The Miami Heat are entering a crucial offseason. They are hoping to build on their red-hot second half of the season, and armed with a plethora of cap space thanks to Chris Bosh's contract coming off the books, they can add a quality player or two to improve their roster. However, if the make the wrong decisions on who they spend their money on, it could set their rebuild back several years. Here are three players the Heat should avoid on the open market:
3) SF Otto Porter Jr.
Porter is a restricted free agent, but has plenty of interest because of his production, experience and age - he turned 24 years old. He is coming off a year in which he posted career highs in nearly every category including field goal percentage (51.6 percent) and three-point percentage (43.4 percent). However, because he's a restricted free agent, it's going to take a max deal (or close to it) for the Wizards to not match a deal. That would be an insanely waste of cap space for a Miami team that would need him to be a go-to guy - which he isn't.
2) PF Blake Griffin
Griffin is reportedly considering the Heat this offseason, and Miami has reciprocated that interest. Adding a player of Griffin's caliber would be smart for the Heat, but there are a couple of drawbacks. Griffin's lengthy injury history is certainly a major risk, but I would also question his fit. Miami is in real need of superstars to make them a championship contender again, and giving Griffin a max deal wouldn't leave them enough space to add another player of that caliber. Griffin is more of a No. 2 offensive option than a No. 1, and Miami would be better off giving that money to a proven No. 1.
1) PF Paul Millsap
Paul Millsap declined his player option to enter free agency, but planned to re-sign with the Atlanta Hawks. However, with the Hawks trading Dwight Howard, it appears that they're ready to start a rebuild. As such, Millsap is expected to look elsewhere on the open market, and he has the perfect skill set to be a stretch four next to Hassan Whiteside.
Millsap would certainly help the Heat next year, but giving a max deal (that's likely what it'll take to sign him) to a 32-year-old who will be entering the downside of his career very soon would be a big mistake.
Follow our Miami Heat team page for all the latest Heat rumors!
Back to the Miami Heat Newsfeed