Getty Joe Ingles defends Jimmy Butler during a playoff bout between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat.
While they took an incredibly unorthodox path getting there, the Miami Heat accomplished their goal of getting out of the Eastern Conference in 2022-23. Despite the improved result, though, Pat Riley and Co. find themselves facing the same difficult circumstances they did last summer.
Specifically, scraping the bottom of the free-agent bargain bin for depth pieces while watching other teams acquire their top trade targets.
Both issues stem from the team’s onerous luxury tax situation; a byproduct of the inordinate amount of big and/or bad contracts Riley has stacked up as he’s attempted to get his team over the championship hump.
That’s not to say, though, that there aren’t quality moves to be made despite the lack of flexibility. For his part, Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale just pitched a potential veteran’s minimum signing that could help shore up some of Miami’s biggest weaknesses.
B/R Floats One of NBA’s Top Long-Range Marksmen as Heat Target
As part of his effort to identify the top free agent targets for each of the NBA‘s 30 teams, Favale landed on veteran wing Joe Ingles as the player to watch for the ballers of Biscayne.
Wrote Favale:
Joe Ingles, though turning 36 in October, fortifies a number of Miami’s widest cracks. He can sponge up reps at either forward spot, shot right around his career average from three last season (40.9%) and arms the offense with another person who can make decisions on the ball in the half-court
The three-point potency is the big prize here. Although the Heat displayed some hot shooting throughout their Cinderella run to the Finals, the larger sample size tells the tale. During the regular season, Miami ranked 27th league-wide with a three-point conversion rate of 34.4%.
And in their last three losses to the Denver Nuggets during the title round, the Heat connected on just 29.5% of their tries from distance.
That Ingles also has a keen passing eye and positional versatility on both sides of the ball is icing on the cake. Opined Favale: “Miami should count itself fortunate if he’s willing to join #HeatCulture for all it can offer.”
In 46 appearances for the Milwaukee Bucks last season, Ingles averaged 6.9 points, 3.3 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 22.7 minutes per game.
Max Strus Listed as Orlando Magic’s Top Target
Favale also mentioned current Heat forward and soon-to-be free agent Max Strus in his latest feature, namechecking the veteran as the top option for the cross-state Orlando Magic. And the Heat’s precarious financial situation garnered a mention as well:
Don’t let Max Strus’ slumping outside clip—35 percent in the regular season, 31.9 percent in the playoffs—fool you. He bends defenses sprinting off screens and doesn’t need a ton of room, time or balance to let ‘er rip.
Luring the 27-year-old away from the Miami Heat will prove costly. They understand his value. They’re also staring the “Supertax” right in the face.
Earlier this week, Yahoo Sports! Jake Fischer reported that Orlando could target Strus, who averaged 11.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per outing for the Heat in ’22-23. He could field offers in the neighborhood of the full midlevel exception on the open market.