Ranking Every Miami Heat Free Agency Target: Part 3

A look at who Miami should or shouldn’t look to sign and how they’d fit on the roster moving forward.

Welcome to the final installment of the Miami Heat Free Agency series. In case you missed any of the first two parts, check them out before reading part three. I went over ball-handlers in Part 1 here and wings in Part 2 here. For today’s final piece to the offseason puzzle, I’ll be looking at Frontcourt options. Last season Miami could never find that right player to start alongside Bam until Trevor Ariza did an admirable job on such short notice. The team had to also wait until the buyout acquisition of Dewayne Dedmon to get any semblance of a solid backup after Precious Achiuwa hit the rookie wall at 100 miles an hour.

Frontcourt Options:

Miami will hope not to swing and miss so hard this offseason the same way they did with the Harkless signing last year. I mentioned plenty of options in the previous installment that could fit into the PF spot — but I’ll stick to guys who played the four more throughout their careers. There is still a contingent of Heat fans (including a specific front office member) who say Bam should play the 4, and I don’t necessarily disagree with that assessment. It all depends on the type of 5 you’re getting. You certainly can’t have a big man like Dedmon who isn’t a considerable threat to shoot anymore. It all depends on the player and how much Bam develops his outside game. Without further ado, let’s get into some free agents.

John Collins (RFA, Hawks own Bird Rights)

Age: 24

Fit: 9/10

Reliability: 9/10 (reminder that this is in terms of health)

Attainability: 1/10

Half-Upside/Half-Win-Now Player

Overall Rating: 8.5/10

John Collins is the one player Heat fans want to pair along with Bam for the rest of their careers. A power forward that can play the 5 or even the 3, depending on the lineups. He can shoot from 3 at a respectable percentage on good volume and is also in the same age group as Adebayo. On the surface, it’s the perfect fit. While I think the fit would be pretty good offensively and even somewhat workable defensively, there are some worries. Collins is still prone to get pushed around by stronger players on the defensive and offensive end. You could see how much he struggled with guys like PJ Tucker, Jrue Holiday, and Giannis Antetokounpo. That can be addressed with some offseason core workouts and getting his base much more robust.

There’s also the part of his offense where he tries to do too much. Collins needs to stop trying to post-up guys as much as he does. It’s more than welcome when it’s a mismatch, but there were many moments throughout the playoffs where it was hard to watch. He would settle for a lot of tough mid-range jumpers that he would hit on occasion. I think his face-up game is something he should spend more energy on building. He’s much quicker than PJ Tucker but never once attempted to go into the triple threat position.

I’ve called John Collins the Offensive Version of Aaron Gordon, which can be a bad thing or good depending on how you look at it. Both are players best suited for the PF spot in today’s game. They can try doing more than they’re capable of and are prone to disappearing from time to time. Is John Collins worth the investment you’d have to make to acquire him? That’s the question of his entire Free Agency. For the Atlanta Hawks, it’s a much easier answer considering the timeline, age, and their cap room. For a team like Miami, it’s considerably tougher. Collins will more than likely be out of their price range, and they’d have to think about waiting for an eventual Hawks match that might take up quite a bit of time in Free Agency. That time is precious is Free Agency, and Miami would get left at the altar settling as everyone around them gets cuffed up.

Richaun Holmes (UFA)

Age: 27

Fit: 2/10

Reliability: 7.5/10

Attainability: 5/10

Win-Now Player

Overall Rating: 5/10

Richaun Holmes has always been one of my favorite players in the league, dating back to his early Sixers days. Holmes worked his way through the end of the bench into a solid starting center using his great diving to the rim, energy, and unstoppable push floater. The guy has carved out a role that few saw coming in his Process Sixers days. This role might be a bit tricky to plug into Miami, however. Holmes is very much a traditional center that can get played off the floor by stronger 5s due to being undersized. He’s not quite mobile or enough of a shooting threat to fit into current NBA lineups.

