The Miami Heat should be one of the most interesting teams to keep an eye on this summer.
Despite remaining competitive and in the playoff hunt after trading away Jimmy Butler, the team will likely be aggressive in adding talent to the roster.
Outside of trading one of Tyler Herro or Bam Adebayo, the avenue to doing so will have to come in free agency.
Although this too will come with hurdles. The Heat currently do not project to have cap space to go big-game hunting and may be perceived as a less attractive destination for free agents after Butler’s departure.
This may force the Heat to be creative and take a risk on a player with some baggage.
One name that fits that bill and is already getting tied to the team is Phoenix Suns guard, Bradley Beal. According to Suns insider John Gambadoro, the Heat join the Nuggets, Spurs and Warriors as teams who could show interest in Beal if Phoenix buys him out of his contract this summer.
Beal has emerged as one of the NBA’s most polarizing players in recent years due to his inconsistent play and massive contract.
Despite his warts, Beal can still put up points and would provide some much-needed juice to a Heat team that is sorely dependent on Herro and Abedayo’s shot creation. The former All-Star’s perception would also greatly improve if he could play outside of the shadow of his max contract.
With three years and roughly $160 million remaining on his deal, it remains to be seen if the Suns would eat the residual terms of his contract just to get him off the team.
If they do, the Heat may look to buy low on the big name and hope a change of scenery and time in their “culture” could rebuild his stock.