The Miami Heat is said to be interested in acquiring a veteran guard, and the team’s options shrunk further after the New York Knicks swiped the 30-year-old John Konchar.
“Konchar decided to accept an offer from the Knicks on Tuesday night instead of awaiting a decision from Miami, which was considering a contract offer,” Heat insider Barry Jackson reported for the Miami Herald. “The Heat told Konchar it would get back to him this week with a decision on whether there would be (an) offer after two conversations between the Heat and Konchar in recent days. Ultimately, there was never a formal Heat offer. Konchar decided late Tuesday (to) join (the NBA) champs instead of waiting on Heat to decide.”
There is still that elephant in the room. The Heat needs a guard, and fans want someone who is exciting and has shown he can do it in a Heat uniform. Many want the team to reunite with free agent guard Victor Oladipo, who has aggressively pursued an NBA comeback after injuries pushed him out of the league.
Miami Heat’s Stance on Victor Oladipo Seems Firm
Jackson had been reporting recently that the Heat could hang tight with its final open roster spot. On Friday, the team insider confirmed that the Heat is in no hurry to fill its final roster opening.
“The Heat plans to keep the 15th roster spot open for a while, in case a needle-moving player becomes available in free agency,” Jackson reported.
That tells Oladipo all he needed to know, at least for now. Not only does the Heat not view Oladipo as a strong candidate for the 15th roster spot, but it also doesn’t believe the former All-Star is that “needle-moving” piece. Of course, no player being considered for the last roster spot is a gamechanger in a traditional sense, but perhaps Miami’s vision is to keep the 15th spot unoccupied for several months to wait and see if someone like Sacramento Kings star Zach LaVine shakes free via a contract buyout.
“The question with LaVine is this: If the Kings are out of contention in February, as expected, would he give up the prorated portion of his $48.9 million salary to take a buyout and join the Heat or another team?” Jackson wrote. “It’s certainly not out of the question, but we’re talking about a sizable chunk of cash. And he also would be giving up his Bird rights. So the odds are against it.”
If a player of LaVine’s ilk does not become available down the line, perhaps the Heat would consider bringing back Oladipo, as team insider Ira Winderman noted that the Heat not considering Oladipo now doesn’t necessarily mean Miami “can’t have him on speed dial, just in case.”
Why Miami Isn’t Sold on Oladipo at This Time
The Heat’s roster has seen so much change over the last three months, with two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo coming over from the Milwaukee Bucks in the biggest trade of the offseason.
The Heat also made a number of free-agent signings and now has some things to figure out ahead of season that promises to bring expectations. As Winderman noted, now may not be the right time to experiment with a familiar face, especially given the time he has been out of the league.
“At a certain point, a team in win-now mode has to draw a valuation line between players who can be developed/reclaimed and those needed to be able to contribute in the moment, without questions of whether they are healthy enough or still skilled enough,” Winderman wrote.
To many, Oladipo, 34, deserves another opportunity in the NBA. The Heat has reportedly “monitored” Oladipo as he has pursued a comeback. Perhaps a surprise team gives him a call before the season starts. Maybe he stays waiting until January or February. A two-time All-Star with over 500 career games under his belt, Oladipo has done more than enough to warrant another chance.
Victor Oladipo Gets Major Miami Heat Reunion News as Star Targets Return