1. Emmanuel Mudiay
Age: 23
2018-19 salary: $3.5 million
Status: Restricted free agent
Of the three players mentioned, Emmanuel Mudiay certainly had the greatest impact last season. While he missed a portion of the season due to injury, Mudiay still managed to demonstrate some of the reasons why he was taken No. 7 overall in 2015.
Starting the season behind the eight-ball with an ankle injury, Mudiay did not make his first start until the 15th game of the season. Eventually starting in 42 of his 59 appearances for the season, he particularly excelled when given an increased level of responsibility.
Over 27 games in which he played at least 29 minutes, the 6’5″ Mudiay posted 20.1 points, 5.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds in 33.7 minutes per game. However, following the midseason addition of point guard Dennis Smith Jr., there’s a very strong chance that Mudiay will be looking to continue his career outside of the Big Apple.
Emmanuel Mudiay scores a career-high 34 PTS to propel the @nyknicks to the OT victory! #NewYorkForever pic.twitter.com/3KvkiNtNFp
— NBA (@NBA) December 15, 2018
With the retirement of Dwyane Wade, and the departures during the course of last season of Tyler Johnson and Wayne Ellington, the Heat are certainly in need of reinforcements in the backcourt. Furthermore, the future of Goran Dragic is still undecided, with the point guard still yet to take up the player option on the final year of his contract (though he most certainly will).
In all, while each player mentioned would certainly bring something to the table, Mudiay’s considerable upside and notable production last season, combined with the Heat’s need to bolster the backcourt, means he is the free agent reclamation project the Heat should be targeting this summer.