NBA Trade Window: 3 players the Miami Heat should trade away

The Miami Heat have been one of the NBA's most inconsistent teams since LeBron James left the franchise back in 2014. Since losing the NBA's best player, the Heat have managed to retain a talented roster, however, they have struggled to find any sort of consistency on the court.

During the 2017/18 season, the Heat reached the postseason for the second time since LeBron left, although the team suffered a comprehensive 4-1 defeat in the first round to the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite this, they entered the season confident that they would be able to compete in a historically weak Eastern Conference.

Nevertheless, the Heat have once again been incredibly inconsistent this year, and have a somewhat disappointing 19-19 record. Thanks to the poor state of the East, the Heat's start to the season has been enough to put them sixth in the standings.

Despite this, there is still room for improvement on the Miami roster, however, the window to make trades is quickly narrowing. With this in mind, we will look at three players that the Heat should consider trading away before the February deadline.

#3 Tyler Johnson

After going undrafted in the 2014 NBA draft, Tyler Johnson eventually landed on the Miami Heat's roster after impressing for the team during the 2014 Summer League. Johnson has successfully proved his doubters wrong during his four years with the Heat, however, the guard is currently signed to an expensive $50 million contract, and next season Johnson will earn close to $20 million.

Johnson continues to contribute well on the court as the 26-year-old is averaging 11.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. However, these figures do not justify his huge deal, and the Heat would do well to move on the guard's hugely overvalued contract.

#2 Wayne Ellington

Wayne Ellington signed with the Miami Heat back in 2016, and he has since spent two years being deployed as a sharpshooter from the bench. In this role, Ellington was able to average at least 10 points per game in his first two seasons in Miami, although the 31-year-old has only appeared in one of the Heat's last ten games.

Ellington has also played in just 20 games for the Heat this season, and he is seemingly out of the team's rotation. Ellington's three-year deal will also expire in the summer, and the lack of available sharpshooters around the league may mean that teams are willing to offer a good package for the veteran.

Ultimately, the Miami Heat have been better without Ellington in the rotation, and the guard still has plenty to offer to a playoff contending team. A trade would suit both parties.

#1 Hassan Whiteside

When Hassan Whiteside entered the 2010 NBA draft, he was not a highly rated prospect. The center had been somewhat impressive while playing college basketball for the Marshall Thundering Herd, but was only taken in the second round by the Sacramento Kings. Whiteside went on to play just 19 games for the Kings, and after a stint in China, he joined the Heat in 2014.

Whiteside has since transformed into one of Miami's best players, and the center has averaged a double-double for four consecutive seasons. Despite this, the 29-year-old's ability to lead the Heat is still questionable, and his role has recently been drastically reduced.

Nevertheless, Whiteside is still averaging a double-double for the season, and he will command interest on the trade market from teams looking for an experienced center. Whiteside still has the potential to become an All-Star, however, if the Heat has no future plans for the center, then they should look for a trade partner this month.