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Miami Heat: 2016 Offseason Grades

By Gerald Bourguet

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
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 /
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Jul 29, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Dwayne Wade addresses the media during a press conference at Advocate Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /

Gone In A Flash

The biggest change on the Miami Heat’s roster this offseason was obviously Dwyane Wade’s departure for the Chicago Bulls. Not only did Pat Riley bungle the re-signing of the team’s best player from last season, but he also managed to drive away the greatest player in the franchise’s history.

By prioritizing Kevin Durant (understandable) and Whiteside (sort of understandable, but faulty enough to irk Wade, who rightly felt he was being taken for granted), Riley and the Heat managed to push Wade into the arms of another team.

Their two-year, $40 million offer should’ve been more than enough, but the way Miami handled the whole situation was insulting to a player of Wade’s caliber.

On the one hand, you can see the logic of not paying a 34-year-old with a long history of injury problems around $20 million a season for three years, which is reportedly the kind of deal Flash was looking for.

Though Wade played 74 games last season and was dominant once again in the playoffs, his numbers — 19.0 points, 4.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game on 45.6 percent shooting — were hardly indicative of a player deserving that kind of max money, even under the new salary cap. This would’ve been Miami’s Kobe Bryant deal, pure and simple.

That being said, when Kevin Durant didn’t materialize and most of this summer’s useful free agents were already gone, how on earth was it possible to not even call the face of your franchise who’s helped bring three championships to South Beach?

In the end, no one gave Wade the third year that he wanted, so the Heat could’ve brought him back for the two-year, $47.5 million price tag that he agreed upon in Chicago. That would’ve been a steep price, but Miami wasn’t going to revamp itself into a contender overnight without KD anyway. Why not give Wade his just desserts?

Keeping Wade would’ve been the most natural course for both parties, and it would’ve helped bridge the gap between now and the future. It also would’ve made the max extension for Whiteside a bit more tolerable.

Instead, Riley just let three rings, 12 NBA All-Star appearances, eight All-NBA selections, an NBA Finals MVP Award, a one-time NBA scoring champion and the Heat’s all-time leading scorer walk out the door. Contracts should almost never be about past accomplishments, but in the case of an all-time great like Wade, an exception needed to be made.

The Heat have a bit more flexibility without a bloated contract for Wade being on the books, but they didn’t exactly manage to replace him and the other departing starters. Bearing that in mind, it’s awfully hard for Heat fans to feel good about this summer when the greatest player in their franchise’s history is gone for no good reason.

Grade: D-

Next: An Offer (Sheet) They Couldn't Refuse

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