US media suggests Miami Heat should risk signing free agent Russell Westbrook

According to F/W contributor Sidante Gupta, the Heat have one of the youngest rosters in the league, the reputation of being regarded as a dark horse in the championship can be attributed to the development of their young core over the past few years, especially Adebayo and Hero. As other key players such as Weil, Jovic and Mitchell grow, the Heat also benefited from the offseason Powell joining to strengthen their offensive firepower. Overall, Miami looks solid.

Heat lacks point guards, especially in the role of the core of the organization. To answer this question, Miami can risk signing free agent guard Russell Westbrook. Although Herro performed well in his role, he was not primarily an organizational core. His strengths are his shooting skills and overall offense versatility. In response to their star strengths, the organization decided to select Yakusionis this year.

Yacuccionis is talented, but still lacks experience. His struggle to turn the ball around in the Las Vegas Summer League is also a clear sign that he needs guidance and development before he is ready to lead the offense. With that in mind, signing Westbrook should be seen as a priority for Miami, especially given that they were seen as a favorite to sign him earlier in the offseason. Westbrook is currently one of several free agents still on the market, which is considered shocking by several former players, given the defender's reputation.

During the 2024-25 season of the Denver Nuggets, the nine-time All-Star demonstrated his ability to attack as a substitute and starter. Last season, he averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game, with an overall shooting percentage of 44.9% and a three-point shooting percentage of 32.3%. Apart from offensive work, Westbrook also showed impressive efforts on the defensive end, despite limited bursts. He averaged 1.4 steals per game and proved that.

He is more likely to accept the role of the second team, mainly as a replacement for Herro or Powell, depending on the situation. Given that Miami has a flexible roster due to its extensive talent, there is plenty of reason to believe that the nine-time All-Star can do a great job in any capacity. The Heat will seek to make further changes this offseason. Introducing a 35-year-old veteran who has the ability to become a real contributor can be considered a wise decision. The main concern for signing Westbrook is what kind of contract the Heat are willing to offer him. The former MVP said he didn’t want to sign a minimum contract, which is one reason he still didn’t sign when the camp approached. , the Heat may use the mid-level exception or biennial exception to sign Westbrook, although they may risk entering the luxury tax space. If the Heat are interested in approaching the nine-time All-Star, they are advised to do so soon. As the Kings expressed a strong interest in signing him, Miami could miss the opportunity to add a reliable veteran to its roster. What do you think?