The Miami Heat endured an inconsistent 2022-23 regular season. They narrowly made the playoffs as a No. 8 seed, but turned on the jets in the postseason. Miami battled their way through the Eastern Conference playoffs before being defeated by the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals. Nevertheless, the future is bright for the Jimmy Butler-led Heat.
So far during the 2023 offseason, Miami has made a few intriguing moves. However, the Heat haven't done anything to drastically improve the roster. They have been tied to Damian Lillard, who reportedly wants to be traded to Miami though. Pulling off a trade to acquire Lillard would obviously be impactful. That said, the Heat still need to focus on rounding out their entire roster.
Without further ado, here is one bargain-bin free agent still worth targeting for the Heat in NBA free agency.
Heat free agency target: Bismack Biyombo
The Heat need help in the post. Bam Adebayo is a terrific player but the team doesn't feature much depth around him. Signing a big man like Bismack Biyombo would prove to be pivotal for the Heat.
He stands just 6'8 but has an impressive 7'6 wingspan. His length and athleticism should catch the attention of Miami, a team that needs improved rebounding and defense-in-the-post prowess. He also isn't a liability on offense and features the ability to finish at the rim.
The 30-year old has been in the league since 2011 and is an established veteran. He's spent the past two seasons with the Phoenix Suns, appearing in 61 games this past year with Phoenix. During the 2022-23 campaign, Biyombo averaged 4.3 points per game on 57.8 percent field goal shooting. He added 4.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per contest despite seeing just 14.3 minutes per game. In other words, Biyombo made every single minute he was on the floor count.
For his career, he's averaged 1.3 blocks and 5.9 rebounds per game. Regardless of how much scoring output he provides, the Heat will be content with everything else he brings to the table.
Miami's contract situation, roster depth
Bismack Biyombo would also come at a very reasonable price. If the Heat end up trading for Damian Lillard, they will need to find cheap veteran free agents to build around their Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Lillard-led trio. Adding a player like Biyombo at a reasonable price makes sense.
From a roster depth standpoint, Adebayo is obviously their primary big man. However, they lost Cody Zeller in free agency. Miami was able to add Thomas Bryant, per ESPN. Still, depth in the post is of the utmost importance.
The Heat ranked just 27th in rebounds per game this past year with a mark of 40.6 per contest. That number simply won't get the job done again. It was a major reason why Miami dealt with so many ups and downs throughout the regular season. Biyombo's rim protecting prowess is even more important when you remember that Miami was last in the league in blocked shots per game with a mark of 3.0.
Whether it's Biyombo or someone else, the Heat must look into signing another big man or two. They don't need to sign a star in the post amid Adebayo's presence, but a player like Biyombo would change the entire dynamic of the second unit.
It will be interesting to monitor the Heat's offseason moving forward as Lillard rumors continue to swirl.
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