NBA Free Agency 2016: Heat to sign Tyler Johnson?

In the latest NBA rumors, it’s becoming more likely that the Miami Heat will sign their guard Tyler Johnson before the end of the day Sunday.

Are the Miami Heat close to signing Tyler Johnson? It appears so according to the latest “whispers” around the league, as mentioned by ESPN’s Marc Stein. However, the franchise may continue to drag things out some with an official announcement not being made until near midnight Sunday night.

It’s also been speculated by some fans that the move is being made for a potential trade by the Heat with the Brooklyn Nets, with some fans upset over the fact Pat Riley was unable to sign superstar Dwyane Wade to a better deal.

Johnson was able to show improvement in his stats last season but has been mostly a role player and injury-prone in two years with the team. The Fresno State shooting guard appeared in just 36 games last season, after playing in 32 games during his rookie season with the Heat.

He also played in five playoff games this past postseason over the course of two seven-game series that went the distance. However, his stats improved for the 2015-16 season as he averaged 8.7 points, three rebounds, and just over two assists in 24 minutes of playing time on average.

After losing their longtime superstar of 13 years, Dwyane Wade, to the Chicago Bulls, it’s certainly ironic that they are looking to match what amounts to a $50 million max contract offer sheet that was extended via the Nets this past week. The team also recently locked up big man Hassan Whiteside with a max contract.

With that in mind, Miami’s move with Johnson may be simply so that Pat Riley can swing a trade with Brooklyn, so stay tuned.

For more NBA coverage, be sure to visit our hub page.