2. Mario Chalmers
When Mario Chalmers re-signed with the Heat for two years last offseason, the entire Heat fan base was shocked.
Chalmers was coming off a terrible NBA Finals performance that saw him get benched during the series against the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. Many expected Miami to allow ‘Rio to walk in free agency, especially after acquiring Napier, but that was not to be.
In hindsight, James’ departure to the Cleveland Cavaliers gave reason for Pat Riley to re-sign the inconsistent Chalmers. It is clear the Heat were trying to keep some sort of stability in the aftermath of LeBron leaving, which gave reason for the re-signing of a player who had been with the franchise his entire professional career.
That was then, this is now—the 29-year-old point guard has an expiring contract worth $4.3 million for the 2015-16 season.
He is an interesting trade piece because of his expiring deal, and because he could conceivably play a key role as a scorer off the bench for many NBA squads. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s a veteran of four NBA Finals series, having won two of them as a starter.
Despite his inefficiency last season—40.3 percent from the field, 29.4 percent from beyond the arc—his experience and veteran savvy will be traits coveted by other teams this offseason.
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