Robert Mayer- USA Today Sports
The Miami Heat were fortunate enough to hold onto their first-round pick this offseason by not only having the 10th worst record in the league, but also by having sheer luck in terms of the ball selections on draft night. With the No. 10 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, the Heat will most likely select a wing player, largely because of how weak that current position is for the franchise.
With several potentially great options for the Heat at that position, they could find themselves not wanting to pay current starting small forward Luol Deng the kind of money he is expecting this summer. Deng is due $10 million this upcoming season unless he opts out of his contract (which he most likely will) and explores the free agent market. There are plenty of teams that might be willing to gamble on overpaying Deng if he is able to produce, but the Heat are not going to be one of them.
By adding a wing player through the draft, the Heat will only have to pay that player a little under $2 million next season, which is a difference of $8 million compared to Deng’s contract. The Heat could potentially use that extra $8 million to sign a quality backup shooting guard and fill multiple needs in the rotation at the same time.
All of this speculation is based on the Heat actually holding onto their pick by draft night and selecting a wing player. Whatever the Heat decide, Deng’s days in Miami are very likely numbered.
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
