It’s not Pau Gasol and Carmelo Anthony, but Pat Riley has finally begun to re-build the supporting cast of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. Multiple sources are reporting that the Heat have agreed to terms with free agents Josh McRoberts and Danny Granger.
McRoberts is headed to Miami for four years and $23 million.
ESPN has learned that McRoberts will receive Heat's full midlevel for the next four years ($23 million) with a player option after Year 3
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 7, 2014
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The 27 year-old former Duke star is coming off a career season with the Charlotte Bobcats. Always an excellent athlete and canny playmaker for his size, McRoberts extended his game to beyond the three-point line in 2013-2014, connecting on 36.1 percent of his 3.7 tries from long-range per game. That newfound shooting range coupled with his passing instincts and defensive quickness makes him a perfect fit for a Heat team built around pace and space.
Granger has agreed to sign with his longtime rivals for the biannual exception over two seasons.
Free agent Danny Granger has agreed to a two-year, $4.2 million deal with the Miami Heat, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 7, 2014
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Granger will take the bi-annual exception with Miami, and hold a players option on the second season, source tells Yahoo.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 7, 2014
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Granger was traded from the Indiana Pacers to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Evan Turner before signing with the Los Angeles Clippers to finish the season. Knee injuries have left him a shell of the All-Star performer he was several years ago, but Granger flashed two-way viability as a role player for the Clippers in late March. If he can re-discover his shooting stroke, he could prove a valuable piece as a combo forward a la the retired Shane Battier for Miami.
Just as important as the signings themselves is confirmation of the assumption that the Heat are navigating free agency as a capped-out team. With James, Wade, and Bosh still unsigned and commanding more money than Miami previously anticipated, Riley likely only has cap exceptions to add worthwhile players. Bringing a star like Anthony aboard is impossible for the Heat if the Big Three re-sign, and a player of Gasol’s caliber is unlikely to play in South Beach next season in that case, either.
These moves are a step in the right direction for the Heat after they’d been unable to secure a commitment from any big-name players in the first week of free agency. The question now is if signing McRoberts and Granger is enough to move the needle for James and Bosh, each of whom seems increasingly likely to leave Miami by the day.
Make no mistake – McRoberts and Granger aren’t the type of players the Big Three hoped the Heat would sign this summer. But by refusing to accept heavily reduced salaries – which is well within their right as employees, let alone NBA superstars – James, Wade, and Bosh have severely limited the Heat’s flexibility. Miami will make more moves than these, obviously, but the big acquisitions the Heat’s stars reportedly wanted before free agency began are unlikely to come.
Still, this is mildly encouraging news for Miami fans. Riley surely wouldn’t sacrifice his limited financial wiggle room if he didn’t have confidence that doing so would help secure LeBron. And if James returns to South Beach, it seems Bosh will be right behind him.
But the future of the Heat is still high up in the air, even if agreeing to terms with McRoberts and Granger brings it down to a more comfortable level.
Are McRoberts and Granger good additions for the Heat?
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