Raj Mehta- USA Today Sports
With the Miami Heat retaining their tenth overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, much is being made about how their upcoming selected player could impact the future of the franchise. However, the Heat already have their franchise-changing player on the roster, and his name is Goran Dragic. The Heat could potentially lose him to a slew of other teams ready to gamble their hard cap space, but Miami still has the upper hand, as they are the only team that can offer him the true maximum salary contract of five years.
Retaining their star point guard has to be the Heat’s number one priority this summer. In a recent interview with the Sun Sentinel, Dragic stated he would love to stay with the franchise based on their history, current management and ability to still contend in the Eastern Conference. His only criticism was how the team needed to implement a faster style of offense, one more suited to his overall game. Looking at the current teams remaining in the playoffs, he has a valid point.
The Heat could be a very good team next year with a starting lineup of Dragic, Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, Chris Bosh and Hassan Whiteside. That’s not even taking into consideration what Josh McRoberts and a top ten pick will do to the second unit. Take Dragic out of that lineup and this team becomes a lot less threatening. His playmaking abilities and skill in dictating an offense are crucial to the Heat becoming a title team once again.
Jared Doyle is a Miami Heat writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @outofboundsjay, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
