Getty Gabe Vincent, Kevin Love and Max Strus of the Miami Heat look on during an NBA Finals loss to the Denver Nuggets.
On the eve of Game 5 of the 2023 NBA Finals, a nonzero number of Miami Heat fans have probably begun thinking about the offseason and the campaign to come. Sure, the Heat have made a living out of defying the odds during their current playoff run, but overcoming a 3-1 deficit against a two-time league MVP is another beast entirely.
Miami’s wild march to the championship round notwithstanding, the club has some clear areas of shortfall on its roster; things that need to be sorted in order to avoid another bumpy ride next season.
As Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz sees it, the biggest hole in need of filling lies at the power forward position. And while the analyst opined that Kevin Love could be brought back as a “low-cost option,” he observed that the baller’s advancing age and inability to play heavy minutes probably preclude him from being the answer there.
Free-agent-to-be Kyle Kuzma, on the other hand, could be a difference-maker for the offensively-challenged Heat.
Kyle Kuzma Floated as Power Forward Target for the Heat
Jimmy Butler‘s offensive potency played a key role in getting the Heat to the Finals. With his overall production dipping slightly to 21.8 PPG and multiple teammates struggling against the Nuggets, though, the team has largely failed to keep pace with Nikola Jokic and Co.
Enter Kuzma, who Swartz sees as a possible catalyst for bigger and better things on that side of the ball:
Kuzma is coming off a career-high 21.1 points per game, giving Miami another go-to option on offense to complement Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. He brings the floor-spacing like Love and should be entering his prime at age 27.
The big hang-up here is the money. If Kuzma opts out of the final year of his current deal, he’ll undoubtedly command a salary in excess of $20 million per annum on the open market. That’s a figure the cash-strapped Heat can’t really pay out.
So, the best (only?) avenue toward bringing the playmaking big man to South Beach is pulling off some kind of trade. And the Heat would likely have to build an asset-laden package in order to get Kuzma’s current squad, the Washington Wizards, to play ball.
Could a Jae Crowder Reunion Be Miami’s Plan B?
Before he landed with the Milwaukee Bucks, there were rumblings that Jae Crowder could return to the team he helped get to the 2020 Finals. And Swartz sees logic in the Heat exploring a renewed partnership again this summer:
A reunion with Crowder should be considered, as the veteran forward was the starter on Miami’s 2020 run to the Finals as well. He started all 21 games that postseason for the Heat, chipping in 12.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and shooting 34.2 percent from three.
It’s worth noting, though, that Crowder is no spring chicken at almost 33, and he was essentially out of Milwaukee’s rotation by the postseason. So while there’s a level of familiarity there — and he would come significantly cheaper than Kuzma — the ex-Heat forward may not be enough of a needle-mover for the Heat at this juncture.