The Miami Heat greatly overachieved last year coming one game short of reaching the NBA Finals. The impressive postseason play from Jimmy Butler proved why the team is still in the championship conversation. As long as he remains on the roster the goal will be to contend for a title. The focus of the offseason is currently Tyler Herro’s contract extension. Miami seemingly intends on bringing him back but the 22-year-old is sure to come with a high price tag. This shows that they value him as part of their long-term future and impact the type of additional players they should be targeting.
Tyler Herro will seek a max extension from Miami, per @Anthony_Chiang
“recent history with players of or close to his caliber entering their extension window indicates he may need to instead settle for a four-year extension worth around $25 million per season.” pic.twitter.com/BiY2wTqrzO
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 29, 2022
The team will need to make more moves than just extending Tyler Herro and selecting Nikola Jovic in the draft. Miami will shift its focus toward free agency as they search for its missing pieces. With Jimmy Butler set to turn 33 before next season the window to win is not over forever. The franchise must be sure to capitalize and retool in the short term. One thing is clear though, the Heat should look to add some youth. Here are three names the Heat should be sure to leave off the roster ahead of next season.
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3 players Heat must avoid in 2022 NBA free agency
Patty Mills
Another surprising move at the start of free agency was the news that Patty Mills declined his player option in order to become a free agent. There is a lot to like about Patty Mills game. He averaged 11.4 points, 2.3 assists, and 1.9 rebounds last season with the Nets. He also connected on 40% of his three-point attempts while launching seven three-point attempts per game. Mills was a valuable member of the Nets' rotation last season despite their overall underperformance.
While Mills would not be a bad addition, there are greater needs on the Heat. Miami already possesses multiple players who excel on the offensive end but have notable defensive deficiencies. While Mills may have more defensive ability than Herro or Duncan Robinson, he is far from a lockdown defender. Making this type of addition would be somewhat repetitive on the Heat roster and would not help them take the championship leap. Using the available roster spots for more complete players would be a better move for Miami.
Blake Griffin
A report surfaced earlier today that the Heat may have interest in Blake Griffin. The 33-year-old fell out of the Brooklyn Nets rotation in the postseason last year but still impressed in his limited role. While he deserves credit for reinventing himself as an effective role player, Griffin is not the missing piece of the puzzle for Miami. The charges he draws would be a welcomed addition to Heat culture, but the lack of versatility and shot creation would cause issues.
The Miami Heat could show interest in Blake Griffin, per @SeanDeveney
“‘He made a big, big impression around the league with the way he played against Boston, even though it was just a couple of games,’ the Eastern Conference exec told Heavy.” pic.twitter.com/CGhJIrQaYq
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 29, 2022
During his 56 games with the Nets last year, Griffin averaged 6.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in his 17.1 minutes per game. He was also held out of two of the Nets' four playoff games. Despite being on a Nets team that needed bench production, Griffin was unable to carve out a stable role for himself. The six-time all-star has done a great job making adjustments to his game to extend his career. But even with these changes, he does not have the exact style a contending team would hope for in the role. Focusing on more versatile players who are better at complimenting Miami’s core would be a better use of the roster slot.
Udonis Haslem
The relationship between Udonis Haslem and the Miami Heat clearly runs deep. Haslem has spent the past 19 seasons with the franchise. The 42-year-old has transitioned to more of a mentorship role in his later years. The three-time NBA champ has played a total of just 58 games across the past seven seasons. While there is value in having a mentor on the roster, it is clear Haslem has not made much of an on-court impact. The veteran even ended last season by claiming he wanted to get more playing time next season.
NBA roster spots are incredibly valuable and using one on a player that is unlikely to play is a poor choice. If Haslem wants to stay involved with the Heat organization it would make more sense to shift his role to a full-time coach. The Heat seem to value culture more than any other franchise, but this does not require this type of mentorship level. The same impact can be made from a coaching position and this would allow a new face to come in and make an impact. Miami needs to prioritize using their roster for impactful talent and allowing Haslem to walk would open up another spot.
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