The price Holmes will be looking at getting in his first big Free Agency is not much in the Heat’s window. Unless he were to take another mid-level type of deal to become a backup, this engagement seems very unlikely.

Lauri Markkanen (RFA)

Age: 24

Fit: 4/10

Attainability: 5.5/10

Upside Player

Overall Rating: 2/10

Once thought to be the centerpiece of the Jimmy Butler trade that got him to Minnesota, Lauri has fallen off quite a bit. Having Jim Boylen for a year of his development didn’t do him any favors. His relationship with the Bulls and their fans has been a contentious one at best. He’s looked like a new Finnish version of Andrea Bargnani becoming a 7-foot tall shooting guard. His defense is still mediocre at best while not having much versatility on either end.

You can talk yourself into tapping into that potential seen in his first few seasons, but it would depend on the cost. It won’t be complicated to pry him away from the Bulls, who seem done with his services. I expect him to get scooped up by a rebuilding team looking to grab a player on the cheap to unleash whatever untapped talent remains.

JaMychal Green (PO, UFA if declined)

Age: 31

Fit: 8/10

Reliability: 8.5/10

Attainability: 8/10

Win-Now Player

Overall Rating: 8/10

While JaMychal Green may not be the flashiest name, I think he’s the type of player Miami should look to grab if they use big money (wink Kyle Lowry) elsewhere. Since his last Grizzlies season, he’s been a solid PF and has adapted his style to the modern game while maintaining his toughness reputation. His defense is solid, and he isn’t too bad in space. I’m thinking more big picture with Green as a free agent. I predict the team will invest money in backcourt help and wing versatility, which opens the door for affordable PFs like JaMychal.

The only problem I see is his player option and desire to settle down. He could look to stay on a contender like Denver and sign a long-term deal. If not, Miami should be at his door to fill out the roster.

Jarrett Allen (RFA)

Age: 23

Fit: 3/10

Reliability: 9/10

Attainability: 1/10

Upside Player

Overall Rating: 4/10

While I may be a huge fan of Allen, he’s not the type of big Miami should be looking to acquire. He’s a young player that will get more offered from teams that don’t have a Bam Adebayo at their disposal. Allen is purely a rim running big that has shown great potential as a paint deterrent. Again, this would look a lot different if Bam’s best position was the PF spot, like so many seem to think. There’s also the big RFA in front of his name that’ll likely keep him in Cleveland. Now, maybe there’s a different player you could grab from Cleveland this offseason.

Paul Millsap (UFA)

Age: 36

Fit: 6/10

Reliability: 4.5/10

Attainability: 7/10

Win-Now Player

Overall Rating: 5/10

It wouldn’t be a Miami Heat offseason if there weren’t the possibility of a Paul Millsap signing. However, this season feels a little different than even last year did. The veteran Power Forward is another year older and has taken a step back regarding his shooting and overall role, which is why his fit rating isn’t as high as I would have had it in years past. He won’t be as much of a target by Miami and the rest of the teams looking for frontcourt help. Look for him later on in Free Agency for the mini-mid level or even the vet minimum. Millsap is a depth piece at this point of his career instead of starting PF on a contending team.

Serge Ibaka (PO, UFA if declined)

Age: 32

Fit: 8/10

Reliability: 4/10

Attainability: 4/10

Win-Now Player

Overall Rating: 7/10

Ibaka was a target of the Miami Heat’s last free agency, which left them without a decent PF/C. While Ibaka’s ability as a player that can switch every possession isn’t there anymore, he’s still decent at showing at the level of the screen in drop coverages. His shot-blocking may not be what it used to be, but the threat remains on opposing players’ minds. Serge is the type of Center you can play alongside Bam and even stagger their minutes around each other.

The big worry for Ibaka is his ability to stay on the floor regarding his health. He’s had some lingering issues the past few seasons that could scare teams away. It could also scare Ibaka into picking up his player option. Remaining in LA for 9mil and a possible run at a championship isn’t the worst road to take.

