Pat Riley aims to bolster a Giannis-led roster by targeting sharpshooters and veteran playmakers. Experience meets necessity as the Miami Heat hunts for backcourt depth on the open market.
MIAMI, Fla. – Ahead of Tuesday’s NBA fully open free agency, the Miami Heat must plan accordingly to fill several voids on the roster. Even with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s acquisition, it takes a well-rounded supporting cast to deliver a championship. The Heat will have five spots available once a rookie-scale contract with second-rounder Ryan Conwell is agreed upon.
Despite battling through financial restrictions following the blockbuster trade, Team President Pat Riley and the rest of the front office will look to attack the veteran minimum market aggressively. According to the Stein Line, the Heat will prioritize free agents Tim Hardaway Jr. and Mike Conley. Both have 10-plus years of experience in the league.
The Heat’s commitment to a duo of Antetokounmpo and three-time All-Star Bam Adebayo means shooting is a necessity – which Hardaway Jr. can easily deliver. Last season with the Denver Nuggets, he averaged 13.5 points on 40.7 percent shooting from behind the arc in 80 games, including six starts.
Hardaway Jr. finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting. He’s primarily a shooting guard, but can play small forward with a 6-5 frame. The 34-year-old was born in California, but grew up in South Florida, as Tim Hardaway Sr. – father and Hall of Famer – played for the Heat from 1996 to 2001. He wore No. 10, which currently hangs in the rafters at the Kaseya Center.
A hometown reunion is looking more possible.
Conley is one of the league’s last archetypes of a pure point guard. Despite averaging career lows across the board this past season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the one-time All-Star remains efficient. The Heat don’t have a true point guard, a void Conley can easily fill.
In a separate report by Miami Herald’s Sports Columnist Barry Jackson, the Heat have other free agent options worth exploring, such as Landry Shamet, Anfernee Simons, and Quentin Grimes. Each has a 35-plus career three-point percentage.
It’s difficult to envision Simons signing a veteran minimum contract at 27 years old. He averaged 14.3 points on 44 percent shooting, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 55 games this past season – split between the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls. Simons is among the league’s most prolific scorers who can play in a starting role or as a reserve.
Coming off a championship run, Shamet could rise above the veteran minimum market. He shot 91.7 percent – making 11 of 12 attempts – from behind the arc in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
A few other free agents that could fit the Heat’s budget are Kelly Oubre Jr., Khris Middleton, Nikola Vucevic, Gabe Vincent, Dean Wade, Jett Howard, Aaron Holiday, and Russell Westbrook, among others.
Plenty of options as free agency will open at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Hardaway Jr. and Conley may be at the top of the Heat's list, but it will take strong pitches to secure them, along with everyone else available.
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Anthony Aguirre is the Miami Heat beat writer for Roundtable Sports. Contact info: [email protected] | 305-987-3290 | Follow on Instagram/X: @AnthonyA_Sports
