When the Heat signed Luol Deng this offseason, Pat Riley lauded the move as "one of the most important free agent signings that we have ever had in the history of the franchise." Though that's clear hyperbole, acquiring Deng was a smart move: he filled an obvious position of need, he's an excellent defender, and is also a versatile scorer. Riley was able to get Deng on the cheap, too; after turning down a $30 million extension from the Bulls in January, Deng agreed to a 2 year, roughly $20 million deal with Miami in free agency.

Will Deng, however, be with the Heat for the duration of his contract? Interestingly, Deng's deal contains a player option following the 2014-15 season, which could allow him to become a free agent next summer. As Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler noted in a recent column, Deng may be inclined to test free agency in 2015 if he can outplay his contract during the forthcoming season. Deng will turn 30 years old next year, and might try to "cash in" on what could be his last significant earning opportunity.

From the Heat's perspective, Deng's ability to opt out in 2015 could be problematic for their plans to retool the roster in 2016 free agency. If Deng declines his player option, the Heat could not offer a multi-year deal for his replacement without compromising their 2016 cap space. And even if the Heat could secure another one-year rental, it's unlikely they'd be able to find another small forward of Deng's caliber; some of the top players at that position likely to hit the open market are DeMarre Carroll, Mike Dunleavy, and Corey Brewer.

Therefore, if the Heat believe Deng will become a free agent after next season, it might make sense for them to explore trading him for a player with two years remaining on his contract. Such a move would allow the Heat to retain their 2016 flexibility while also fielding a competitive roster for the 2015-16 season.

The Heat made a similar trade five years ago, when they traded Shawn Marion (whose contract expired in 2009) to the Raptors for Jermaine O'Neal, who had an extra year remaining on his deal. When O'Neal's $23 million salary came off the books after 2009-10 season, it helped the Heat achieve the necessary cap room to sign Lebron James and Chris Bosh.

If the Heat were to consider a similar deal this time around, one player that comes to mind would be Al Horford of the Atlanta Hawks. Horford is owed $24 million through 2016, and a Deng-for-Horford swap might make sense for both teams. Horford, who missed most of last season due to injury, has previously been the subject of trade rumors, and it's not clear yet whether he'd be a good fit in Mike Budenholzer's three-heavy, space-oriented offense. Deng would be a better match for that system, and the Hawks tried to sign Deng this offseason.

For the Heat, they'd be able to field a Horford-Chris Bosh frontline, which would be amongst the most talented in the league. Pat Riley's affinity for big men can't be overstated here; he coached Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with the Lakers, Patrick Ewing with the Knicks, and acquired Alonzo Mourning and Shaquille O'Neal as president of the Heat. Even during Year 1 of the "Big Three" era, Riley stacked the roster with a small army of veteran centers (the immortal quartet of Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Erick Dampier, Joel Anthony, and Jamaal Magloire).

Erik Spoelstra mercifully put an end to playing those types during the 2011-12 playoffs, but even then, Riley never gave up on trying to find the Heat's next reliable big man, hoping for the development of Dexter Pittman and taking flyers on reclamation projects Eddy Curry and Greg Oden. Small-ball worked wonders for the Heat, but now that Lebron's gone, it would not be surprising to see the team move back towards more conventional lineups. Trading for Horford would accomplish that, and seemingly resolve many of the size and rebounding issues the Heat have faced for the last four years.

Of course, there are a number of contingencies that would need to be worked out before such a trade could even be on the table. (For one, because Deng is a new signee, he cannot be traded until December 15, even though a Deng-for-Horford trade would ultimately work under the salary cap). Still, given Deng's player option, the Heat's stated desire to be players in 2016, and their previous history in the Marion/O'Neal trade, it's an interesting hypothetical to consider during the dog days of August. Deng will start the year for the Heat, and I think he'll be a great fit, but this might something worth revisiting as the season goes on.