5 free agency destinations for Festus Ezeli

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November 9, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors center Festus Ezeli (31) during the second quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Pistons 109-95. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

2. player. 110. . East. Southeast. Miami Heat

Don’t look now, but the 2016-17 Miami Heat could look drastically different from the team vying for a deep Eastern Conference Playoffs run this spring. Shooting guard Dwyane Wade, small forward Luol Deng, and center Hassan Whiteside all hit NBA free agency.

While Miami will still have point guard Goran Dragic and wing Justise Winslow next season, there are no guarantees for what power forward Chris Bosh will bring to the table in 2016-17. He’s had his last two NBA seasons cut short by scary blood clots. His Hall of Fame worthy career may unfortunately be in jeopardy.

Given that Miami is one of the most marquee free agency destinations in the NBA for several reasons (mostly Pat Riley and South Beach at this juncture), the Heat will absolutely get someone of value this summer that can help their team be competitive in 2016-17 and beyond.

One player that could aid in the Heat sustaining relevancy in the East is Ezeli currently on Golden State. Erik Spoelstra is a strong defensive-minded head coach and Ezeli could be a piece that helps make up for Whiteside and Chris Andersen down low defensively in the aggregate.

While Ezeli isn’t starting material on most NBA rosters, keep in mind that the Heat have had to start Amar’e Stoudemire who is WAY past his Phoenix Suns prime now that Bosh isn’t able to go because of his health concerns. If Ezeli chooses to leave Golden State, it’s hard to beat what the Heat can potentially offer him in terms of role, pay, and atmosphere.

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