Miami Heat: 5 potential free agency targets in 2017

 With 2017 NBA free agency just days away, we break down five potential targets for the Miami Heat, including Gordon Hayward and Blake Griffin.

For the first time in years, the Miami Heat find themselves sitting on a ton of cash heading into free agency.

With Chris Bosh‘s max salary finally set to come off the books, and after Pat Riley decided not to give Dwyane Wade the (somewhat ridiculous) contract he wanted, the Heat will have northwards of $30 million to spend this summer. That number could reach over $40 million with some creative maneuvering by general manager Andy Elisburg.

(Two ways Miami could reach the higher mark: Stretch and waive the final year of Josh McRoberts‘ deal and decline the team option on Wayne Ellington.)

So what will the Heat choose to do with said cap space? Tough to tell.

In his end-of-year presser, Riley stated the team’s primary goal would be to bring back their current core — guys like James Johnson and Dion Waiters, who will be unrestricted free agents on July 1.

But could the Heat’s strategy have changed since then? Recent reports state that star free agent Gordon Hayward will grant Riley a meeting the day free agency begins. Meanwhile, various reputable basketball minds believe Blake Griffin could end up in South Florida.

So much for not wanting to go “whale hunting” anymore, huh?

For our purposes, we’re going to pretend Riley chooses to be aggressive in landing outside free agents as opposed to bringing his current guys back. Thus, here are five realistic options for Miami in free agency who don’t currently play for the Heat.