5 former Heat players to sign on veteran minimum deals, ranked

No. 4 former Heat player turned free agent: Goran Dragic

Goran Dragic played 51 games for Chicago last season before being waived and subsequently signed by Milwaukee in March. The 37-year-old played sparsely for the Bucks, who derived the majority of their point guard production from Jrue Holiday and Jevon Carter.

There’s clearly still a market for Dragic. His résumé includes an All-Star appearance in 2018 and an All-NBA nomination in 2014. He was once on the shortlist of best point guards in the NBA — a crafty table-setter with a penchant for slipping down the lane and finishing with flare around the rim.

Naturally, there’s pessimism around any undersized, 37-year-old point guard with a spotty defensive track record. Dragic was able to handle a regular workload for the lowly Bulls (15.4 minutes per game), but that’s partially due to the steady stream of injuries Chicago suffered at the point guard spot last season. Once Dragic was in a winning situation with the Bucks, he was little more than an afterthought.

There’s definite appeal in Dragic as a veteran leader who can provide guidance for younger players. He might be able to hold down a minor role as a shooter and set-up man, but the first step and finishing craft that once defined Dragic has faded in recent years. He’s fast approaching the DeAndre Jordan tier of locker room vets with minimal on-court utility.

Dragic doesn’t penetrate the defense like he used to and he’s a sieve on defense. For those reasons, he’s fairly low on the list here despite being the closest thing to a name brand.