How can the Miami Heat rebuild a contender?

From Blake Griffin to guys not even yet in the NBA, the Miami Heat should leave no stone unturned.

With Russell Westbrook re-signing with the Oklahoma City Thunder, another super star is off the table for Pat Riley to chase. It’s no secret the Miami Heat are seeking to add a game changer who can vault the team back into contention. The question now is, who will it be, and how can the Heat get there? Here at All U Can Heat, we take a look at some of the possible routes to championship contention.

The Flying Lion

The Heat need a game changer and Blake Griffin needs a change of scenery. A match made in heaven?

The Clippers formula isn’t bad, they could just never find a wing and bench players to get them over the hump. There is also the problem that Paul, Reddick, and Crawford are aging, while Blake is in the midst of his prime. He needs younger players around him.

Coming to Miami solves all those problems. Blake gets to replace Jordan with Whiteside, Paul with Dragic, and Reddick with T. Johnson. Winslow solves the wing problem. Guys like Richardson, Waiters, and Williams solve the bench problem.

Further, in Miami, Blake Griffin becomes the clear star and his laid back personality meshes with the Heat players. A move to Miami makes a lot of sense for both Blake and the Heat.

How does it happen? This season will (hopefully) provide clarity on Chris Bosh. If Bosh retires, the Heat have cap room. If Bosh plays, the Heat can trade him to clear the cap space. In fact, a sign and trade involving Bosh and Griffin makes a lot of sense for both teams. – Malcolm Haynes

more: What does Russell Westbrook's extension mean for the Heat?

Here And Now

So this summer did not exactly go as planned for the Miami Heat. They missed out on “whale” Kevin Durant. They could not convince Dwyane Wade to re-sign. And they still have no answers regarding Chris Bosh’s future.

But does that mean we should all give up on the 2016-17 season?

Absolutely not.

Look, things will not be easy come the fall. However, there are still a lot of things to look forward to. For one, Hassan “Blocktopus” Whiteside is back, and you better believe he will be better than ever too.

Similarly, Tyler Johnson is returning, ready to prove his worth (all $50 million of it). Rook 1 and Rook 2, Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson, had one heck of a first year in the league, and have since been working their butts off during the offseason.

Without Wade, Goran “The Dragon” Dragic, can run the offensive system at his desired pace. And there are Heat newbies like James Johnson and Rodney McGruder, just waiting to be molded like Play-Doh.

Not landing a major free agent, hurts. Losing Wade is a killer. Bosh’s health issues continuing to loom over the organization, is not ideal.

And yet, mark my words, Miami will not go down without a fight. Between returning talent, developing youth and new faces, “we gon’ be alright.” – Allana Tachauer

Trade Goran Dragic

For the Heat to get back to contention status, they may need to consider trading their $90 million point guard. No doubt, when Goran Dragic arrived in Miami, he was well worth those kinds of dollars. Over the course of his final two seasons in Phoenix, Goran was phenomenal, taking home Most Improved Player honors in 2014, as well as being named to the All-NBA Third team.

While he was able to maintain this level of play with the Heat during the 2014-15 season, he struggled to fit in alongside the Heat’s core of Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, Chris Bosh and Hassan Whiteside.

Now, he’ll be able to take the reigns, but is it too late? With Wade and Deng gone, and the team now built around Whiteside, Justise Winslow and other young up-and-comers, the 30-year-old Dragic may not fit into the Heat’s window. He may be among Miami’s most valuable trade assets, but for how long? – Cory Sanning

Tank

Let’s go back to February, 2015. Chris Bosh just suffered his first bout of blood clots that would sit him down for the remainder of the regular season. The Heat also just completed a trade to get Goran Dragic from the Suns. But with Bosh out, the Heat buzzing around .500 and with a real possibility of missing the playoffs, fans wondered: Should the Heat tank?

The answer then was a resounding no. Why tank? Other than the fact that Miami has a rare first round pick? We got to make the playoffs after LeBron left! That’ll show him!

Well, even as the Heat tried, they still missed the playoffs and sunk into the lottery. Justise Winslow slid to No. 10 and the rest is history (a short history but still). Miami is way better off with Winslow as opposed to getting beat in the first round of the playoffs.

It’s 2016. The Heat have a pick in 2017’s draft. Like 2015, it’s supposed to be a really, really good draft. So, I ask you again, should the Heat tank?

Wade just left, and making the playoffs would be a major morale boost. But how much is morale worth? Is it worth missing out on Miami’s next star?

Pat Riley has missed out on every major free agent since snagging LeBron in 2010. Every. Single. One. So, maybe it’s time to change plans. After all, Riley got Wade in the draft, and three titles later Wade is gone. So, again I ask, should the Heat tank? – Wes Goldberg