Star break, and should be ready for the stretch run. And Dragic is much better than Jackson, Thomas, and Young, and a better point guard than Wade has had at his side for years.
Dragic is an elite ball handler who is also crafty enough to rank second among guards in terms of finishing around the rim in half-court offense. He’s converting 64 percent of his shots. He’s also fourth in total transition points, according to Synergy Sports Tech.
