2016 NBA Free Agency: 1 move every team needs to make to be contenders

Miami Heat

Miami may need to figure out time travel to make this Free Agency moratorium work. They want to take a meeting with Kevin Durant in the hopes Pat Riley can woo Durant in the same way it worked on LeBron James in 2010. But at the same time, they have to retain one of the centers in free agent class in Hassan Whiteside and don’t have the bird rights to make it work. Whiteside could be signed with a team like the Lakers well before Riley is even able to meet with Durant.
And on top of all of that, the two remaining pieces of Riley’s last big three are in question. Chris Bosh is still questionable to return due to health issues and blood thinner medications. And Dwayne Wade isn’t ready to take a discount anymore, he wants max money and he’s reportedly ready to look elsewhere. There’s a scenario where all four of these players don’t play in Miami next year, and for Riley, that has to be a bit frightening.

So how can Riley work his ring magic? Don’t go for Durant or Wade, go for DeMar DeRozan (and Whiteside). Riley knows that the NBA moves fast, and he needs to be prepared to move on from Wade and build the next big three in Miami. DeMar DeRozan has had some questionable outcomes in the playoffs, but he is still one of the best up and coming drive-and-kick player in the league and his legs are more reliable than Wade at this point. He’s the best Wade replacement that Miami can get, outside a long shot at an MVP. Signing DeRozan and bringing back Whiteside would set up two of the next big three in Miami. They still have Justice Winslow and Goran Dragic to make work as role players, Winslow may even develop as the third piece of the trio. Or else Miami could look for 2017’s free agency to complete the rebuild. But for 2016 to stay in the playoffs, they only need to focus on bringing back Whiteside and signing a Wade replacement.

Next: Milwaukee Bucks