On one hand, you have to feel for the Miami Heat. Losing the best player in the world can not be an easy obstacle to overcome. Had LeBron James stayed in South Beach, it likely would have been the Heat battling the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, not the Cleveland Cavaliers. But what's done is done. All Pat Riley and Miami can do is continue to look forward. And look forward they do.
The Heat are hoping to reload their team in free agency, but it may not go as smoothly as fans may hope.
"Expect sharp-shooting sixth man Lou Williams to reach out to the Heat, among select other teams, when NBA free agency starts on July 1," Jose Fernandez of the Miami Herald wrote.
"Williams (who ranked 15th in the league this season with 152 three-pointers) might be affordable only if two among Goran Dragic, Dwyane Wade or Luol Deng leaves. Otherwise, the Heat would have only exception money ($5.5 million or $3.4 million, depending on whether it incurs a luxury tax)."
Some fans believe that Wade is planning to leave the Heat based on a past-tense comment he made about his time with the team. However, anxious fans have a tendency to over think the smallest comments. It's quite possible that Wade had zero intent with the quote.
Regardless, Williams doesn't appear to be Miami's only free agent target.
"An associate of veteran power forward Carlos Boozer said Boozer wouldn't be surprised if he ends up with the Heat next season (almost assuredly at the minimum).
"Boozer, who spends a lot of time in Miami, can still play as a backup (11.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 49.9 percent from the field for the Lakers), but signing him makes sense only if Josh McRoberts or (less likely) Udonis Haslem is dealt."
However it turns out, Heat fans should expect some new faces in town as the team continues to try and recover from the loss of James.
