Miami Heat: Grading their signings in NBA free agency

Miami Heat offseason signing No. 3: P.J. Tucker

As stated earlier, the Heat had too many one-way players last season who, when their shot is not falling, have very little to fall back on. Their defense is not going to trouble an NBA player in the playoffs, as shown by the Milwaukee Bucks series.

This is where P.J. Tucker is an inspired signing for the Heat. Not only does he bring the knowledge of what it takes to be an NBA champion, he won it last year with the Bucks, he is also a tough defender. He is the player the Houston Rockets chose to play center when they decided to try small-ball.

Tucker is going to take the opponent’s best wing on defense and is going to make their life very difficult. Given how many quality wings there are in the league, this is a crucial element to any team. He is also an incredible 3-point shooter, especially from the corner.

The biggest question mark surrounding Tucker is his age. He will turn 37 during the next NBA season and there is no telling how much this may slow him down. Still, he is a very good player who is happy with a reduced role on offense while also spacing the floor. A single season $7.0 million deal for a quality defender for a win-now team is a solid investment.

Grade: A-