The Miami Heat are looking to re-sign some key assets this offseason, but will Luol Deng be one of them?
The Miami Heat may have had a successful season, but the work is just beginning.
Finishing third in the Eastern Conference, with a 48-34 record, they almost made it to the Eastern Conference Finals. However, they fell short in Game 7 to the Toronto Raptors, thus beginning their offseason.
So, like for many organizations, this summer is sure to be a busy one; Heat president Pat Riley and company certainly have a lot on their plate when it comes to signing and re-signing guys.
And although most of the rumor mill is currently centered around the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Hassan Whiteside, there are still many other players whose futures are up in the air.
Take Luol Deng, for example.
Deng, an 11-year veteran, was acquired by Miami in 2014, the same summer that James announced he was heading back to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The franchise clearly had a void to fill, and a guy like Deng was the perfect fit: strong on both offense and defense, he was also able to provide leadership.
During his first year in South Beach, the 31-year-old averaged 14.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists on 33.6 minutes of play. He stayed consistent this past season too, averaging 12.3, 6.0 and 1.9 in 32.4 minutes.
But with his player-option up, will Deng be back?
For now, it seems hard to say.
On the one hand, he certainly seems to be happy with the Heat:
"“Not only did I enjoy playing here, but it’s an amazing city. I would love to be here. I can’t say one bad thing about being here.”"
And despite falling victim to some injury here and there, Deng certainly became someone Miami could count on, night in and night out.
But according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the forward is looking for at least $12 million annually, in a two-year contract. Which given that the Heat will pretty much have to give Dwyane Wade whatever he wants and are trying their hardest to hang on to Whiteside, that figure may be a bit steep.
Now of course, there is always a chance that for the right sacrifice, Deng would be willing to take a pay-cut. Plus Heat Nation cannot forget that Riley is a magician, when it comes to navigating the murky waters of free agency.
must read: Miami Heat end of season position study: Point Guard
However, Heat fans may want to start preparing their goodbyes, just in case.