Grading every Miami Heat move this offseason (so far) - Hot Hot Hoops - NBA

Miami Heat (Mandatory Credit: Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Miami Heat have had a busy summer. They’re not done, with three open roster spots (two of which they will fill) still open. But with the main course of the summer now over, let’s evaluate every single move the organization made this offseason, headlined by acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Miami Heat acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis:

Skinny: As much as I wanted the Heat to accumulate assets this (and in previous) summer(s), acquiring Antetokounmpo unquestionably raises the ceiling for this team when he’s healthy. He’s a top-3 player in the sport when he’s healthy. He’s a perennial MVP candidate capable of elevating this team into a contender in the East.

Given the Heat’s asset pool, or lack thereof, consolidating three of their top young assets (Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis), plus all three of their tradable first-round picks, one swap, one second-round pick and Tyler Herro, isn’t nothing. But to shake up the snowglobe for a premier talent still in his prime after four-straight play-in appearances? Worth it.

Initial Grade: A

Grade Now: A

Heat draft Ryan Conwell:

Skinny: Miami wasted no time addressing their biggest need — efficient volume 3-point shooting — after swiping Antetokounmpo. The Heat traded up four spots to snag Conwell, who shot 38.4 percent from 3-point range on nearly eight attempts over his final three seasons in college. He needs to improve his ballhandling, but he’ll fit seamlessly as a spot-up and movement shooter off the bench. In a scaled down role, I believe he has the potential to be a plus defender as a rookie.

Initial Grade: A-

Grade Now: A

Heat extend Andrew Wiggins:

Skinny: Heading into a contract season, Miami tacked on two years, $34 million to his $30.2 million player option. His following two cap hits will be $16.5 million and $17.3 million, respectively, similar to what the non-taxpayer mid-level exception will be.

Those final two years are a steal, especially if he performs well this year. He can knock down open threes and defend multiple positions at a high level. However, in good faith, I can’t give this a promising grade when he still could’ve earned $64 million while rewarding the Heat short- and long-term flexibility (instead of just long-term).

We’re not in the room for every conversation, so we don’t know what was actually on the table. Retaining Wiggins was always a priority for them. But for a team who wants to win now, creating an extra ~$10 million in flexibility this summer would have made a difference for building out the rest of this roster.

Initial Grade: ——-

Grade Now: B

Heat re-sign Simone Fontecchio:

Skinny: Fontecchio had an up-and-down season in his first season with the Heat. But re-signing Fontecchio for the minimum was a good deal. He was one of the better volume shooters available in free agency. Fontecchio shot 36.7 percent on catch-and-shoot threes and 39.9 percent on open or wide-open treys, per NBA.com’s tracking data. He should be a back-end rotation player, and an impactful one, at that, if he’s neighboring 40 percent from deep.

Initial Grade: ——

Grade Now: B+

Heat sign Tim Hardaway Jr.:

Skinny: Hardaway had the best shoting season of his career last year, eclipsing 40 percent from deep for the very first time in 13 seasons. There are concerns about 1.) possible regression (he’s streaky) 2.) how viable he is in the postseason (career 33.0 3P% in playoffs) and 3.) his impact when he’s not making shots. But he’s a quality spot-up threat, and $6.5 million for him isn’t bad business for just one year.

Grading every Miami Heat move this offseason (so far) – Hot Hot Hoops

Tags: