Oct 23, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat president Pat Riley addresses the crowd during the Pat Riley Court dedication ceremony at halftime at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

If the Miami Heat hope to compete for a title in the loaded Eastern Conference, acquiring a star prior to the trade deadline is seemingly mandatory.

Ideally, team president Pat Riley and the front office find a star ready to contend alongside the age-35 Jimmy Butler while also being youthful enough to continue with the next-generation Heat roster.

Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young fits this criteria to near perfection. He's 26 years old with an Eastern Conference Finals appearance under his belt. This is why Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes pitched the $215 million guard as the dream target for the Heat.

"A Miami Heat team with bottom-10 offensive ratings in each of the last two years could use a singular shot-generating force more than most. That's Young's specialty," Hughes wrote. "...He'd make sense as either a running mate for Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo or as the central figure of the team's next era."

Young is averaging 27 points and 11.7 assists on 41.4 percent shooting through seven appearances this season. With this level of play, Atlanta's front office could demand a strong package from the Heat.

"The appeal of Young commandeering the offense while Adebayo holds things down on the other end is strong, and the Heat should consider a big acquisition like this if it's clear Butler's time as a focal point is over," Hughes concluded.

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