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Should The Miami Heat Reunite With Center For Final Roster Spot?
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- Should The Miami Heat Reunite With Center For Final Roster Spot?
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The Miami Heat are just about wrapped up with their offseason moves. They made one of the biggest moves of the offseason by sending four players and picks for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis of the Milwaukee Bucks . The team did lose Norman Powell to the Chicago Bulls in free agency but made multiple signings to build out their depth. In just the last two weeks, they signed Klay Thompson and Nick Richards while also bringing in Tim Hardaway Jr. on a one-year deal earlier this offseason. Simone Fontecchio also returns to the rotation on a one-year deal. Now, there is one remaining roster spot available. The Heat could opt to hold that spot open for flexibility purposes for later on this season or they could add someone to fill it. If the latter is the direction they go, there is a former member of the franchise who could still be a decent piece off the bench.
Kelly Olynyk is still sitting in unrestricted free agency at the beginning of September.
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Olynyk, 35, has been one of the better consistent backup centers in the league for the last decade. He was originally drafted with a lottery selection by the Boston Celtics in 2013, two picks ahead of Antetokounmpo. With Boston, he established himself as a particularly strong shooter from three-point range and ended up earning a long-term contract with the Heat in 2017. For the three-and-a-half seasons in Miami, Olynyk was always a consistent presence but was eventually traded during his expiring season. Over the last couple of seasons, the center has embraced a veteran journeyman role off the bench joining teams such as the Utah Jazz , Toronto Raptors and most recently backing up young San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama .
The Heat did strengthen the bench frontcourt unit with the recent signing of Richards but Olynyk would be a great candidate for the 15th roster spot. More likely than not, that roster spot won't be used too often minutes-wise, barring injuries of course, so why not use that spot on a veteran presence who could work with some of the players and also has familiarity playing under Erik Spoelstra in the past?
Miami may opt to hold the spot open in case a two-way player fully breaks out but for the time being, it would make more sense for the Heat to add a veteran to claim that rotation spot.
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