Brad Penner- USA Today Sports
There was no possible way one of the best small forwards in the draft was going to fall all the way down to the No. 10 overall pick, and then, the Miami Heat ended up having Justise Winslow fall right into their laps. The Heat arguably got the steal of the draft by selecting Winslow with the No. 10 overall pick, and now they have a star they can cultivate and develop into a franchise cornerstone.
In an ideal world, both Dwyane Wade and Luol Deng will sign short-term deals to stay in Miami and mentor Winslow into the franchise player the Heat want him to be. Alas, both Wade and Deng will most likely opt out of their contracts, and although Wade’s presence in Miami is an absolute priority, keeping Deng on for next season isn’t.
Deng averaged over 14.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists while also playing as the Heat’s top wing stopper. Although his production took a slight dip from seasons past, his shooting efficiency both from the field and beyond the arc skyrocketed, turning Deng into the Heat’s best long-range shooter.
Deng absolutely has value on this Heat roster. The problem is, Winslow possesses many of these tangibles and is 11 years younger; plus, he will make significantly less than what Deng is potentially looking for by opting out.
If Deng is unwilling to take a smaller contract, Winslow could become his immediate replacement. With Deng departing, look for the Heat to move either veteran center Chris Andersen or shooting guard Mario Chalmers to another team in order to sign a veteran wing player. Either way, the selection of Winslow by Miami in the 2015 NBA Draft is a clear-cut sign that Deng could be out the door.
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
