The Miami Heat are not much worse for wear now that LeBron James has left, as the team has signed back Luol Deng and Chris Bosh in free agency and now the team can go after names like Eric Bledsoe, Lance Stephenson or Greg Monroe on the free agent market to help support Dwyane Wade next season.
According to ESPN.com, Deng is signing a contract worth $20 million over two years, while Bosh has signed back with the team on a max deal. The Heat have also brought back Mario Chalmers and center Chris Andersen on deals to join Josh McRoberts and Danny Granger and while LeBron is gone, Miami should still be a solid playoff contender in the east. The team now may go after other free agents, including names like Eric Bledsoe, Lance Stephenson or Greg Monroe if they can fit them under the salary cap.
Bledsoe is getting targeted by his original team in the Phoenix Suns and he is a restricted free agent, while Monroe is also a restricted free agent from the Detroit Pistons. According to ESPN.com, both those players are likely signing back with their old teams, but teams like the Miami Heat and Houston rockets could go after some of those names depending on how the rest of free agency plays out. Deng is a 11 year veteran and is a solid player on both ends of the floor and he gives Miami an athletic forward to have Chris Bosh play off of in the offense.
Deng comes in as one of the best two-way players in the league and now with Bosh playing with Wade and not James, he may return to form after being a 20-10 player for his entire career. The Miami Heat have a solid core to build around now and Deng is a centerpiece of that. The team also traded for Shabazz Napier and while he is not playing with LeBron, he is in a great situation to develop into a solid NBA player and starter.
Deng was one of the top free agents on the market and teams like the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks and Atlanta Hawks were all targeting him alongside Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James in free agency before those players signed. Deng was the biggest name to sign past those superstars and he now is in South Beach to form a new Big 3 for Pat Riley.
Deng was traded earlier this season from the Chicago Bulls to the Cavaliers after the two sides could not work out a long term extension and now he is looking to cash in and he will be able to get another decent deal once this one runs out.
The Lakers were an option for Deng as well, as they like to add some players alongside Kobe Bryant. Bryant has only known one team for his entire NBA career since coming out of high school and the Lakers will be the only team he ever suits up for, as it's likely this will be the last contract he signed depending on how the next couple seasons go. Bryant is coming back from a serious Achilles injury and many in the league have wondered how much longer he will be able to play at a high level.
