3 biggest free-agent mistakes in Miami Heat history
By Jakob Ashlin
Miami Heat biggest free-agent mistakes: 2. Re-signing Duncan Robinson (2021)
Contract: 5 years, $90 million
The story is still being written on this contract, but the early returns are not looking good. The Duncan Robinson deal is strikingly similar to the Tyler Johnson deal. Robinson was an undrafted free agent. Surprisingly, he emerged as a valuable rotation player, and in order to keep him around, they overpaid him.
Look, re-signing him was understandable. In 2020-21, he started all 72 games for the Heat, and he shot a blistering 40.8 percent from deep.
However, the front office signed him to a historic contract. Robinson’s $90 million deal made him the highest-paid undrafted player in NBA history, surpassing All-Star guard Fred VanVleet.
The total value is tied for the 11th-highest among NBA small forwards, trailing only Kevin Durant, Michael Porter Jr., Khris Middleton, Kawhi Leonard, Brandon Ingram, Gordon Hayward, Andrew Wiggins, Jaylen Brown, and Mikal Bridges. With all due respect, Robinson is not in the same tier as those players.
To make matters worse, Robinson’s role has been dramatically reduced. This season, he started only one game. He was10th on the team in total minutes played (691).
Following injuries to Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo, he has been thrust into a larger role this postseason, and he is performing well. Still, it is hard to deny that this was a massive overpay, and there are still three years left.