The Miami Heat is one of the most improved teams of the offseason, largely thanks to their addition of two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Although Antetokounmpo alone can put Miami on the contender radar, the Heat did its due diligence in putting the pieces around Antetokounmpo this summer, including Klay Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr., two elite 3-point shooters. But will that be enough?
“Adding Thompson, one of the best shooters in NBA history, was a huge boost, but the Heat can still use another scorer, more shooting and another playmaker to help space the floor and make things easier for Antetokounmpo and (Bam) Adebayo,” ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk wrote. “Also, how will the Heat offense operate with the two defensive pillars? Coach Erik Spoelstra says adapting the offense will be made easier due to Antetokounmpo and Adebayo’s competitiveness and desire to win. But it remains to be seen whether the Heat have enough shooting and scoring. If anyone can figure out the new puzzle in Miami, it will be Spoelstra.
The Sneaky Move the Miami Heat Could (Should?) Make
Thompson will likely do the Heat plenty of favors on the court next season, but he has already made his first assist off it. Thompson, the 36-year-old, five-time All-Star, took less money than he could have made to help the Heat preserve flexibility to add two more players on minimum contracts. The Heat has already added one since then — veteran big man Nick Richards, who split last season in Phoenix and Chicago — and could be inching toward the next.
With one more roster spot available, one player the Heat could target is veteran wing Bruce Brown. According to NBA insider Brett Siegel, Brown would make a strong addition to the Heat’s bench.
“This late in free agency, Brown will be getting a minimum contract or training camp deal with a team,” Siegel wrote for ClutchPoints. “He would be an excellent addition to the end of Miami’s bench.”
Brown, who has amassed roughly $63 million in salary over his career, is one of the best remaining free agents on the market. The 30-year-old is said to be on other teams’ radar, including the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks.
Would Brown Fit in Miami?
The Heat can hand out one more minimum contract, and Brown appears to be in the market for one. Miami also has interest in adding a veteran guard, according to recent reports, and Brown surely fits that category. Plus, he is a proven playoff contributor, helping the Denver Nuggets march to the 2023 NBA championship, and a capable catch-and-shoot 3-point shooter.
“… (Brown) is a utility-knife player in the sense that he does a little bit of everything,” Siegel wrote. “This is the role he held with the Denver Nuggets and ended up being a key contributor on their 2023 championship team. Brown spent two years playing in Coral Gables at Miami before being drafted in 2018, and he is the type of do-it-all player who can thrive alongside superstars on a contending team by being the connector on offense and defense for his team. What makes him so impactful is all the little things he does, like making the extra pass or diving on the ground for loose balls.”
Brown appeared in all 82 regular season games for the Nuggets last season and shot nearly 39 percent from the 3-point line. Brown is expected to land with a contending-team this offseason.
Miami Heat Urged to Land Giannis $63M ‘Key Contributor’ From Recent Title Team