NBA Trade Rumors: Pat Riley looks to shake things up; Dragic open to being traded

The Miami Heat hasn't been playing well this season and the team is currently 11 games under 500. That's the third worse record in the Eastern Conference. Goran Dragic's name has been mentioned in trade rumors, and surprisingly, Hassan Whiteside's name has been popping up as well lately. The future looks bleak right now, but will the Heat blow up its roster and rebuild from scratch?

In an interview with WQAM's Joe Rose (via FOX Sports), Heat president Pat Riley talked about how the team would rebuild quickly and build the team around their young core of players. He talked specifically of what Tyler Johnson, Hassan Whiteside, Justise Winslow, and Josh Richardson could bring to the team.

But before anyone assumes that these players were untouchable, Riley also noted that the team shouldn't be afraid to trade players if needed. "You can't get paralyzed by the cap or not being able to make room and being able to trade players," he stated.

Meanwhile, Chris Mannix of The Vertical has reported that Dragic is open to a trade. Apparently, the Heat has also explored some trade options early in the season. "An early season swap with Sacramento for Rudy Gay fell apart when the Heat sought Darren Collison, sources said, and teams that have probed Miami about Dragic have found the Heat open to offers," Mannix stated.

On the other hand, Whiteside is the one player the Heat wants to keep. He wants to win and the team definitely loves his attitude. Riley has even hinted that he may be the franchise player that they are looking for, however, he will have to be more consistent. Despite his shot blocking skills, the Heat is actually better defensively when Whiteside is off the floor.

Can Riley rebuild the Heat and make them a contender once again after losing Dwayne Wade (to the Bulls) and Chris Bosh (blood clots)?