 

For the last time, we’ll be going into some rapid-fire options. This free agency class is shallow at frontcourt (much like the Heat), so the names might get weird from here on out.

Otto Porter Jr: A bargain bin option for the Heat shall they find themselves looking to fill out the roster. While the shooting has stayed, the same can’t be said for his defensive mobility. Porter Jr has lost a considerable amount of his step on that end of the floor, and it’s more than noticeable. Still, not a bad bench piece to add in the PF department for spot minutes.

Daniel Theis: The former Celtics player and Bam equivalent, according to some, makes an intriguing free agent. I don’t expect Miami to look his way much unless he suddenly got better at shooting or took on a bench role for cheap. I expect him to be back in Chicago more than Lauri considering how he played after the Vucevic trade.

Kelly Olynyk: The Maple Man himself will more than likely be out of Miami’s price range as he’s looking to get a payday plus a starting role. The Heat have already been down that road, and it’s unlikely they go there again.

Bobby Portis Jr: Portis’s case is very similar to that of JaMychal Green. It all depends on how the rest of the roster is filled, but he’s not a bad option once everything is clear. There could be quite a market for him, and he could get more lucrative deals elsewhere.

Dewayne Dedmon: I think Dedmon’s showing last season gave the Heat a reason to bring him back on a team-friendly deal. Miami looked hard for a decent backup big after Olynyk left, and they were very fortunate to have acquired Dedmon off the street. I don’t think anyone would mind another season together.

James Johnson: The former Heat player is coming off a decent stint in Minnesota and an uneven season split in Dallas and New Orleans. While he’s still too inconsistent from deep to be considered for a starting role — having him come off the bench isn’t a bad idea. He’ll more than likely only cost the veteran minimum as well. The relationship he had with the organization is more of what would give pause to everyone involved.

PJ Tucker: Tucker is in the same sort of range as James Johnson. They’ve both still got the defense and won’t be asking for too much on the open market. Miami has had interest before, and I wouldn’t put it past them to have some dialogue at the end of Free Agency if he were still available.

Markieff Morris: I’ve seen Markieff’s name pop up a decent amount in terms of targets, and I don’t get the appeal. Morris hasn’t been the shooter his brother is and tends to ball-stop without giving much offense in return. He’s certainly not a starting-caliber player and should get the minimum if he were to join the Heat.

Zach Collins: The other Collins entering restricted free agency suffered a foot fracture yet again a week ago that’ll likely end his tenure in Portland. I don’t see Miami buying low on Collins as he would waste a roster spot for the majority, if not all, of the upcoming season.

Dwight Howard: I’ll let Udonis Haslem answer that.

Hassan Whiteside: I’ll give my thoughts as soon as I stop laughing.

Andre Drummond: See, above.

Khem Birch: I think Khem will get a pretty good haul for himself this summer, considering where he was last season. I don’t think it will be with the Heat, however. If Miami hadn’t seen what it has in Dedmon, this would be a different story.

Mo Wagner: Now we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel. Miami did show interest this past season, but unless he’s German National Team Mo, I don’t see it happening.

Taj Gibson: Gibson plays the most 90s-like out of anyone still in the NBA. He proved to be a decent backup big, but I think he’ll be back in New York much like Dedmon will be with Miami.

Blake Griffin: Eric Reid’s favorite player will look to chase that ring that eluded him this past season. He was on the Heat’s radar as a buyout option but ultimately chose to go to Brooklyn. I expect him to return to the Nets, as I think the Heat’s priorities will be elsewhere on the roster.

Thanks to everyone who read all three parts of this series as Free Agency fast approaches. Hopefully, it’ll be one that’ll set up for a fun 2021-22 season. Let’s enjoy the Finals and immediately start photoshopping players onto Heat jerseys after. As if you ever stopped.

 

For Part 1, click here.

For Part 2, click here.

 

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