The Miami Heat just finished an extremely disappointing season. The former Eastern Conference champions finished their season by subsequently getting swept by the Milwaukee Bucks in the First Round of the Playoffs.
There have been talks of an entire roster change this offseason. The Miami Heat certainly have the ability to do it. A large number of the roster will be free agents this offseason. These include Victor Oladipo, Trevor Ariza, Gabe Vincent, Udonis Haslem, Max Strus, Dewayne Dedmon, and Nemanja Bjelica.
Oladipo is definitely someone the Heat should try to bring back Oladipo. However, due to his lack of substantial active games and recurring injuries, it should be at an immense discount. If brought back, Oladipo can an immense asset on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball when healthy. His offensive versatility would have been beneficial in a series, such as the one against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Dewayne Dedmon, like Jae Crowder the season before, was a welcome and underrated piece to a Miami Heat team in need of support. Dedmon, while not elite by any means, provided crucial support when it came to grabbing rebounds and defending the paint against defenders.
It should not have to be explained why Udonis Haslem has to stay a part of this Miami Heat roster in some capacity. Haslem is a three time NBA champion and has been a staple of this Heat team for 19 seasons. Admittedly, his time of being a dominating power forward on the court may be far behind him , he can still effectively dominate as an influential and respected member of the locker room. He has been an immense role model and teacher to young stars like Bam Adebayo and Precious Achiuwa. Haslme being on the roster is crucial to maintaining that distinguished Heat championship culture.
Duncan Robinson and Kendrick Nunn are two players the Heat should also try to bring back if possible. They are both restricted free agents so the Heat will be able to match any offers made by another team if necessary. Robinson is an elite perimeter shooter, being the owner of various 3- point records, including being the fastest player to reach 500 3-pointers in NBA History.
Kendrick Nunn is a young and extremely talented point guard. With Goran Dragic aging and having the opportunity to opt out of his contract this season, Nunn has the opportunity to be the team's go to Point Guard, whether that be in the starting lineup or on the bench. There have been countless games where he has shown the ability to take over, such as in a game against the Bucks where he scored 31 points.
Quite possibly the most esteemed free agent this offseason is Kawhi Leonard. Leonard has the ability to opt out of his contract and with the Clippers possibly being eliminated by the Mavericks, it would not be a surprise if he did. Kawhi Leonard joined the Clippers alongside Paul George in 2019. Since then, the Clippers blew a 3-1 lead against the Denver Nuggets and are currently trying to hold off a voracious Dallas Mavericks team in the First Round of the Playoffs. If the Clippers lose this series, it is almost certain Leonard will take his talents somewhere else.
If the Heat were to pick up Leonard, he would be a tremendous asset. Kawhi Leonard is easily a top ten player in the league and he would be on a team that puts winning and hard work above anything else. He would also be in the presence of championship culture. Leonard would also be teamed up with the co-star he originally wanted, Jimmy Butler.
The Miami Heat have an abundance of options come this offseason where they can possibly rebuild their team to championship caliber form.
