With rumors and speculation connecting Victor Oladipo and the Miami Heat over the last two months, it begs the question.
Does the Heat actually view a reunion with Oladipo as a reasonable option?
As the Heat has gone through its offseason order of operations, Oladipo has been scratching and clawing in his efforts to make an NBA comeback. Oladipo, 34, hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since 2023, when he was trying to help Miami knock off the defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics.
Oladipo’s pursuit of a comeback has been well recognized by fans, with many asking — even urging — for an NBA team (make the call, Pat!) to give the veteran guard one more chance.
The Miami Heat-Victor Oladipo Reality Check
Many reports have maintained that the Heat is in the market for a veteran guard, with former Miami guard Gabe Vincent frequently mentioned as the top option. But according to Heat insider Ira Winderman, the Heat doesn’t view any available player out there who can come in and make a difference.
“None, which is not atypical of mid-September, which is why you hold on to your space below your hard cap and see what becomes available,” Winderman wrote, responding to a reader who asked if there was a veteran ballhandler available who could help the Heat. “At the moment, several teams have more players with contract guarantees than standard roster spots. So players will shake free, perhaps sooner rather than later. Such is the advantage of having enough room below the hard cap, that the Heat can be flexible and able to pivot when need be.”
By all accounts, it doesn’t appear that the Heat are truly considering bringing back Oladipo, which obviously hurts his NBA comeback hopes, but Winderman did report earlier that Miami has “monitored” Oladipo, who was granted permission by the team to work out at Kaseya Center this offseason. Winderman also noted that the Heat could add Oladipo’s name to its list of later options to consider.
“Vic has fought the good fight since going down with his knee injury during the Heat’s postseason run to the 2023 NBA Finals,” Winderman wrote in an earlier subscriber-only Q&A. “But with so many to integrate into their way of doing things, with so many newcomers already, adding in another puzzle piece could be one piece too many. That doesn’t mean the Heat also can’t have him on speed dial, just in case.”
Oladipo’s Comeback Hopes Not Looking Too Promising … for Now
The Sacramento Kings were the only other team that had been mentioned as a potential suitor for Oladipo. But the Kings recently made a pair of signings, effectively eliminating them as a potential landing spot for the veteran guard.
Meanwhile, Oladipo has already proven how serious he is about getting another change in the NBA. He is going to hang on tight waiting for a call.
“So that’s where I’m at with everything,” Oladipo wrote in the Players Tribune. “I don’t know how my journey here is going to end……. Maybe a team out there will give me a chance. Maybe no team will. That’s really up to you all. But if you’re in an NBA front office, and you took the time to read this: Thank you from the bottom of my heart. And I can promise you one thing, always, about my basketball story … from the first page to the last. It’s a love story.”
It may have been well over three years since Oladipo’s last NBA game, but he was far from a slouch in his 10-year career. He achieved two All-Star appearances, one All-NBA team and took home the Most Improved Player award in 2018.
Victor Oladipo Gets Major NBA Return News as Miami Heat’s Plans Revealed