2019 NBA free agency: 5 potential landing spots for Carmelo Anthony
By Jordan Foote
4. Miami Heat
To say the Miami Heat are in the middle of one of the most important offseasons in franchise history wouldn’t be an understatement. Pat Riley and company are attempting to begin the post-Dwyane Wade era and build the next Heat contender despite having one of the worst salary cap situations in the NBA. Doing so is much easier said than done.
After acquiring four-time All-Star Jimmy Butler from the Philadelphia 76ers in a sign-and-trade centered around Josh Richardson, the rebuild is apparently going to be done on the fly. The franchise is rumored to have interest in Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Russell Westbrook, with Miami said to be one of Westbrook’s preferred destinations. This trade would likely involve a multitude of moving parts and would possibly leave a roster spot or two open.
A lot of this scenario depends on whether or not the Westbrook trade happens. It’s simply a series of rumors and reports at this point, so it’s far from a sure thing. If it does go through, Miami goes from a low playoff seed in the Eastern Conference to a team in or near the top third of the league.
Acquiring Anthony would provide some much-needed shooting on the wing and a veteran presence to help aspiring sharpshooter Tyler Herro along throughout his rookie season. The ring factor isn’t a part of this equation, but Anthony would enter one of the league’s largest markets with the opportunity to play meaningful basketball. It’d be a good move for both parties involved.