Goran Dragic has been waiting for a buyout since the NBA offseason when he was part of the sign-and-trade deal that sent Kyle Lowry to the Miami Heat. Dragic was disappointed to be traded to the rebuilding Toronto Raptors and immediately wanted a change.
Dragic played in five games before stepping away from the team for personal reasons. He has been seen working out with members of the Heat, so at least he has been doing some basketball activities.
The Dallas Mavericks were long rumored to be the top landing spot for him, but that no longer seems to be the case. Despite the strong relationship that he has with Luka Doncic, the Mavericks acquired Spencer Dinwiddie at the trade deadline, along with Davis Bertans, in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis and a second-round pick.
General manager Nico Harrison gave the impression that the Mavericks were done making moves, which led many to believe Dragic will land somewhere else. He will have no shortage of suitors, but it would be hard to imagine him not ending up back with the Heat.
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He didn’t want to leave Miami in the first place and has been working out with some guys from the team. Dragic is eligible to sign with them because he has been traded since the Heat dealt him. According to NBA rules, it is the Raptors who cannot sign him following a buyout, so could head back to Miami for the stretch run.
There’s still a case to be made about the Dallas Mavericks when considering Spencer Dinwiddie is a 6-foot-5 combo guard and the team can slide Luka Doncic over to the three spot. However, it comes down to what personal reason to take less opportunity does Goran Dragic value more?
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For the Miami Heat, there’s at least a legitimate chance to play for a championship, and it certainly doesn’t hurt that he has a strong familiarity with the team. They are currently the top-seeded team in the Eastern Conference but minutes could be an issue when considering Victor Oladipo will be making his debut at some point, too.
Perhaps most interesting of all is neither the Dallas Mavericks or Miami Heat have been the main teams linked to Goran Dragic in the reporting following his buyout. Again, the path to a substantial opportunity is limited with both teams, but sometimes personal elements come into play.
