The Miami Heat are reportedly bringing back point guard Goran Dragic, re-signing their starting point guard to a multi-year contract to tip off NBA free agency.
Dragic, who missed most of the NBA Finals with a plantar fascia tear, was always expected to return. With the Heat also prioritizing long-term cap flexibility, in an effort to pursue two-time reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021, Pat Riley found a deal that works for everyone.
When NBA free agency opened at 6 p.m. EST on Friday, Dragic announced that he will be returning to Miami. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, it is a two-year contract worth $37.4 million.
After shocking the basketball world and reaching the NBA Finals this past season, Miami is running it back with the squad that won the Eastern Conference. Udonis Haslem is returning for his 18th NBA season and will be joining a roster with a lot of familiar faces.
Dragic was sensational for the Miami Heat during the 2019-’20 season. He averaged 16.2 points, 5.1 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game, averaging 28.2 minutes off the bench in 59 games.
When Miami asked him to step into a larger role during the NBA playoffs, Dragic delivered. He finished with a team-high 19.1 points per game, while averaging 4.4 assists, 4.1 rebounds and one steal per game.
After re-signing Dragic, Miami will also be bringing back another key rotational piece from this past season.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Meyers Leonard is signing a two-year contract worth nearly $20 million.
Leonard started 49 of 51 games this past season, typically playing around 20 minutes per contest. He averaged 6.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Most importantly for Miami, he averaged 41.4% from beyond the arc.
The Miami Heat are moving quickly to retain their key players who led them to the verge of an NBA title. By signing Dragic and Leonard to two-year deals, Miami will also have the long-term spending flexibility to pursue Giannis if he hits free agency.
More must-reads: