While this should please Heat fans, the chances of finding point guard Goran Dragic in Miami, after the team brought in Josh Richardson this summer, are still pretty slim.
In fact, if Miami abandons plans to sign a developmental player with the 14th and possibly final spot on the roster, it’s more likely they’ll turn to the former guard points star John Wall in another round against Dragic.
That’s according to longtime Heat Beat writer Ira Winderman, who responded to a question on the topic of Dragic by dramatically pointing out that Dragic is a 37-year-old point guard and that the Heat already have a People.
“For now, it appears that Josh Richardson will serve as the point guard behind Kyle Lowry,” Winderman wrote.
“And if Kyle doesn’t start, I’m not sure a team can have both a pair of 37-year-old point guards in Lowry and Dragic.
Now, if Lowry is dealt, that changes the calculus.
So your hopes may lie in the waiting game rather than moving to Goran at short notice.
Even then, if the Heat are looking for experience, John Wall is there.
Wall would be an interesting, if somewhat odd, fit for the Heat.
He is a very good ball handler who has long relied on his speed to dictate his game, but has struggled to regain form since Achilles tendon surgery in 2019.
Wall has missed two of the past four seasons completely, playing 40 games for Houston in 2020-21, then playing 34 games with the Clippers last year.
He’s averaging 11.
4 points and 5.
4 assists in 22.
2 minutes, showing he still has some upside as a point guard, but he’s a Poor shooting (30.
3% from the 3-point line) and a poor defender, making him a tough choice for a Heat team that emphasizes versatility.
Wall was cut by the Clippers at the trade deadline, as part of the Eric Gordon deal, and no one picked him up.
Dragic could come in if the Heat reach a deal with Lowry, but Miami isn’t looking to get rid of Lowry just for the sake of getting rid of him – that would cost the team draft assets and/or a player young.
If there is a star player brought in that fits the current team and Lowry is needed to match the salary, that would pave the way for a deal.
But this scenario has not yet appeared.
Expect the Heat to continue moving forward over the next two weeks.
They have three two-way players on hand (Dru Smith, Jamal Cain and R.J.
Hampton), and those will likely remain intact.
The five guys on Exhibit 10 contracts – Cheick Diallo, Justin Champagnie, Alondes Williams, Drew Peterson and Cole Swider – are fighting for the 14th spot on the list.
It’s unclear what the Heat will be looking for at the position, but the type of shooter who could replace Max Strus is a good option, which would point towards either Peterson or Swider.
If the team is looking for physicality on the wing, Champagnie or Williams would be the man for you.
If it was a high-energy shot block from a more refined big player, it would be Diallo.
That doesn’t mean the Heat won’t look for other veteran players like Dragic or Wall, but if they do, it could mean another new injury or issue has arisen.