Russell Westbrook recently opted out of the player option on his contract. He will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. According to Bleacher Report’s Andrew Peters, the Miami Heat could be a potential top destination for him.
“The Miami Heat could benefit by adding a point guard this offseason, and they should look no further than Westbrook,” Peters wrote. “The Heat are set with a solid starter in Tyler Herro at the point guard spot, but lack depth. The addition of Kasparas Jakucionis in the NBA draft will help, though he’ll likely play more on the wing. Westbrook would be a solid addition off the bench as well as a veteran presence on a relatively young squad.”
Herro is at his best when operating as an off-ball guard. He’s more than capable of spearheading an offense, but thrives when sharing the ball-handling duties. Westbrook would help solve some of the guard issues the Heat have dealt with in recent years. His drive-and-dish style would give Miami some of the rim pressure they lost when Jimmy Butler bolted for the Golden State Warriors.
Furthermore, Westbrook would provide legitimate veteran leadership. He could also assume a mentor role for rookie Kasparas Jakucionis, who will undoubtedly find himself in Erik Spoelstra’s rotation before long.
Westbrook Still Has Something to Offer
Despite closing in on his 37th birthday, Westbrook is still a valuable player in the NBA. This past season, he helped anchor the Nuggets guard rotation with averages of 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists. He shot the rock at a 44.9% clip from the field and 32.3% clip from deep.
While he’s no longer the guard who can dominate a game by creating controlled chaos on both sides of the floor, he’s still a proven veteran who knows how to win. Assuming that Terry Rozier is moved on this summer, Westbrook could easily slot into a similar role to help fill the void.
Davion Mitchell Re-Signs With Heat
Any team that has Westbrook and Herro in the rotation will need a defensive-minded guard to help balance things out. Davion Mitchell is that guy for the Heat. On Saturday, June 28, it was reported that “Off Night” intends to sign a two-year $24 million contract to remain on South Beach.
“Restricted free agent Davion Mitchell intends to sign a two-year, $24 million deal to return to the Miami Heat, sources told ESPN,” Charania reported. “Heat officials and Mitchell’s agent, Josh Beauregard-Bell of Wasserman, negotiated the new fully guaranteed contract.”
Mitchell gives the Heat a legitimate presence at the point of attack. He thrives when guarding in isolation, as a chaser, helper, or when being switched onto bigger players as part of a switch-everything system. Putting him next to Herro, Westbrook, or Jakucionis will ensure Miami’s defensive needs are met. And that will be regardless of the offensive firepower around him.
Still, re-signing Mitchell doesn’t mean the Heat won’t search out a veteran ball-handler such as Westbrook. They need a lead playmaker to ease the pressure on Herro. It’s far too soon to put that level of responsibility on Jakucionis.
Nevertheless, Westbrook will likely have multiple suitors once free agency begins. Therefore, there’s no guarantee the former MVP will be heading to South Beach this summer.
