The Miami Heat still need to add more shooting to their rotation. That’s the reality Pat Riley must face up to as he builds around the skill set of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Over the past few weeks, rumors linking the Heat with Klay Thompson have been rife. However, there are other shooters who can make an impact and are currently available on the free agency market.
One of those shooters is Kevin Love. The veteran forward is currently an unrestricted free agent after leaving the Utah Jazz at the end of last season. Love, 37, suited up for 37 games in Utah, shooting 37.3% from deep.
According to Tom Dierberger and Liam McKeone of Sports Illustrated, Love’s most likely landing spot will be a return to Miami.
“His complete willingness to embrace being an end-of-bench locker room voice in Utah means he can still offer something of value to interested teams. Chemistry is a key component of professional sports,” Dierberger and McKeone wrote. “The 76ers seem like an obvious fit in that regard but despite Love’s interest, Philadelphia would have to clear a roster spot to bring him aboard. Nevertheless, Love should wind up on a roster for next season if he wants. Every team can use a good locker room guy.”
They continued.
“Prediction: Love signs with the Heat for the veteran minimum.”
Love would be a solid veteran addition to Erik Spoelstra’s roster. He wouldn’t command a significant amount of playing time. However, he could provide help on the defensive glass and space the floor when called upon.
If we know one thing about building around Giannis, it’s that the more shooters you have, the better.
Klay Thompson Remains Preferred Choice For Heat
According to Marc Stein, speaking via a recent appearance on the DLLS Mavs podcast, the Heat remain ‘desperate’ to acquire Thompson.
“Really, all we know is Miami is desperate for Klay Thompson,” Stein said. “But they want to sign him as a free agent.”
In order for Miami to acquire Thompson as a free agent, he would first need to reach a buyout agreement with the Dallas Mavericks. However, as Stein noted, Dallas would prefer to part ways with Thompson via trade.
“To this point, the Mavs’ position has not changed,” Stein said. “They would prefer to trade him rather than buy him out.”
As such, Miami may need to wait until the trade deadline to see whether Thompson shakes loose. Otherwise, Riley will need to pick up the phone and try to put together a trade package for Thompson.
Klay Thompson Would Make Sense For The Heat
Thompson, 36, is one of the better sharpshooters in the NBA. Even at this point in his career, where some of his burst has faded, he can still light it up from deep. This past season, Thompson shot 38.3% from three-point range on 7.6 attempts per game.
Furthermore, Thompson knows what it takes to win a championship, having won four of them with the Golden State Warriors. He’s the sort of veteran talent Giannis would love to play alongside. For Thompson, Giannis’ gravity and downhill playmaking would only make his life easier when shooting off the catch.
The Heat and Thompson make perfect sense for each other’s short-term goals. Finding a way to get a deal over the line will prove difficult, though.
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