Heat Trade Rumors Tracker: Latest Updates Ahead of NBA Trade Deadline

Hey, nobody's perfect, right?

The Miami Heat are the defending NBA champions and as they sit atop the Eastern Conference, they look like a solid bet to make a run at a repeat. 

With LeBron James and Dwyane Wade running the show to near perfection every night, it's difficult to find a reason to tinker with the lineup in a major way.

Nevertheless, with the NBA trade deadline quickly approaching, even teams as talented and as complete as the Heat will be rumored in potential deals. 

Let's take a look at the latest buzz. 

Timofey Mozgov to the Heat?

UPDATE: Thursday, Feb. 21, at 1:20 p.m. ET by Timothy Rapp

While talk of the Heat making a deal to bring Timofey Mozgov has been rumored, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports doesn't see the deal happening:

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Miami has expressed interest with Denver center Timofey Mozgov, sources tell Y!, but hard to see a path to a deal there.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) February 21, 2013"

---End of update---

While the Heat aren't likely to get involved in a blockbuster deal, Timofey Mozgov is a potential cheap target who could give the Heat some much-needed size, defense and glass-crashing ability.

The 26-year-old center hasn't received much run with the Denver Nuggets this season. In 28 appearances, he has logged just 10.4 minutes per contest.

But if you evaluate him from a per-minute basis, the seven-footer (as of Feb. 4) is averaging an impressive 10.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per 36 minutes, both of which would put him near the very top of the current Miami roster. 

According to Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post, the Heat are intrigued:

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In less than a month, Timofey Mozgov is unlikely to be with the Nuggets. Since the beginning of the year, calls from other NBA teams have come rolling in concerning a trade for Mozgov more than for any other player on the Denver roster, and for two reasons.

The Miami Heat is among several teams believed to be interested in Mozgov.

"

If the Heat don't get what they're looking for from Chris Anderson, Mozgov is capable of filling a similar, complementary-type role on an expiring contract. 

That's the type of under-the-radar move that often pushes an already-contending team over the top for the postseason. 

Dexter Pittman Traded to Grizzlies

UPDATE: Thursday, Feb. 21 at 2:05 p.m. ET by Tim Daniels

Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports reports Pittman has been traded along with a second-round pick to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for a trade exception.

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Heat has agreed to send forward-center Dexter Pittman and a second round pick to the Grizzlies for a trade exception, sources tell Y! Sports

— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) February 21, 2013"

---End of update---

In a shocking, momentous move sure to shake up the entire Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat are looking to move Dexter Pittman.

Okay, okay, so this is neither shocking or momentous. It's pretty boring, in fact. Pittman has only played in four games this season and is averaging 1.5 points and 1.8 rebounds in 3.0 minutes during those appearances.

But that's the buzz surrounding the Heat for now, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports:

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Pacers pushing guard D.J. Augustin. Warriors still trying to unload bench players to get out of luxury tax. Heat offering Dexter Pittman.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) February 21, 2013"

It's not a sexy move, but for Heat fans looking for a little shuffle to the roster, it's something.

Chris Bosh to Be Dealt?

According to Basketball-Reference, the Miami Heat (as of Feb. 4) are 27th in the league in offensive rebounding percentage and 22nd in defensive rebounding percentage. 

They considerably lack a true, crash-the-glass, defensively-focused center down low.

Bosh is an elite offensive player, but his 7.2 rebounds per game and 12.9 rebounding percentage (lowest since his rookie season) aren't exactly lending a helping hand to Miami's biggest weakness. That has caused several pundits—including Sir Charles Barkley—to suggest trading Bosh.

According to sources, however, the Heat aren't even close to being interested in that sort of blockbuster (via ESPN's Marc Stein):

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The Heat, by all accounts, don't even want to hear about that sort of shake-up. No matter how much chatter there is about its lack of size, rebounding woes and defensive slippage, from The Chuckster or otherwise, sources plugged into the league's personnel grapevine say that Miami isn't prepared to part with Chris Bosh, not only bowing to that daunting history but because it's not exactly comfortable from a player-relations perspective to break up a championship-winning trio that famously plotted its move to South Beach in unison in the summer of 2010.

"

"

Said one rival exec with some interest in Bosh: "I think they are committed to him."

"

For now, Heat fans can rest assured that the "Big Three" won't be turning into the "Big Two" anytime soon. 

Biggest Needs

It's probably clear by now as to where the Miami Heat stand.

Thanks to LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, they have the top-ranked effective field-goal percentage in the league and can pretty much put the ball in the hoop whenever they want.

On the other side of the court, however, this team is far from what it was as a title-winning squad in 2011-12. 

During that season, Miami's defensive rating was 100.2. This year, it's up to 104.9. Last year, the Heat forced teams into a turnover percentage of 15.8. This year, that number is down to 14.1.

And we've already discussed the rebounding problems. 

The Heat need to add some physicality. They need to add some size and muscle down low and get back to controlling the paint and the glass on the defensive side the ball.

It's become obvious that was a major focus when they gave both Jarvis Varnado and Chris Anderson—two guys known purely for their defensive and rebounding prowess—a shot in the league. 

Varnado was signed for the rest of the season (although he hasn't played in the last few weeks) and Birdman is on his second 10-day contract.

Nevertheless, neither is a sure thing.

While the Heat haven't been a major focal point of the rumor mill so far, don't be surprised if they continue to be in the market for a cheap big man.