The Miami Heat are back to back NBA champions and after defeating the San Antonio Spurs in the finals to take the title, the team is still looking to retool and remake the roster for another run and some low-level free agent options include DeJuan Blair, Drew Gooden and Tyrus Thomas.
The Heat are well-positioned for a big run in free agency in 2014 when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh can become free agents, but that is still a long way away and the team has another championship to defend before even asking those questions. Over the past three years the team has done an excellent job of adding veterans, low-level players and bench stars to help play crucial minutes and this offseason they could do the same with some of those names. The team has some more room to navigate with after releasing Mike Miller and Pat Riley already decided to bring back Chris Birdman Andersen, a fan favorite in South Florida.
Miller was waived so that the team did not have as high a tax bill and while some in the organization disagreed with the move, Miller said that he understood it was a business decision. Miller was a key part of the first wave of players that signed with the Heat after the big three and he was an integral part to their championship runs over the past three years. The Heat still owe Miller $12.8 million over the next two years after he signed in 2010, but now they can save about $17 million on their luxury tax, something ownership wanted to do.
Miller has interest from a number of teams, including the Nuggets, Grizzlies, Rockets and Thunder and now that the Heat have taken his salary off the books, they have more room to sign players. Gooden would be a solid option for the team, as he is a veteran with playoffs experience and he likely would come cheap after being released with the amnesty clause from the Milwaukee Bucks, who have went through a big makeover after losing Monta Ellis.
The Bucks released Gooden with two years and $13.36 million on his original five-year contract that he signed in 2010 and he could be a good option down low for the team, an area they lacked depth in last season. Gooden has career averages of 11.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, but last season he was a disappointment, averaging 3.3 points and 1.9 rebounds in just 16 games. The Heat ranked 30th in rebounding last season and adding someone like Gooden or Brendan Wright could help improve those numbers. Blair could be an option, but since the Spurs gave him a qualifying offer, a sign and trade is the only way and that could get too complicated.
Wright had interest earlier in the offseason from Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks and so far he has yet to sign. UPDATE: He signed back with the Mavericks. The Mavericks expressed interest in keeping him, but it is likely that the 25-year-old will play elsewhere next season. Wright showed flashes of brilliance last season while averaging 11.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 24 minutes per game over the final 23 games of the season and those numbers could be something to contribute to the Heat. Tyrus Thomas could also be an option for the team, as he would likely come cheap after being released by the Bobcats and he could add more depth to the roster as well.
