Five Free Agents The Miami Heat Could Be Looking To Target This Offseason

9 Min Read

5. Iman Shumpert, SG, Cleveland Cavaliers

Iman Shumpert, SG, Cleveland Cavaliers

Iman Shumpert enters the 2015 offseason as a restricted free agent. What does this mean? It means the Cavaliers have the right to match any contract offered Shumpert’s way. Considering he’s just 24 years of age and a valuable role player in this league capable of scoring and being a team’s top defender, Cleveland would likely make every effort to retain Shumpert.

The Heat don’t have depth behind Wade. Chalmers remains a valuable asset off the bench in a scoring role, but there aren’t any swingmen on the Heat’s current roster that can play lockdown defense.

It’s an asset that you need to have if you want to be a championship contender in this league. You need a guy capable of matching up with the LeBron’s and Kevin Durant’s of this world.

This is one of the reasons the Heat have struggled this season. At this point of their careers, Wade and Deng are not going to lock down anyone. They can slow down dominant perimeter players, but that’s about the best you can hope for.

Shumpert is a young swingman who has yet to enter the prime of his career. Give him a key spot in the rotation in Miami and he can be a valuable role player on a championship-caliber team.

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D.J. Siddiqi grew up in the heart of South Florida in Broward County. Growing up in South Florida during the late 90's and 2000's, D.J. witnessed the Pat Riley years where the Miami Heat faced off with the New York Knicks all the way to the painful late 2000's seasons where the Heat were a one-man team with Dwyane Wade. D.J. has closely followed the Heat over the past decade-and-a-half, and unfortunately witnessed Game 2 of the 2011 NBA Finals in person when the Dallas Mavericks overcame a 15-point deficit to knock off the Heat. D.J. has writing experience as a columnist with sites such as Bleacher Report and Rant Sports, and he is proud to bring his knowledge of the Heat and the NBA to Heat Nation.