Miami Heat: 5 free agent reclamation projects for Pat Riley to take on

Feb 10, 2017; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Ben McLemore (23) celebrates after making a three point basket during the fourth quarter of the game against the Atlanta Hawks at Golden 1 Center. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Atlanta Hawks 108-107. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports /

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5. Jeff Green, SF/PF

We lead off our list of potential reclamation projects with a former Heat-killer, Jeff Green.

Though his value is all but shot due to a poor season with the Orlando Magic in 2016-17, and the fact he’s a soon-to-be 31-year-old, his positional versatility could make him an intriguing option for Erik Spoelstra’s team.

In his lone year with Orlando, Green averaged 9.2 points, 3.1 boards and 0.8 threes per game on paltry shooting splits of .394/.275/.863. There’s no other way to spin it: He was terrible.

However, the former Georgetown big man, in the two campaigns prior to joining the Magic, showed he was still more than serviceable. Between 2014-15 and 2015-16, Green was a 13.3-point, 4.2-rebound-a-night player for the Boston Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers.

What’s more, even last season he proved (more than once) that he’s still got something left in the tank. On Dec. 6 against the Washington Wizards, the 6’9″ swingman dropped 20 points on just nine shot attempts, chipping in three rebounds, one three and one steal in the process.

Would it be easy for Spoelstra and co. to get Green back to his 2013-15 form, when he was dropping 15.9 points per contest? No, it wouldn’t.

By the same token, James Johnson had shown next to nothing before joining the Heat this past year, and now he’s one of the most coveted free agents in his class. Who’s to say Miami can’t work similar magic on the former Magic power forward?

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