As the Miami Heat venture into the offseason following an injury-riddled 2014-2015 regular season, it’s very clear that this team needs to address its roster depth, among other issues, before the 2015-16 season begins.
Assuming they re-sign their potential starters, who all return healthy before the season starts, here is what Miami’s starting lineup should look like:
If this lineup indeed stays intact, the Heat could do some serious damage in next year’s Eastern Conference playoff picture. However, considering Miami’s health problems throughout the 2014-15 campaign, the team should definitely dive deep into the free agent market this offseason.
Here are five players the Heat should consider adding to their squad this offseason to potentially bolster their roster depth.
1. Ed Davis (Power Forward)
It is no secret to anyone that as a team, the Heat have been pretty bad when it comes to rebounding efficiency. For the previous three seasons, Miami found themselves in dead last at the end of the regular season in terms of team rebounding, and that problem needs to be addressed this offseason.
With center Hassan Whiteside (11.8 points and 10 rebounds per game in 48 contests) and power forward Chris Bosh (21.1 points and seven rebounds per game in 44 contests) expected to be fully healthy by next season, the Heat must address the depth behind their two big men.
Enter Los Angeles Lakers power forward Ed Davis, who played in 79 games (24 starts) for the abysmal 21-61 Lakers team this season. Although the often successful Lakers franchise had their worst season in team history in 2014-15, Davis was a very solid contributor to the team. The 6’10,” 240-pound Davis put up pretty good numbers off the bench for Los Angeles, as he averaged an efficient 8.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in only 23.3 minutes per game.
“Just being somewhere where I feel comfortable with a coaching staff that trusts me and needs me,” said Davis on April 16th regarding his plan for free agency. “I don’t just want to be another guy that they don’t need.”
With Davis planning to opt-out of his current two-year, $2 million contract, the Heat would undoubtedly benefit from signing the big man.
Next: Gerald Green
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2. Gerald Green (Shooting Guard)
In order to compete with the NBA’s elite, the Heat will need someone off the bench that can score in bunches. With the addition of a sniper like Phoenix Suns shooting guard Gerald Green, the Heat would find just that.
Throughout his career, Green continues to improve as a viable three-point shooting threat and will not hesitate in attacking the rim to throw down thunderous slam dunks.
The 6’8,” 210-pound Green was very productive off the bench for the Suns during the 2014-15 campaign, as the shooting guard averaged 11.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.9 three pointers made per game.
During the 2012-13 campaign, Green signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract (all money guaranteed) with the Indiana Pacers. However, on July 27, 2013, the Pacers traded Green, center Miles Plumlee and a future first-round pick to the Suns for power forward Luis Scola.
As Green enters the offseason as an unrestricted free agent, the Heat should definitely contemplate offering the 29-year old a contract to make a serious impact off the bench. As of late, Green and the Suns don’t seem to be on the same page in terms of his role on the team.
“I want to be here but I just don’t know if they want me here,” said Green. “Because if you want somebody, you show them. I didn’t think I was playing that bad and now we’re here.”
Green was also a former teammate of Heat point guard Goran Dragic, as the pair played alongside each other in Phoenix over the past two seasons before Dragic was traded to Miami on February 19th.
Next: Mo Williams
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3. Mo Williams (Point Guard)
Regardless of whether Goran Dragic, who recently decided to opt-out of his current contract, re-signs with the Heat or not, Miami absolutely needs to address their depth at point guard this offseason. A smart option to consider is seasoned veteran Mo Williams, an unrestricted free agent who just finished his 12th NBA season this year after splitting 2014-15 with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Charlotte Hornets.
The 32-year old Williams provides great leadership qualities and continues to be a scoring threat in the NBA, as the point guard averaged 14.2 points and 6.2 assists per game during the 2014-15 campaign.
A masterful performance that stood out last season was when Williams scored a whopping 52 points (19 of 33 from the field and six of 11 from three-point range) to go along with six assists in the Timberwolves’ 110-101 victory over the Pacers on January 13th.
Next: Dorell Wright
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4. Dorell Wright (Small Forward)
Another department where the Heat clearly struggled this past season was in three-point shooting. Miami found themselves statistically in the bottom third of the NBA in terms of three pointers made and three-point shooting percentage as a team.
Enter Dorell Wright. The 6’9″ small forward is a three-point shooting threat that provides solid defense and played for Miami from 2004-10, including two years under current Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra.
Wright has a two-year, $6,135,000 contract with the Portland Trail Blazers that will expire this offseason, and the Heat could probably sign him for a bargain price, considering he fractured his left hand in early April.
Next: Emeka Okafor
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5. Emeka Okafor (Center)
Surprise! Yes, you indeed read the title correctly. Emeka Okafor, the former second overall pick of the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2004 NBA draft, is a center that the Heat could possibly consider this offseason to bolster their depth in the front court.
Okafor, who has not played a game in the NBA in over two full seasons, has reportedly recovered fully from a herniated disc found in his neck back in October 2013. He has drawn interest from the Heat and a handful of other teams last offseason but was never offered a contract.
The big man, who still hasn’t reached the full NBA potential that many people thought would, is still a career double-double machine with averages of 12.3 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. In his last full season in the NBA in 2012-13 with the Washington Wizards, the now 32-year old Okafor averaged 9.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.0 block in 26 minutes per game.
Back in January earlier this year, it was reported by ESPN and multiple sources that Okafor was healthy but decided to not rush back to the NBA mid-season.
Don’t be surprised if Miami offers him a contract to play in the black and red next season, as Okafor can still be a very intelligent, solid center and a mentor for someone like Hassan Whiteside.
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