1. Miami Heat
This offseason has been a tough one for the Miami Heat. Their rotation took a huge blow when P.J. Tucker decided to opt out of his contract and decided to sign elsewhere. Tucker landed with the Philadelphia 76ers as they are getting the band back together from Daryl Morey’s Houston Rockets days.
There isn’t a clear-cut option on the roster to replace Tucker in the rotation, let alone the starting lineup. He brought a lot of intangibles to the team as a versatile 3-and-D player that could play numerous roles defensively. Tucker embodied Heat Culture and replacing him won’t be easy.
So, why not bring back the player that Tucker helped replace? Jae Crowder was integral to Miami’s success during the 2020 Orlando Bubble, helping them advance to the NBA Finals. When he moved on to the Suns ahead of the 2020-21 season, Tucker was eventually acquired from the Rockets to fill the void.
Crowder would bring a lot of the same qualities to the table that the Miami Heat loved Tucker so much for. He brings toughness, some timely 3-point shooting, and tenacious defense. Already having played for the organization once, Crowder would take no time adjusting to the unique culture the franchise has.
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Duncan Robinson would likely have to be involved in the deal for the Miami Heat to match salary. If Phoenix doesn’t want to take him in return, they could try getting a third team involved to get pieces that they would prefer to add to the roster.
