The Miami Heat didn’t make many roster changes last offseason. But one outside addition that the Heat did make last summer was the free-agent signing of veteran guard Alec Burks.
After proving to be a helpful veteran in his first season with the Heat, Burks hopes he’s not part of any potential roster changes this offseason. Burks, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer after signing a one-year veteran minimum contract with the Heat last offseason, hopes to be back with Miami for the start of next season.
“I had a great year. I had a great time,” Burks said on exit interview day in late April when asked about his first season with the Heat. “Everybody from top to bottom, I got love for everybody here. It was a good year. I learned a lot. Even though I’m in my 14th year, I still learned something. So I’m glad I was here. Hopefully I can come back.”
Burks is used to change, though, as he has already played for eight different teams through his 14 NBA seasons. But he has learned a lot during his winding NBA journey and he applied those lessons to become a steadying presence for the Heat amid a turbulent season.
Burks, who turns 34 on July 20, stayed ready even through inconsistent playing time this season. After making just four starts in 36 appearances through the Heat’s first 68 games this regular season, Burks made 10 starts and 13 appearances over the Heat’s final 14 games of the regular season and then went on to start both play-in tournament games before again falling out of the rotation in the first round of the playoffs.
“I was just trying to be a steady presence and be a good vet,” Burks said. “When my name was called, I try to make the most of my opportunities and show the young guys you can play this role and be professional about it.”
Burks did a good job of that, adding efficient three-point shooting to the Heat’s offense. He shot a career-best 42.5 percent from three-point range on 4.2 three-point attempts this regular season, finishing with the NBA’s 10th-best three-point percentage among the 177 players around the league who took at least four threes per game this regular season.
“He’s a pro’s pro,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Burks. “He’s done it in so many places. That’s why we went after him. He can play this role. It’s not easy and much of this league, people are talking about, you want to have good vets. But there aren’t a lot of vets that really want to accept these kinds of roles. That’s just the reality. And he is not only able to accept it, but he thrives in that role.”
Burks’ biggest strengths are three-point shooting and reliability as a low-maintenance player who will seemingly accept any role, going from a bunch of regular-season DNP-CDs (did not play, coach’s decision) to postseason starter this season.
