Miami Heat: Should Pat Riley Target Joe Ingles During Free Agency?

A weak class of free agents is set to hit the open market this summer. Would a lower-level target like Joe Ingles make sense for the Miami Heat?

The Miami Heat are about to have money to spend this offseason. A lot of it.

Thanks to the one-year contracts signed by last summer’s acquisitions, and Chris Bosh‘s contract coming off the payroll, the team is looking at upwards of $42 million in free cap space.

Now, a large portion of that will likely go to re-signing impending free agents Dion Waiters and James Johnson. Furthermore, provided Miami doesn’t land a max-level guy this summer, they will have no problem exercising their team option on Wayne Ellington, thus bringing him back for 2017-18.

But even with at least two of those three players returning, the Heat should still have plenty of change left over. Not enough for the Gordon Haywards or Blake Griffins, but adequate space for lower-level guys who could contribute to the playoff push.

One such name to look out for is Joe Ingles of the Utah Jazz. The Australian wing is a great defender, distributor and three-point shooter, and his grit and toughness would assimilate wonderfully within the Heat’s culture.

An issue with a potential marriage between the two, however, is that Ingles will be a restricted free agent, meaning Utah will have the option to match any offer sheet he signs. But according to one very well-connected media member, that may be less of a problem than anticipated.

At least if free agency unfolds how most expect it to.