Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley Jr. (Photo : Getty Images)
The NBA Free Agency rumors are already buzzing and even teams in the middle of a playoff run are not excluded.
The Miami Heat was supposed to be set at the point guard position when they traded for and eventually signed Goran Dragic. Dragic reached the peak of his career and the Heat did well when they acquired him.
The Heat was set to become the next Eastern powerhouse when they strengthened their point guard and center positions-their weak points during the LeBron James era, at least on paper.
Dragic did not turn out to be a good fit with the Heat's deliberate type of offense. Did the Heat make a mistake in investing heavily on him? Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald analyzes.
The Heat's cap space is limited because of Dragic as his salary ranges from $15.9 million (this year) and $19.2 million for the next four seasons. It placed their chances to offer a max contract to Hassan Whiteside in jeopardy, but Jackson had to ask: "the Heat --- with this methodical pace --- will they ever get the caliber player who was third-team All-NBA playing up-tempo in Phoenix two years ago?"
Apparently, the team is already looking at options according to Jackson.
"And if the Heat cannot make it work, one of many decisions for Pat Riley this summer will be whether to try to sign Memphis point guard Mike Conley, whose camp is very much aware of Riley's high regard for Conley. Such a move, if it happened, would assuredly result in Dragic being dealt."
Conley has run a methodical offense with the Memphis Grizzlies and their vaunted 'grit and grind' style. He knows how to maximize low post presence. There are rumors that Conley may want to play with a winning team as the Grizzlies need to reload.
The Miami Heat could be a better option than the New York Knicks or Brooklyn Nets if Conley wants to move East.
But is it fair to say that Dragic's dip in numbers (from 12.2 points in Miami from 20.3 in Phoenix; 5.3 assists, down from 7.4; Three point percentage 33.1 from 40.8 in Phoenix) all his fault?
"Phoenix was a different situation," Dragic said. "I was the guy there. Here, I'm not getting those shots. But I don't care about points. I know I need to get everybody involved so we can co-exist; that's the most important thing. If you want to win a championship, everyone has to make sacrifices. Nobody said it was going to be easy. [But] the most important thing to me is winning."
The Phoenix Suns is built to run and they had more possessions. Dragic was given more of a free reign and he was also the main option on offense, no Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh on that team.
Dragic points out that "we're still next to last in the league in possessions. It's tough. Hopefully, we start playing a little faster, have more possessions."
If Coach Erik Spoelstra or Pat Riley can't make it work, they could pursue Conley but as former Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins told ESPN, they need to be ready with the cash.
"He wants to get paid," Hollins said. "Will Memphis pay him as much as somebody else? If he can get to a situation that has a future of winning or is he going to go to a team that doesn't have a future of winning? That's probably going to be important to him as well."
