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The Biggest Winners And Losers Of 2016 NBA Free Agency

By Gerald Bourguet

Jul 7, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; A large welcome Kevin Durant digital billboard is displayed outside of Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 7, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; A large welcome Kevin Durant digital billboard is displayed outside of Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dwyane Wade
Mar 22, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) against the New Orleans Pelicans during the fourth quarter of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Heat defeated the Pelicans 113-99. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

Loser: Miami Heat

Quick inventory: Over the last two weeks, Pat Riley and the Miami Heat missed out on the summer’s best free agent, lost the greatest player in franchise history, lost two other starting wings and emerged with only Hassan Whiteside and Tyler Johnson.

Yikes.

To be fair, even securing a meeting with Kevin Durant was significant. If KD wants to meet with your team, you set everything aside to meet with him. But with Riley prioritizing him and Whiteside over Dwyane Wade, the three-time champion and franchise star reached his breaking point.

Riley never met with Wade and reportedly wouldn’t offer him the third year Flash wanted on his deal. That kind of pride cost the franchise its star player, and even if overpaying for Wade at age 34 might have stunted the next phase of Heat basketball a la Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles, there’s no doubt that losing the face of the franchise is a massive blow to morale and fan support.

Missing out on KD and losing Wade in the process hurts, even without Flash’s bloated contract on the books. Now throw in the fact that Luol Deng and Joe Johnson accepted other offers in the meantime and the Heat will be heavily investing in a Goran Dragic-Hassan Whiteside pairing.

Miami should have plenty of cap space next summer, and Riley will probably be aggressive in putting it to good use. But for now, the Heat are notable losers in this offseason.

Next: Winner: Golden State Warriors